One of the hardest things as a venue owner is to see a couple get stuck on a date. It always makes us sad because we know they are shutting the door to so many wonderful venues. And of course – we hate to see devastated faces when couples and their families love everything about our venue – but don’t book because they just have to have that ONE date. We even had one couple who had already sent out their “Save the Dates” before they found a venue and booked!
Your date does not MAKE your wedding. Your friends, and family and the setting you choose make your wedding! Let me try to make an analogy. Suppose the day you want for vacation, only Six Flags was open. But if you would choose the next day – You could go to Disneyworld. Wouldn’t you want to choose Disney World because of how much more it offers? Not that Six Flags isn’t a lot of fun…. but you are giving up a wonderful opportunity over a day.
The best choice is usually picking a date range first. It may even be over a few months. Go through your calendar – put in all the other events, holidays, family obligations, work schedules, other friends’ weddings and see where there is an opening. And then when you visit or email venues you do not have to mark the best venues and your favorites off the list.
Also consider birthdays – how would you feel if your birthday was close to your anniversary and so you never really felt fully celebrated on your birthday? Are you a presents person? Then this might cause future resentment. Seems silly – but it happens. Trust me. You want your anniversary to be a time when you can truly celebrate JUST THE TWO OF YOU!
Of course, some of you are getting married at churches with limited openings and you HAVE to make the church choice your first priority. That’s understandable. My advice then is to get the church booked AS SOON AS POSSIBLE – so you can have more choices with your venue.
Choosing the date first limits you and causes stress you shouldn’t have to experience. It also keeps you from giving up what you love best in the venue that no longer has your date. We recommend you don’t do that to yourself. But if you do just remember there is going to be a lot of disappointment in your search. And if the date is worth that – then you be you!?