Wedding Planning Ideas | Wedding Guide

Do you have wedding planning ideas for setting wedding date? If you haven’t set your wedding date yet, you’ve got an easy way to save a bundle of money. You can lop as much as 65% off your reception costs which can make up about 50% of your entire budget just by picking the right date. You must have a dream wedding vision first. Why?

Here’s an example of a poor match between date and Dream Wedding Vision that I got from forum:

Cindy’s dream wedding vision was inspired by the club experiences she had with her girlfriends. She wanted techno music, flashing lights, plasma screens, dancers and non-stop excitement. All of which was wonderful…until she picked her date. She decided on a tented wedding reception on a Sunday in July from 1-5pm. Those lights were useless in the bright sun. And techno music on a Sunday afternoon? Grandma and Grandpa nearly bludgeoned the poor DJ to death with their canes. Expecting a club-style party in broad daylight makes about as much sense as expecting to go sun bathing on your trip to Alaska.

Choosing a creative wedding date isn’t just about saving money; it’s about maximizing the value while making your vision a reality.While you don’t want your guests to dictate the date of your wedding, you don’t want to ignore their preferences either.

For one of our couples, the Fourth of July was a meaningful date because it was the day they met (there were literally fireworks!) They planned on the Fourth as their wedding date until the bride’s father made it clear that nothing was going to interfere with his Independence Day barbeque. The couple settled on July 3rd. Even though it is your special day, a big part of your dream wedding is being surrounded by your closest family and friends. If they can’t be there or if they arrive grumbling and complaining because of the date you’ve picked. It won’t be much fun.

Here are the biggest price-slashing options to consider when picking your date:

1. An Off-Season Wedding. In many areas of the country, spring, summer, and fall are prime wedding season because the weather is perfect for photographs and travel. That the In-Season. But if you have your wedding in the Off-Season, you can get discounted prices because vendors are not as likely to book. Book your date in the Off-Season for your area to maximize savings. The times of least risk and greatest discounts are on the edge of your In-Season. (In the Northeast, that’s typically end of March and November; both are heavily discounted months with decent weather.) WARNING – This can be risky. For example, if you choose a winter date and it snows (surprise, surprise) your guests may cancel.
2. A Friday, Saturday Afternoon Or Sunday Wedding. You can save $10-20 a head or more on the cost of your reception by choosing a Friday or Sunday date. Saturday afternoon receptions are also discounted if the catering hall can host another evening event. This adds up to big savings. If you don’t want to give up the idea of a late-night Saturday party, consider a Saturday afternoon reception, then host an “after party” at a VFW or local bar. You’ll still save a ton.
3. A Mid-Week Wedding. Don’t write this one off too quickly. A Wednesday or Thursday night wedding can work if most of your guests are local and you end the party at an early hour. Once of our couples choose a Thursday night wedding in July. I was concerned about everyone leaving early, but this bride knew her group. Her guests were local and many of them were teachers, so they partied as hard as any Saturday night crowd. She got a high-end photographer for HALF-PRICE and saved $30 per head on the reception. Talk about a deal!
4. A Brunch or Cocktail Reception. It’s become hip to host a late morning brunch reception or an evening cocktail or desserts only reception. This lets you get the beautiful mansion or historic location you want at bargain prices.
5. A Holiday Wedding. If you like the holidays, hosting your wedding in December or early January not only gives you Off-Season discounts, your catering hall will be fully decorated for the holidays. You save on decorations and reception hall costs.
6. Shorten the Reception. If you shorten the reception by 1 hour or skip the cocktail hour, you can cut your costs by 25% and people will barely notice.

These are some of the important questions you have to ask yourself and have clear and defined answers when deciding what date to pick. Make sure you go over the same questions with your fiancé to avoid any conflicts as well.