You just got engaged over the holidays! Congratulations. Now you have to set a date. While late Spring, Summer and early Autumn are the most popular times to get married, you’ll quickly find out that the best venues, vendors and related services are already booked up due to high demand during their busiest peak wedding season. Some brides and grooms actually sacrifice having their wedding at the venue of their dreams just so they can book a venue that’s still open for the date that they already selected in advance. Couples love “easy to remember” consecutive dates like 12/13/14 (which we’ve been contacted for already). Flexibility with your wedding date can save you several hundred dollars or more. The most popular day for a wedding is always Saturday. If you really have your heart set on peak season, why not consider a Friday or a Sunday when more venues and services will still be available and possibly even offer a discount. The only exception to this is a Sunday wedding on a holiday weekend, when everyone has Monday off anyway.  It’s a bit like having 2 Saturdays that weekend for the venue and vendors. However, a Saturday afternoon wedding that concludes by 5 pm can save money during peak season, even on a holiday weekend.

Scheduling your wedding during an off-season month is another way to rack up big savings. Because months like November, December, January, February, and March are not as popular, venues and vendors want your business! Many will lower their regular prices and offer discounts to those having a wedding in a Winter month, even on a Saturday. Check with the top wedding vendors and popular venues you have in mind, to see if they offer off-season rates.

Many hold back on having a wedding during the Winter months due to the weather. Perhaps they want an outdoor ceremony or a tented reception.  We’ve seen heavy rain in June ruin that picturesque scenario in a hurry.  We also remember an April wedding in a tent that was so cold, even the $1,500 added heaters couldn’t keep all of the seated guests comfortable. If you do like the idea of an outdoor ceremony or cocktail hour and you are getting married in a month that could be on the colder side, make sure your facility has another room available for you (plan B) in case the weather is an issue.

As a bride and groom on a budget, there are discounts to be had, but beware of discounts that seem ridiculously low. Top venues and vendors in the wedding industry will discount, but won’t give away their services for free just because they are not as busy during off-season. You still expect them to provide top quality service and put in the same amount of time and effort as they would during their “full-priced” regular season.  In general, the less popular vendors and venues will cut their rates more, for good reason.

The big picture is that weddings can be held at any time and there are advantages and disadvantages to every season. All in all, if you don’t really have a preference as to when your wedding will take place, scheduling your wedding at a less popular time of year will always be more budget friendly… leaving more money to spend on your honeymoon or toward buying a first home.