ENGAGEMENT SEASON HAS BEGUN
YOU’RE IN ENGAGED NOW WHAT?
We’re deep in the holiday season right now, which means the holy trinity of holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. However, if you’re in a serious relationship or are a wedding vendor, the unofficial big holiday this time of year is “Getting Engaged”. Unsurpringly, Christmas Day and Christmas Eve are the two most popular days of the year to get engaged, followed closely by New Years’ Eve and New Years Day. We’ve all seen our news feeds explode with pictures of proposals under the Christmas tree or at a New Years party - with good reason. Festive decor, family gatherings, or an exotic trip location enhance the romance of a proposal to a whole new level. While skeptics may argue that a proposal during this season is predictable and played out, we always see a spike of engagements due to a holiday proposal's timeless and classic nature. Lots of us find this time of year to be irresistibly romantic, making it an opportune time to express their love and commitment.
The one downside of a holiday proposal is that it happens at the very end of the calendar year. If you’re one of the lucky ones to snag a ring as a present and hoping to get married within the following year, you’ve gotta move quick. All those summer Europe trip engagements have a few month’s headstart on you, and sought after vendors tend to book their dates fast.
Fear not - your trusty pals here at Ash + Oak have a few hot takes on how to navigate planning with speed - listed below for ease and convenience.
Create a Mood Board and Budget
Now that we’ve stressed you out about the timeline, you might feel a bit frantic about checking things off your planning list as quickly as possible. However, the most important first step to take before diving into the vendor selection process is to create a mood board that encapsulates your dream wedding. This will help you articulate your desires and assist vendors in understanding your aesthetic. You don’t have to have every single detail mapped out - an experienced vendor will be able to translate your overall thoughts and vision into developed, unique ideas that you hadn’t considered before or seen online. Equally as important during this timeframe is to establish your budget. Keeping in line with the rest of consumer goods and services, wedding costs post-pandemic have also increased, and it’s important to be realistic about what each aspect of your wedding costs these days. You and your partner should discuss which wedding day details are important to you both, and structure your budget accordingly. Our quick and easy advice on maintaining costs? Keep your guest count as lean as possible - the more people you have to pay for, the more you’ll be spending overall.
Peak Wedding Season - Timing Impacts Supply!
The concept of "peak wedding season" is not one-size-fits-all—it's a dynamic phenomenon influenced by factors like weather, cultural traditions, and regional preferences. A date that is highly sought after in one area due to favorable weather conditions might not be as in high demand in other parts of the world, so when and where you decide to get married will influence vendor availability and pricing. If you’re on a stricter budget, be forewarned that certain vendors will have to increase prices in their local peak season in order to accommodate the demand in that particular region.
If you have your heart set on a date or location with particular significance to you as a couple, try and be flexible with your date if you fall in love with a venue or vendor. In the same vein, if you’re a couple that prioritizes flowers, the season in which you get married will determine flower availability, selection, color and price. Our floral two cents - spring is the best time to get married, no matter the region or location of your celebration (in most cases). Spring blooms such as sweet peas, blooming branches and ranunculus are in season - meaning that these popular flowers are at their healthiest and cheapest. For the most part, spring weddings in northern America have slightly less vendor competition than summer and fall as the weather can be a little bit more unpredictable - but we think that it’s worth taking the risk, since weather is never a guarantee, no matter the season.
Speedy Communication is Key
Once you’ve done your research and found a vendor that matches your style, budget, and personality - move fast! Vendors receive multiple requests for the same date, and often are having concurrent conversations with multiple clients at the same time for that date. We are flooded with requests for proposals right after the holiday season (it literally feels like they all come in the same week!) so if you are slow to respond to questions and details we need from you to create your proposal, we won’t chase you if we have other potential business for your same date. We get excited about clients that are excited about us - and responding swiftly is one of the biggest indicators that you’re keen to work with us.
Remember, flexibility doesn't mean compromising your overall vision but rather adapting to the realities of your specific situation. Embracing openness to new options, ideas, and locations for your wedding can open doors to possibilities you may not have initially considered. This flexibility not only allows for practical adjustments but also has the potential to transform your celebration into an epic event that surpasses your original concept. Above all else, trust your vendor’s ideas and strategies. Our wealth of experience, having planned and conceptualized numerous weddings, brings invaluable insights to the table. While you may be navigating the wedding planning process for the first time, our expertise allows us to offer guidance based on what has worked seamlessly in the past.
