Choosing a date, advice needed!

Hello ladies! 

First time on here, got engaged in November :) 

So, we're starting to think about dates and my h2b, wants late Feb next year, so way after Valentines.

I am quite happy with this date, I'm just a bit unsure weather wise.. 

Any of you getting married next month or thinking of February, or just have advice on dates?

Would love some input!

Thanks!

You can be lucky or unlucky with the weather regardless of what time of year it is. It could p!ss down in August and be cracking the flags in February. Have a contingency plan should the weather be awful and enjoy the day.

One other thing might be to consider not booking the ceremony too late in the day so that you have plenty of daylight hours for photographs

To me it seems like a perfect date!! Unless you've always wanted a summer wedding obviously!

15 months gives you plenty of time to plan but not so long that you wish it would hurry up!

Getting married in February, out of typical wedding season, can knock hundreds and even thousands off venue prices, catering etc. It really allows you to pick what suppliers etc you want, rather than having to settle what fits your date.

And congratulations!!! Make the most of the first stages of planning, its so much fun coming up with all your ideas!

I agree about the weather thing.  I know somebody who got married in February (brilliant sunshine) and someone who married in August (p!ssed down all day).

I got married in October and the weather was fabulous!

Cilla:

 

One other thing might be to consider not booking the ceremony too late in the day so that you have plenty of daylight hours for photographs

 

This. I went to a December wedding, so similar daylight hours. The photographer declared it was 'too dark for outdoor pictures' at about 3pm. I'd suggest a 11.30 or 12pm ceremony to make the most of daylight. (the wedding I attended was a 1.30pm ceremony. By the time it was over and we'd got to the reception venue it was almost 3pm!)

My daughter got married on St Valentine's Day 3 years ago - beautiful bright sunshine. They opted for an 11.30 wedding so made the most of daylight. Photos were all outdoors against evergreen shrubbery and look fabulous and as summery as summer!

There are pros and cons to every date.

As mentioned above, having it "out of season" could mean significant savings on your venue.

You're never guaranteed of the weather at any time of year, so I wouldn't place too much emphasis on that. THe only thing that I'd consider is the possibility of snow (unlikley in late Feb but not unheard of) that would mean some guests might not be able to make it.

I'm getting married August next year but the date was nothing to do with weather. H2B is a shoe maker in a factory so has his annual leave decided for him each year so it was all planned around the 2 weeks the factory closes for summer.

We're *hoping* to have some things outside. We're having a drinks hour after the ceremony before we move on to the reception venue and would be lovely to have it outside but good old Blighty is too unpredictable so we've made alternate plans incase the weather is plop. Our reception venue has a bouncy castle to use for the kids, but again, it's weather dependent and we have other stuff lined up juuust incase! 

As the others above have said, February can save you some serious cash so I would have no problems getting married then!

I wouldn't pick a date hoping for good weather. As others have said it could be glorious weather in winter and torrential rain in summer. The joys of British weather, ey!

Definitely don't choose the date for the weather.

The week before my wedding they forecast snow. It was 20 degree sunshine all day. This was March last year.

Just have a plan for all sorts of weathers and you will be fine, and an early ceremony to make the most of the light.

I'm getting married on Saturday and this saved us around 3.5k overall just because we were out of season. The weather is forecast to be cold but clear and sunny- TBH a winter wedding gives you a much better idea about the weather you can expect- not guarentee but you can be pretty sure it won't be 25 degrees in Feb!

I always wanted a winter wedding and OH was happy to go with this- we made sure that there were area's inside our venue that would be nice for photos as there won't be much light (we get married at 2pm) but I'd say go for Feb!!

We got married in November.  An outdoor summer wedding was not something we HAD to have and in the end we like the idea of a cosy indoor reception with lots of candles and an open fire.  We just assumed the weather would be bad and made sure that the venue was lovely enough inside to accommdoate everythign we wanted, had umbrellas on stand by etc.  In the end the weather was ok for the most part, we got a few outdoor photos at the church, but then it started raining so we had more at the reception indoors rather than out.  They are still lovely tho.

We did move the ceremony slightly earlier than we had originally planned on the advice of the photographer to maximise the amount of daylight, ceremony was 1.30 instead of 2 we had originally considered.

We felt at least in winter you can plan for the worst weather and not be dissappointed, just a bonus if you get sun.  Whereas in the summer you will always hope you are going to get a beautiful day and you can never rely on in it here.  Plus it meant we got several out of season offers eg from venue, photographer, car hire and so saved a bit mof money (although I wouldn't say it was loads).