How to Choose Your Wedding Date

After announcing their engagement, the first thing a couple gets asked is, “when’s the big day?!” If you’re newly engaged, you probably agree that this seems like a little much at first! While it's important to give family and friends plenty of notice so they can make travel plans, we actually recommend that your date is not your first decision. Instead, focus first on what's most important - the wedding! Then, choose a date based on style and season.

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Champagne Celebration at Galway Downs in Temecula, CA

After all, your date isn’t going to be in your pictures, your date isn’t going to be what your guests remember about your wedding, and whatever date you choose will naturally be special because it's the day you got married! When you choose a Wedgewood Weddings venue for your celebration, we can help you through this decision and all the other decisions leading up to your wedding. Because we're known for more than just our spectacular venues - we’re a team of wedding experts that'll make your vision come alive.

Vanity Dates

Certain holidays are common for weddings, like Valentine's Day or New Year's Eve. Or, maybe you're a Halloween kind of couple! While these dates can be super fun and memorable, there are other factors to consider with the idea of a vanity date wedding. For example, if you get married close to Valentine’s Day, the cost of your flowers is likely to skyrocket. Also, event services are usually more expensive on New Year’s Eve because it's such a popular date for celebrations and parties.

If you’re considering getting married on a holiday that spans a four-day weekend (like Memorial Day), there are even more pros and cons to think through. Sure, you'll have an extra day to celebrate, but if you have family members traveling from out of town, their flights are going to be more expensive. Additionally, if you’re planning to leave for your honeymoon right after the wedding, the price of your flight will also be higher than usual. One more thing to consider is that your guests may have family traditions already lined up on these holidays that they'd prefer not to miss. In the end, you have to choose the day that’s best for you, but it's smart to be considerate of your guests too.

A few more options you may not have thought of are supermoons and non-official holidays. You can always do your research and find out when a supermoon is scheduled to appear in the sky for an extra dash of romance on your wedding day. Not an astrology fan? Look up non-official holidays like National Hugging Day or Global Love Day. Or, maybe even Friday the 13th! Though it's often thought of as an unlucky day, some couples might like to tempt fate and celebrate this spooky day.

Wedding Party Hooray at Sequoia Mansion in Placerville, CA

Popular Wedding Dates

The year 2024 is ripe with possibilities for wedding dates that are going to sound and look great on your Save-the-Date! Couples tend to gravitate towards dates with strong numerical patterns, so anything with an extra two, or twenty, or a date that adds up to twenty-two is going to be popular this year. According to an article written by Elite Daily, repeating numbers or dates with a pattern can look super cute on an invitation or sign and are likely to be a major wedding trend for 2022 and 2023.

The trouble with choosing one of these cute “two/four/two/four” dates is the competition that comes with it. Unfortunately, you won’t be the only couple who figured out that 2/4/2024 is a super cool date, so other engaged couples in your area might be fighting for the same venue or vendors. Unless you’re extremely passionate about getting married on one of these dates, it'll be easier for everyone to choose a less popular option—especially if you're trying to stay within a budget.

Conversely, the beauty of choosing a pretty date in the 'twentytwenties' is that you have 12 chances at the gorgeous pattern date you want. There are 12 x __/24/24 in 2024 and that makes them much more accessible. Or consider __/20/24 - so cute!

You be the judge is 6/12/24 the ideal wedding date in 2024? 

Glowing Bride & Groom Hofmann Ranch in Castroville, TX

Thinking Beyond Saturday Weddings

Traditionally, Saturdays have been the most popular choice for wedding dates. However, in recent years, we’ve seen more and more couples choosing Fridays, Sundays, Thursdays, or even Mondays for their big day. So consider something other than a Saturday: it’s less expensive and sometimes more convenient to get married on an alternative day. If you choose a Thursday, Friday, or Monday, your guests can make an entire weekend of the occasion and have more days to celebrate other than the actual ceremony day. If you’re superstitious, Wednesdays are actually supposed to be the best days to get married - plus they’re much easier on the budget.

Not only do we encourage you to consider alternate days of the week, but also keep an open mind to the time of day. Evening weddings are the most popular, but earlier weddings have their own unique benefits too! Picture this: a brunch-time wedding with mimosas, a make-your-own waffle station, and a donut wall for your guests to enjoy! Plus, if you get married in the morning, there's more room to add on extra hours and celebrate longer! A great way to make your wedding memorable is by choosing a unique time of day. Keep your options open and find something that's truly unique to who you are.

Venue > Date

As we mentioned, your date is one small piece of the wedding puzzle, and frankly, your venue is more important. When you look back on your wedding, you’d regret not getting your favorite venue more than you’d regret not getting the date you originally planned. Instead, it's best to select a few months (or a season) that you'd consider for your wedding - a more generic time frame will be easier for you to work with than one specific date.

Another thing to consider before you commit to an actual date is the weather. Research what the weather was like in previous years. Of course, no one entirely knows what it'll be like on your wedding day, but it's smart to consider how hot it gets in the summer, how cold it gets in the winter, or how rainy it gets at certain times of the year.

Colorful Porch Kiss at Lindsay Grove in Mesa, AZ

Final Tips

Before you commit to a date, touch base with the people in your life that you absolutely have to have at your wedding. You'll want to make sure they're available during the time you're considering!

Another good idea is to check with the city where you’re getting married to see if any festivals or events are happening on your date. Whether or not this is a deal-breaker, it’s good to know ahead of time because it could affect things like road closures and hotel availability for your big day.

Finally, remember to look at the big picture. You'll be celebrating this date for the rest of your life, so be mindful of what other important dates are close by. For example, birthdays or holidays that are close to your wedding date could make that time of year very expensive going forward!

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At Wedgewood Weddings, we love talking through these types of details! Our team enjoys getting to sit down with couples and hash out every little detail until we come up with the perfect date, the perfect flowers, and all the other particulars that add up to the perfect wedding. If you’re ready to start planning with us, call us today at (866) 966-3009 to book a walk-through at one of our award-winning wedding venues in your area!