Choosing the perfect time of year to get married is a crucial decision when planning a wedding. Here, we help you decide when the best time of year to get married is.
Just engaged? It’s time for one of your first and biggest decisions – when will the big day be?
The importance of timing
It’s funny how you can have your heart set on a wedding from a very young age but then as soon as you have a ring on your finger it is turned completely upside down. When faced with the daunting task of planning a real-life fairytale wedding, it’s at that point that you begin to ask yourself questions like: “Do we actually want to get married outside?”, “Is it wise to get married on Christmas Day?” and “Do I really want to get married in a castle?
That little girl’s dream can still be brought to life, but you might like to modify it to make it more fitting for you and your new husband-to-be.
You see, the time of year can influence many factors of wedding planning. You have things like weather, work, holidays, venue availability and much more to bear in mind, so choosing the right date is absolutely crucial to getting started on a smooth journey.
Put a spring in your wedding
Spring is a wonderful time of year to get married as it symbolises new beginnings. What could be more fitting than starting your new life just as nature is bursting to life?
During the months of March, May and June, you can benefit from various varieties of blooms with beautiful pastels in abundance. The days begin to get longer and the weather starts to warm up which fills everyone with hope and happiness after the long cold winter months.
However, one of the downsides of spring is that you can’t rely on decent temperatures and unpredictable rainfall can wash away any plans for an outdoor celebration.
A sunny summer wedding
Summer is, of course, a fantastic time of year to get married as you have more consistent spells of sunshine as well as lovely long days to work with. Not all summer wedding needs to take place outside, but it has to be said that reliably dry weather is an appeal regardless – no bride wants to be dodging rain showers or trudging through mud to get to the venue!
What’s more, the quality of light – whether indoors or outdoors – is stunning during the summer months and will help to emphasise your striking décor, not to mention add a bit of sparkle to anything that the sunbeams catch.
Lots of people dream of a hot, hazy summer’s day for their wedding but the reality isn’t very glamorous! If looking to get wed in the fresh air, then opt for a venue that can offer ample shade for those guests who will be on their feet for most of the day.
One of the biggest (and possibly only) cons to a summer wedding is that these favourable dates tend to have a bigger price tag.
Falling for an autumn wedding
Various polls have revealed that Autumn is the nation’s favourite season, and it’s no wonder that couples are loving planning a perfect ‘fall’ wedding. With the long nights setting in again and the promise of magic on the way, Autumn is a time to slow down and relax.
Crisp weather makes for a magnificent setting, along with the vibrant colours of the turning leaves. You may even want to incorporate simple seasonal pleasures for people to feast on like pumpkin pie, toffee apples and hot chocolate with marshmallows, all while your guests are wrapped in warm blankets. Cosy vibes all the way, we say!
Once again, peak dates may be a bit more costly though and you can never predict what the weather will do.
Creating magic with a winter wedding
And finally, the season of splendour… winter!
The festive period, though pricey as you get closer to Christmas, is an ever-popular time for couples to get married as it reminds them of all their cherished childhood memories. It also provides the opportunity to go with unique décor that will have their guests beaming from ear to ear – when else can you create your very own snowy scene complete with stuffed polar bears and penguins?!
Of course, Christmas-time doesn’t have to mean playful and childish. You can also design some truly elegant winter-inspired decor such as crisp white linen teamed with silver and sparkles.
Though the idea of getting snowed in at a lovely log cabin is romantic, the sad truth is that you are more likely to get stranded on the icy roads in winter so the erratic weather is something to be mindful of when planning a wedding for this time of year.
You may simply want to base your decision on when your family and friends are available – are you more likely to get a good turn out in the summer holidays (for example if lots of your friends are teachers) or does your family only get together for Christmas celebration thus making this your window of opportunity?
As you can see, there’s so much to consider when deciding on the timing of your wedding, but we hope that you can now visualise how your wedding might look throughout the different stages of the year.