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3. Consider Dates

There are a few things to consider when looking at wedding dates. The first step is to sit down with your partner and determine what season works best for the both of you. You may ask yourselves:

Is there a particular season where life is less hectic for you?

Do any “must-have” loved ones have limited availability due to health, travel, or work?

Is there a date or season that has particular meaning to you as a couple?

What kind of climate, florals, menu and overall feel are you envisioning for your day?

Determining the answers to these questions will help you narrow down the range of possibilities. The overall feel you want will serve as a guiding light time and time again when planning the details for your day. If you want a cozy gathering with natural textures and warm tones, consider hosting a fall wedding at a venue with stunning foliage. A springtime soirée might be the answer if you want lush green grass and flowering trees in full bloom. There are advantages and disadvantages to all seasons, so be sure to weigh the options carefully. Check weather patterns and plan accordingly, from the beginning, for a pleasurable experience for guests, rain or shine.

If you’re not particular about a season or range of dates, there are a couple things you can do to save money. First, consider booking in the off-season. This will vary based on where you are located, but venues should be able to give specifics. In addition, booking a day other than Saturday ((which used to be the gold standard in wedding-perfect days of the week)) can also help the budget, but in return is a bit less convenient for guests. Holidays may also create some scheduling conflicts with guests, so consider avoiding those. Remember that dates that play with numbers (11/12/13, 08/18/18, etc.) tend to be popular and more expensive, so if booking one of those dates is important to you, reach out to venues sooner rather than later.

Above and beyond personal preference, the biggest factor in selecting the date is the actual availability of the venue! Venues often book 12–18 months in advance, so keep those timelines in mind when setting appointments. Going in with several date options or a general season in mind may be best ((again, that flexibility can be SO important for keeping your sanity)). Keeping options open ensures you’ll be able to book a venue that truly speaks to you, rather than one that just one that just happened to have your date open.

For more advice on how to pick your wedding date, check out our article, What to Consider When Choosing Your Wedding Date.

4. Determine Guest List

It’s easy to underestimate how many people will actually end up on the guest list, especially when you factor in whose parents (or other hosts) might want to take part in the planning, from a financial standpoint. Having a firm number early on of who you’d like to be invited will reduce the likelihood of squeezing people in a space meant for a smaller count, and will help determine what venues fit your needs. Knowing the size of the guest list will also help budget considerations, as the number of people invited will affect the cost of things like stationery, catering, rentals, centerpieces, etc.

Of course, some invited guests will not be able to make it to the wedding. When estimating final count, it is normal for about 85% of invited guests to attend a local wedding, and 65% to attend a destination wedding. Keep in mind that it is best practice to be more generous with plus ones for destination weddings, or in any situation where a guest is traveling a long distance, so you’ll find that your guest count, here, will need to be increased.

“99% of our couples are destination weddings so we typically see about 60–75% of invitees attend.” - Ashley Peterson, Sugar Beach Events