Planning Ahead
WINTER WEDDING WISDOM....
We all know that the majority of people choose a spring/summer wedding with the demand for a Saturday in summer more eager than the running of the bulls at Pamplona! True the weather is warmer, the grass is greener and the days are longer. But with that comes the costs of marrying in peak season, where demand is greater and supply pushed to its very limits.
For those of you hoping to marry in winter you will definitely have a greater choice of dates to choose from, with the likelihood of securing a Friday or Saturday much greater than in summer. The exception to the rule are the days just following Christmas and just before New Year, where demand is always at a premium. As well as the greater availability of dates, venues compete more eagerly for winter wedding business and therefore are more willing to negotiate, allowing you to get optimum value for money. However, it is important to be reasonable and to remember that quality always comes at a price. Most hotels in the region also offer winter wedding incentives such as reduced cost menus, reductions on corkage, value-added evening reception menus, and often discounted accommodation rates. All combined, there are numerous savings to be made at your venue in winter time. Midweek weddings usually come with incentives and these usually also include reduced priced menus and other ‘carrots’ to help you say ‘I do’ to the venue!
For your guests who may want to extend their stay and make the most of the venue’s hospitality, most hotels in the region offer excellent value packages for two and three-night stays, often with dinner included on one evening. This not only allows your guests to have a great time at your wedding, but also offers them a chance to get a real break from it all!
In terms of your flowers, photography and transportation these will rarely to be heavily discounted, but once again in times of lower demand suppliers will be eager to win your business so negotiate carefully!
Planning the Hen and Stag getaways in winter is also a little easier, with flights to the UK and Europe certainly at lower prices than in summertime. Also, city break offers from leading travel agents offer particularly good value at this time of year so again, certainly worth shopping around for.
When it comes to the honeymoon, many far flung sandy shores are also off-peak at this time of year so achieving island bliss may be a little less costly than you imagine...
At the end of the day, it is often wiser to have some pennies from heaven left over to furnish your dream home than spend them all on just the one day...
