photo by Jonnie + Garrett Wedding Photographers

If you’re recently engaged, you’ve probably heard the following more times than you can count: “Congratulations! When’s the wedding?” If you don’t have an answer to that question yet, today’s post is for you! Before trying on dresses or tasting cakes, you’ve got to know when the big day is happening so you can set everything else into motion with a timeline in mind. In case you’re not sure how to choose your wedding date, we’ve got a few things for you to consider before setting a date in stone.

photo by Vicky Baumann

Consider Seasonal Florals, Colors, and Fashion

The season you decide to tie the knot can actually have a lot more to do with your wedding than you’d think. The first major seasonal consideration is your flowers. Is there a particular bloom you want to feature in your floral design? You’ll want to check to see when that flower is in season to know if you’ll have access to it for your wedding décor. If you haven’t started thinking about flowers yet, you might want to see what plants do bloom in different seasons and choose a date based on which available flowers you like the best. Part of your color palette will come from the florals you use, so keep that in mind as you start to envision the look of your day! While your color palette isn’t necessarily determined by the season in which you marry, the two can definitely have an effect on each other.

Another seasonal aspect to consider is wedding day fashion. If you have your heart set on wearing a long-sleeved gown, you probably don’t want to say “I do” in the middle of the summer. Similarly, your barefoot wedding look may not be weather-appropriate at a snowy winter wedding. Do you want to rock an awesome custom bridal jacket? A fall or winter wedding would go perfectly with that! Envision yourself in a strappy dress on the beach? A summer wedding is more your style.

photo by Cassie Rosch, Photographer

Email Priority Vendors

Whether it’s a wedding designer you love or a photographer you can’t imagine getting married without, avoid heartbreak by contacting potential vendors to find out their availability as soon as possible. Many couples set a date with their venue first, but it’s a good idea to go into your venue bookings knowing what dates your dream vendors have open. Vendor calendars begin filling up over a year in advance, so if you have your eye set on a particular videographer, for instance, inquire with them before you have your first venue tour. Once you know what dates they have available, you can choose one of the venue’s open dates that syncs up with theirs.

If you haven’t started researching vendors yet but you have a venue in mind, the same rules apply! Venues also fill their calendars incredibly quickly, so don’t put off this important planning step, especially if you’re aiming to tie the knot in less than 10 months.

photo by Love Stories Co

Consult with Must-Have Guests

Unless you’re eloping, there are likely at least a handful of friends and family members you wouldn’t get married without having in attendance. Before you set your date in stone, make sure those must-have guests aren’t traveling out of the country or undergoing an important surgery on your potential big day. We’re not suggesting that you change all of your plans because your brother-in-law doesn’t want to request off from work to come to your wedding, but it’s good to touch base with your immediate loved ones to ensure they can make it.

photo by The Image Is Found

Check the Weather

This last tip is going to sound totally old school, but trust us on this one! There is a seriously helpful resource called The Old Farmer’s Almanac where you can search for any date of the year and see what the weather has been like for the last several years. Say you’re considering April 25 (AKA the perfect date) for your wedding. You can go right to the Weather History page on The Almanac website and search the zip code where your wedding will take place along with April 25, 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014 to get an idea for what the weather will most likely be on that date in 2018.

Especially if you’re having your wedding in an area that floods or has tornadoes or hurricanes, this tool is a helpful way to plan around the weather! Of course, April 25 still might get a spring shower even if The Almanac doesn’t call for one, but at least you go into your wedding planning with some historical context for the weather that day.

Not feeling quite ready to choose your wedding date? You might want to stop and consider whether you want a local or destination wedding before moving forward!