With all the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and the lock down being extended for another 3 weeks, many couples had to make the difficult decision to postpone or cancel their 2020 wedding and as stressful as it is, we want you to be rest assured that this too shall pass, and that you will get the opportunity to celebrate with your family and loved ones very soon.
If you have decided to postpone your wedding, this is the best time to go through your numbers and think about all the details. Whether bigger or smaller, let the next couple of weeks give you a headstart on your planning journey. As we are bringing this blog series to a close, today we want to talk about your wedding date and how to make the right decision for your big day. Once you get engaged the first thing everybody wants to know is ‘Have you set the date?’. This piece of information is pivotal to the planning process as it will determine the budget, schedule of yourselves and loved ones and the most important: VENUE AVAILABILITY.
A good question to ask yourselves is which season will best capture your vision of what your wedding should look like. Is it outside and warm, or is it cold and cosy?
Peak Seasons:
Different seasons offer different atmospheres and natural colours that can enhance the overall tone of the day. Summer and spring weddings are notorious for being very expensive and due to the high demand, in-season vendor rates will be significantly more expensive (think April-August) than less popular wedding dates (like November-February). During peak season competition is rife in terms of booking favourite venues and vendors since it is such a popular time to get married. Please be aware that you may not get your first choice in all areas of your wedding and with the number of events and other weddings during that season some of your guests may not be able to attend.
Bonus Tip: When choosing your wedding theme really think about the budget, are you willing to pay double, maybe triple the amount for the same wedding in the summer than in the winter.
Wedding Attire:
In terms of weather, if the dress you envisioned yourself wearing is a contemporary lightweight strapless gown would you be able to brave the cold in the winter months or if your husband and his groomsmen are wearing three piece suits will they be able to manage the heat during the summer. These are important factors to think about as compromising on comfort can have a huge impact on your mood on your wedding day.
Floral availability:
If you are adamant on the type of floral arrangement you desire, you will need to choose a date when these are in season. Especially if you are using fresh flowers as they are more expensive than faux flowers. But more importantly, you risk paying double, even triple if they are not in season.
Depending on the season, certain colours are not as easy to find, orange, yellow and reds are warm autumn/winter colours, while pastels are more spring/summer.
With that in mind, purple and blue flowers all year round are difficult to find. For instance, lily of the valley (Megan Markle's wedding flowers) bloom for only 3-4 weeks in the whole year.
Question to ask yourself: How important is the type of flower and its colours? Will it dictate the season in which you choose to marry? If so, is that something that you are okay with?
Theme Colour:
If you love pastel tones, like peaches and sages setting your wedding during the warmer months would accentuate that airy and whimsical ambience that is created with these tones.
Whereas, if you prefer darker and warmer tones like oranges, rich shades of purple and burgundy then setting your wedding during the colder months would be best.
Wedding venue
Your wedding venue will determine the amount of guests you can invite, the location of your wedding and of course the theme and styling too. This will take a big chunk out of your wedding budget; therefore the last thing you want is for it to clash with the wedding theme.
Bonus Tip: If possible, try to create a rough estimate of who you're inviting to your wedding and a realistic figure of how many guests you expect to attend. This will let you know the size of the venue that is required and how much you will be paying per head.
Since the venue plays a huge role in setting the tone and overall aesthetic for the day, really pay attention to its features and the mood that it gives off, look at the lighting, flooring, carpet colours, the use of space, colour of the walls.
Begin to envision whether your theme could really work in this environment and how much work would be needed in order for it to be all that you hope for it to be.
Take a look at what the venue is willing to provide, such as tables, crockery, chairs, table cloths etc. As well as any decorative restrictions they may have.
Asking questions about what is included as well as any restrictions will make you aware of any decorative limitations that may be fundamental to your chosen theme (e.g. romantic wedding with rose petals and candles may not be possible in certain venues due to health and safety reasons).
Please be aware that your wedding date will probably depend on when the venue is available. If you’re more flexible and can get married in a few different locations, you have more freedom here to pick and choose.
But if your dream venue is only available on certain days of the year, would you be willing to be flexible?
Many popular places get booked up years in advance, so it’s definitely something to consider if you have your heart set on a dream location.
So, when it comes to choosing your theme, finding inspiration is key, but transitioning an idea into a reality is looking beyond the colours and styles. It’s seeing how these choices can be accommodated by your season, venue and budget preference.
So keep safe and see you in our next blog post.
x
Mannuela
