Sarah Lizabeth Barker - Planning A Wedding For Dummies

Oh, the perfect date, the one you will remember forever. You celebrate it on every anniversary, and you embroider it on a pillow. But how do you pick the perfect date? In this section we’ll discuss some topics that might determine that for you and how you’ll have a date that you’ll remember for the rest of your life.

Picking a date is typically one of the first things you’ll do, which is very exciting. You would think picking a day would be simple, but for some it’s quite complicated because there’s a lot to consider. Just remember, it’s supposed to be fun! Think about those who have had to reschedule or postpone their weddings — they had to go through the process all over again.

Here are some things to consider when determining your perfect date:

Time of year: If you’re someone who knows without a doubt that the summer is out because you sweat so much, then maybe the fall is more your style. What time of year is your favorite? Do you love the spring when everything is in bloom? Do you love how the leaves change colors in the fall? Remember, everything you do reflects on you as a couple, so if fall is your favorite, pick a fall date! Focus on your favorite time of year and start there.Another thing to consider when thinking about the time of year is the likely weather. Yes, the spring is beautiful, but it rains a lot. The saying is true: April showers bring May flowers. Depending on where you’re getting married, picking the perfect date may involve considering if there is a rainy season, or you don’t like snow and want to avoid a blizzard on your wedding day. Here in the south July is crazy hot, so we don’t do a lot of weddings during that month because you can hardly walk outside.

Life: What do you do for a living? Are you a teacher who has the summer off? Maybe that’s a good time to get married. Did you start a new job and don’t have any time off for a certain period of time? Consider what your life looks like when you’re picking the perfect date. Your life might determine the time you have to put into planning a wedding and taking time off to get married.

Venue availability: We will talk in detail in Chapter 6about picking the very best venue for your big day. Often your perfect date will be determined by the venue’s availability. You can’t have a wedding if the venue isn’t available. When you do tour venues and fall in love with one, make sure to have several perfect dates in mind so that you don’t have your heart set on a date that isn’t available. I’ve seen it happen repeatedly. The client wants a very specific date but the venue they love isn’t available. They never seen to get past that, and I don’t want that happening to you.

Different rates: Venues often charge less for a weekday or Sunday wedding. If you’re looking to save money, consider a day other than Saturday. Saturdays tend to have the highest rate because that’s the most popular day. If you do pick an alternative day to save money, don’t forget to check in with your bridal party. They may not be able to travel for a Friday wedding because they would have to take off two days for work. It may be a good way to save money, but if your best friend who you can’t imagine not being at your wedding can’t make it, then it’s not worth the savings.

Cool numbers: Finding a date that’s easy to remember within that calendar year (such as 02-12-22 or 11-11-11) is a popular approach. These are so much fun, but you should know that everyone else is thinking the exact same thing. Those are typically the first dates booked. If you’re set on a cool number, be aware that someone else may have the same idea and it might prove difficult to book a venue for that date. The additional vendors that you need may already be booked as well.

Holidays: Holidays are always a fun time to get married. New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July are the most popular — probably because of the fireworks. Clients typically have the mindset that if it’s a holiday, everyone will be off work, which means they can attend the wedding. If you do plan a holiday wedding, make sure to notify your guests as soon as possible. Your guests may have booked their holiday weekends far in advance because it may be the only time they get off work. When booking a holiday wedding, be thoughtful of religious holidays and Mother’s and Father’s Day. The people you’re inviting may love you like family, but they may want to be with their family on those days.

Regardless of what your date may be, I am here to help you make it a perfect day. Don’t forget to celebrate your engagement, enjoy the planning process, and date your fiancé. It’s the foundation of a perfect day.

Chapter 2

IN THIS CHAPTER

How to share the good news

Picking your bridal party

Throwing all those showers

It’s time to start spreading the news! You’ve celebrated, you understand the importance of enjoying the planning process, you and your fiancé have continued to date, you’ve picked the perfect wedding date, and now you get to let everyone know! Well, you’ll let those you want to know and save the rest for later.

When I buy a gift for someone, I typically can’t wait for them to receive it, so the minute I buy it, I give it to them. “Here’s your Christmas gift in October!” It’s confusing to them, but I’m just so excited that I can’t stand it and I want them to have it. This is obviously not what you’re supposed to do. The same thing is true for announcing your engagement and inviting your guests to the wedding. There is a process and a time when you should let everyone know.

In this chapter, we’ll discuss the timing of spreading the good news, work though how to inform your people, learn about picking your bridal party, and explore all the fun parties we get to throw along the way. Let the fun begin!

Even though you’re so excited to share the good news, there’s a process to whom you tell first and when you let everyone else know. I know you want to shout it to the world, and you will soon. Surely your fiancé had a ring before the proposal. If they had given it to you the day they purchased it, that moment wouldn’t have been as special as the one you had. There is beauty in the waiting because you and your fiancé have a little secret between the two of you that no one knows.

In this section we’ll discuss how to announce your engagement, throwing your engagement party, and the social media announcement.

Being engaged is an exciting time. You finally found the one you’ll spend the rest of your life with, and that person asked you to marry them. That’s a big-deal life moment to be celebrated and shared with the world. But how do you do that? When can you finally change your relationship status? Here are some tips on how to announce your engagement, listed in the order that I suggest you follow when it’s time to let everyone know that great news!

It’s between the two of you. Before you share the news of your engagement with anyone else, take time to celebrate with just the two of you. Because we live in an instant society, many people don’t do this. Everyone wants things immediately, but when you wait and take a minute just to celebrate together, it makes the sharing with everyone else even more special. You stopped and took a minute to look each other in the eye and be grateful that all the steps you have taken in life led you to each other. You are about to get bombarded with congratulation texts, likes on social media, and phone calls. Before the chaos begins, pause and be grateful that you have each other.