Congratulations, you’re engaged! Your friends and family are most likely already asking “So, when is the wedding?” It’s an important question, however when choosing a wedding date it’s important to consider a few factors. In this post, we are highlighting some key considerations of how to pick your wedding date in Indiana. As a seasoned wedding planner, I can tell you some dates to avoid; and some that are worth the wait!

Citywide Events

Every wedding location is different, and certain weekends may be busier than others. Be sure to research citywide events that may be taking place during a potential wedding wedding. Big events (for example, the Indianapolis 500) may mean sold-out hotels, high airfares and heavy traffic—not what you’ll want to deal with on your wedding weekend. Pay attention to marathons, big-name concerts, festivals, and, in certain college towns, even when football games are taking place. As an Indianapolis wedding planner, I will caution against wedding dates for downtown Indianapolis weddings that coincide with the FDIC Firefighters Convention (April), National FFA Convention (November), GenCon (August) and Brickyard 400 (August).

Case in point: We had a downtown Indianapolis wedding that coincided with the Monumental Marathon. The trolley was unable to get to the venue due to road closures, thus having the wedding party missing their allotted time for photos.

Holidays

Holiday wedding dates can at first seem like a great idea. However, take into consideration that, especially on major holidays, your wedding guests may have other holiday or family obligations. Contrary to that, certain holidays lend themselves to weddings well, including New Year’s Eve, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, as are long weekend holidays that will give your guests Mondays off from work. 

Pro Tip: Be mindful that certain holiday weekends may drive up peak charges for vendors. For example, flowers around Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day and peak charges for New Years Eve.

Seasonality

If you’re planning a specific theme like Halloween, a cozy winter wedding or a backyard vibe, you’ll probably already have a season in mind.  However, if flexible, consider other important season factors such as weather, sunset/daylight time, availability of seasonal flowers (ie., sunflowers) and venue pricing.

A whopping 40% of Indiana weddings happen between September and November. With increased demand, most venues will have their peak pricing during this time. On the contrary only 15% of weddings happen in the spring. With a lull in demand you could save money on venue rates and have a wider variety of vendors to choose from.

Fun fact: During wedding planning, one of our previous couple’s studied the Farmer’s Almanac to foresee the weather and projected conditions for their wedding day. While we recommend not to choose your date with this method, it can be fascinating to see past history for curiosity sake.

Meaningful Dates

Early on in the process, you might also be considering specific dates because they’re meaningful to you. Whether it’s the the anniversary of your first date or another symbolic date in your relationship, you might consider that a lucky date. Some couples choose a special date that honors a loved one or couple who has been influential to their relationship, like a birthday or anniversary. 

Fun fact: One of our previous couple’s met on the 9th of the month. After talking, they also found out they both wore #9 on their jerseys playing their collegiate sports. Thus, it was meaningful to them to choose a wedding date on the 9th.

Availability Of Your Dream Venue or Favorite Vendors

The last big element to consider when choosing your wedding date is dream venue or vendors. If there’s a particular venue your heart is set on or a photographer you’ve been following on Instagram, be sure to reach out to them to check availability before signing the major contracts locking you into a date.

What Are Upcoming Popular Wedding Dates?

Some popular wedding dates have been in high demand due to number sequences, such as April 3, 2021 (4-3-21), December 31, 2023 (123-123) or February 4, 2024 (24-24). Other couples choose dates based on holidays, celebrations, and even full moon dates! Looking for inspiration? Check out these projected popular wedding dates for 2024 and 2025.