When it comes to selecting a date, timing is everything
While you may already know what sort of dress you want to wear, what food you’d like to serve or your color scheme, nothing can fall into place until you know when the ceremony will take place. Katy Hurtig, owner of Coastal Coordinating, offers her advice on how to select the ideal date.
- Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day weekend may seem like they’d make for a fun wedding weekend, but holidays mean vendor prices are raised and venues are harder to book. “Weddings can be 25 to 50 percent more expensive on a holiday weekend or holiday alone,” Hurtig says. Not to mention the fact that guests may not want to spend their long weekend off work at a wedding.
- Check the calendar for major sporting events. In Jacksonville, it’s best to avoid hosting a wedding over Florida/Georgia weekend. “You won’t be able to book hotels and restaurants will not accept rehearsal dinners,” she says. Other big games (including the Super Bowl, World Series and Final Four) are so popular it might be difficult to lure guests away from their television sets.
- Saturday is a popular wedding date, it’s also the most expensive day of the week to get married—get married on any other day of the week, and save anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 on the reception.
- April, May, June or October are the most expensive months to get married, due in large part to the good weather. Save some money by taking advantage of vendor’s hurricane season discounts, usually on offer in July and August.
(photo cred: Agnes Lopez Photography)