TIPS: When Should We Get Married?

Picture by Pixel Photography

Sunday will be our first wedding anniversary! Can’t believe a whole year has passed since our wonderful wedding day. And what a year! We have relocated over 300 miles north to Scotland, my husband, Chris has started a new job and I set about starting up EBM Photography. As we approach our anniversary, I can’t help but think back to this time last year and all the last minute preparations that were happening. It has got me thinking, why not write about my experience of planning our wedding, as well as the many that I have attended as a wedding photographer, including tips for other brides-to-be (and grooms-to-be too!). So this is the first of a series of posts that will become available over the coming months and years, covering topics from venues to flowers, coping with the weather to Stag & Hen party ideas.

You're Engaged! Now what?!

So let’s begin…you have got engaged! Congratulations! I wish you and your partner every happiness. You are on a high, feeling loved up. You may have a stunning ring on your finger, may be yet to choose one, or have perhaps opted to save money on an engagement ring and put it towards your dream wedding. Whichever it is, enjoy this happy time, full of excitement of what is to come.You announce your news to friends and family and inevitably you will get asked “have you set the date yet?!” This is the first discussion you need to have with your new fiancé/e. Although you may not be able to settle on the exact date, as this will be very dependent on the venue you choose (see "How to Pick a Wedding Venue" here), you can decide what time of year you would like to marry.

Pick a season

Do you prefer the gloriously sunny summer days or the cold, crisp mornings of winter? Do you love the autumn colours when the trees start to turn, or the plethora of springtime flowers? Whichever you lean more towards there are always positives and negatives to think about.

Informal Wedding Group

Summer Weddings

June, July & August are the most popular months to get married in the UK, and although you are not guaranteed to get good weather you have the best chance of getting a warm, sunny day on which to make your vows. (See tip on dealing with the weather in Whatever The Weather). It is for this reason that summer is the most expensive time of year to get married. It is also the main holiday time, especially during the school holidays. This may mean that less of your guests may be able to attend your wedding.

Autumn Weddings

September, October and November see the trees turning lovely shades of red, brown and gold. This can create a stunning backdrop to your wedding photographs. September is still part of the main ‘wedding season’ but prices may start to drop from October. Also with the days becoming shorter it leaves you with other options for after dark photography. Obviously the weather can be more unsettled with more chance of cooler and wetter weather.

S&L Love

Winter Weddings

January and February are much less popular months to get married in, so you will often find suppliers with special offers for weddings at this time of year. December though is popular, especially around Christmas time. Although festive, people like to spend Christmas with their families and although your family may be happy to attend your wedding, friends may opt to spend it with their families instead. New Year’s Eve and Day are also a popular time to wed. You can link your wedding to a ‘New Beginnings’ theme, or use it as a way to combine that with a fab New Year’s Eve party!

Spring Weddings

March, April and May see a vast array of flowers coming into bloom, as we move from the depths of winter to a new season of renewal. Such a happy time of year, with Easter being a popular weekend for weddings. Of course there is still the risk of a cold snap, as well as April being renowned for its showers.  I had wanted to get married in May, my husband preferred June. We discussed it, and with the school break in May, as well as bank holiday weekends, we decided that June was a better option for us. We also picked an easy date to remember 14/6/14…

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