So, you've just become engaged and you're ready to step onto the wedding planning carousel, a ride you will most likely be on for the next year if you are planning a typical wedding with family and friends and a full reception. You've got a lot of work ahead of you, but where to begin?
There's really only one place to begin, since it's the question virtually every vendor is going to ask about before they agree to take you as a client; Setting your wedding date.
Now, before you and your fiance get all rosy-eyed about getting married on Valentine's Day, or your parents' anniversary, there's something you ought to know. You may not actually be the ones determining the date of the most important day of your lives. More often than not, it is the reception hall you choose that will most likely be the determining factor for your wedding date.
The simple fact of wedding planning is that many halls are booked in advance, sometimes years in advance, so your ideal wedding date may already be taken. Out of a possible 365 days in an entire year, how could anyone else have possibly chosen the same wedding date as you? Here are just a couple of likely reasons.
Time of Year
The time of year, or season you want to set your wedding date in, has a lot to do with the availability of a hall. Springtime, especially the ever popular month of June, isn't referred to as the 'Bridal Season' without reason. The beauty of this time of year, with flowers fresh in bloom and warm spring sunshine offers an ideal setting for any wedding date. And that is exactly what nearly every other prospective bride is thinking. If you simply have to have a traditional June wedding date, be prepared to wait at least a year or more for your wedding, even if you are flexible about your wedding date.
Other seasons may actually offer a better chance to book a hall on your first choice wedding date. Winter is not usually any bride's first choice, since weather can wreak havoc with the wedding date with little notice. Except for Christmas and New Years Eve, you stand a fairly good chance of getting the hall you want for your wedding date.
Autumn is a little harder, as many brides love the idea of cool weather and colorful fall leaves as a background for the perfect wedding date. While you may still be able to get a wedding date in the fall, you may have to change it by a week or two.
Summer is a toss up. Some brides choose the outside reception option for their wedding date, but just as many are likely to book an air conditioned hall so the cake, as well as their make-up, doesn't melt.
Holidays
Think setting your wedding date on a major holiday is romantic? Join the crowd of brides standing behind you raising their hands too. Valentine's, Sweetest Day, Christmas and New Years are extremely popular days to get married. If you need a classic example of the hall setting the wedding date, this is it. You may wait years to get a wedding date in a good reception hall for one of these holidays.
So, at this point you might be wondering if there is anything you can do to increase your chances of booking a hall for your first choice wedding date?
Friday vs. Saturday
Traditionally, most brides prefer a Saturday wedding date, since many people have Saturdays off from work, and then have Sunday to recuperate. However, if you're willing to set your wedding date on a Friday evening, you've just opened up approximately 52 more potential wedding dates from which to choose.
Another bonus of the Friday wedding date? Halls only make money if they're booked, so they really want to book on Fridays too. Many halls that insist on their own catering staff will actually let you book the hall for free, since they are making their money from the dinner.
Wedding Brunch vs. Wedding Dinner
By being open to the possibility of an earlier brunch, as compared to a dinner reception, you may be able to book your wedding date in the same hall as another couple. Keep in mind, that if you are the brunch, you will need to end your reception at a predetermined time in order for the hall to be cleared, cleaned and decorated for the next couple's event.
So the answer is actually yes, to some extent the reception hall really does determine the wedding date in many instances. The important thing to remember is to set your wedding date first and begin looking for halls right away. Once you have this part of your wedding plan in place, lining up the rest of your vendors will seem like a piece of wedding cake.
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