Religious Church Ceremony or Civil Ceremony?
Basically this narrows down to three choices in England and Wales.
- A religious ceremony of your denomination held in a Church
- A Civil Ceremony held in a castle or hotel, or maybe having the ceremony in one of many unconventional licenced places such as a football pitch, bungee jumping or underwater!
- A Civil Ceremony held in a Register Office.
Choosing Your Wedding Date
The most popular date is a Saturday during the summer season but of course consideration will depend on the availability of the various venues you may need to use on the day. For example, if you’re wanting the Ceremony in a Register Office, champagne reception in a nearby hall then onto the Wedding Breakfast at a Stately Hall – all need to be available.
The less venues you use the better it is to narrow the date to suit all. If you hold your wedding in just one venue for the duration of the day and evening, that will help your budget as cost will be saved not just on venues, but on transport between venues too.
Time of Year/Season/Day
If you decide to get married in the spring, summer or even winter, you will have a lot more suitability for the date. If you choose to get married on a Friday or Sunday the choice of dates gets even more favourable for you. Many venues now offer discount for choosing a date other than a Saturday, and even more if the date is set for mid -week. This discount can help your wedding budget when planning the cost towards the transport, catering, cake and photography or video. Many of these essential extras will also offer discount if you choose a wedding date other than a Saturday in the peak season. Popular dates could be booked up to eighteen months in advance, whereas out of season dates could be available in approximately six months.
Budget
It helps to plan a budget and try to stick to it. Prioritize your needs for your day as you may not need to book some of the extras especially if friends or family members rally round. If you spend more on one item, try to spend a bit less on something else so you try to stay within your budget.
Remember the wedding day itself last literally one day, though your marriage will last for many years, it’s not worth taking out heavy loans to cover for any overspending, then having many years paying it off.
