Welcome back to Thoughts & Musings!
If you’re anything like us, the final third of the year is your favorite time! The colors are in their peak, nothing beats warm apple cider (or pumpkin spice lattes, if you’re into that sorta thing), and we have yet to find anything comfier than leggings and oversized sweaters!
Before we know it, we will be gobbling up a delicious meal or two with loved ones, while expressing gratitude for all the things that make your life as wonderful as it is. Football will be on the TV, and with a glass of fine wine (or a bottle of beer) and a warm blanket, the post-Thanksgiving meal nap will start to approach. You drift off thinking how life just couldn’t get any better than this…
Except it does! As if the holidays aren’t the happiest times of the year already, with the beautiful snowfalls, tasty gingerbread cookies, twinkling lights, and perfectly wrapped gifts, it is also the season of love and happiness! And you know what love and happiness leads to, don’t you?
ENGAGEMENTS!! Yay!
Did you know that 40% of soon-to-be brides are proposed to by their one and only between the months of November and February? That means that YOU could be next! Eeek… we are excited FOR you!
Say it is your time this year! He pops the question, maybe while ice skating at the park, or possibly by attaching the ring to the collar of the puppy he is getting you for Christmas with a sign that says, “will you marry my daddy?”. Whichever way he executes his perfectly planned proposal, we are virtually certain you will be overwhelmed with excitement and bursting with joy! Justified, for sure.
Are you ready for it? For what happens AFTER the engagement announcement? For what happens as you slowly drift from that high? Do you even know what I’m eluding to?...
Wedding planning! Oh boy… almost instantly that overwhelming excitement and joy you initially felt is rapidly shifting into uncertainty. Where do you start? What’s the first step?
Well, if you’re asking us and we’re being honest with you, we’d tell you to hire one of our expert planners 😉 I can assure you that after the first meeting with us, you will be back on cloud nine knowing that all that uncertainty has dissipated. And in that first meeting, the first thing we would advise you to do is narrow down the calendar and decide on what day is going to be the happiest day of your life, for the rest of your life!
Below are a few tips on how to do that:
- Consider the dates that have been significant in your relationship thus far – maybe the first day you ever met your significant, or possibly the day you two decided to be exclusive. Bonus: important dates make it easier for your groom to remember your anniversary. It’s simple science.
- If you are pregnant, keep in mind the baby’s due date. Take time to consider if you want the wedding before or after the baby is born, for each scenario comes with their own set of planning adjustments. Also, everyone knows life happens and things don’t always go according to plan, so when considering the due date, be sure to give yourself some wiggle room (between two weeks to a month should suffice).
- If you are planning to take a honeymoon, it may be a good idea to plan your wedding around that. Say you want to go to the Bahamas to celebrate your marriage, it’s probably best NOT to go during hurricane season; therefore, your wedding may be better suited for the Spring. Maybe you two are snowbirds, and plan to snowboard out in Colorado (which is likely what I will do with my hubby when my time comes), then picking a wedding date in late Autumn/Winter to accommodate your plans.
- Maybe you are more flexible, in which I would advise you choose the time of year that is your favorite! Is there a specific month, or even a season, in which you particularly love more than the others? Once you narrow that down, you can start to eliminate choices, given that each season is roughly 3 months. Take a look at the calendar, and make sure to avoid any prior commitments/obligations (and if there aren’t any, don’t worry about them coming up; much like you would’ve planned your wedding day around anything that was already on the calendar, you will begin to plan things around your wedding day. It is (one of) the most important days of your life, after all!)
- Consider the days of the week, and potentially your budget, too. Saturdays are the most frequently utilized for weddings, which can also mean they are more expensive in terms of venue rentals, catering menus, DJ/photography services, etc.
- Does your dream wedding take place indoor or outdoor? The weather can be an important factor, but it is obviously out of our control (and unpredictable if you happen to be a Michigander), so we recommend you don’t stress too much about that. It wouldn’t hurt to research the past couple year’s weather on your chosen date, though, to have a better idea what to expect around that time.
- Decide how long you’d like to be engaged for. Short and long engagements have their own perks, so whatever you prefer is exactly what you should do. Remember that this is YOUR wedding; be sure to do the things that make you happiest!
These are just a handful of things we recommend that you consider, and if you still cannot decide, we have about a few dozen more factors up our sleeves to help you pick the perfect day! And remember that this is only the FIRST decision you’ll need to make in the entire process of planning, so if this stresses you out, one – don’t let it and two – let us help you every step of the way.
This should be an enjoyable, unforgettable, and HAPPY experience, for you only plan to do it once 😉; we can ensure that we will make it that, and so much more! Give us a call (248) 486-5535!