Decision Two - Setting Your Wedding Date
Once you have a solid idea of the number of guests joining you for your dream wedding (if you haven't done that yet, check out our previous article on why you should!) the second item on your to-do list should definitely be fixing your date.
This is particularly important if you're thinking about a wedding in Puglia, or a wedding abroad anywhere. Your dream wedding abroad will inevitably require a bit more commitment from your guests (travel expense, annual leave etc) than a wedding at home, so fix your date as early as possible out of courtesy to them.
Make a list of 'key personnel' - guests who absolutely must be there - and check they can actually make the date you have in mind before you go any further with your wedding planning! Having to rearrange once you've started making bookings, because you've discovered the bride's parents or the best man already had a holiday or a work trip booked the same week, is not a fun place to be...
Being flexible about your wedding date - and deciding on your date earlier rather than later in the wedding planning - will put you in a much stronger position when it comes to getting your dream venue, making sure your guests can get their flights and accommodation booked without hassle, and so on.
Picking an off-season date like May or October, rather than July or August - the height of the Italian summer holidays - will seriously increase your chances of securing the wedding venue you want, and at a price that works for you. Weekends and high summer are the most popular times for weddings the world over, and Puglia is no different, so inevitably demand and prices will be higher at these times. If you love a bargain, go mid-week and go off-peak!
And on a practical note, remember that, while a summer wedding in the Mediterranean sunshine will look great in your wedding photos, it can get very hot during the high summer season in Puglia and the rest of southern Italy! Even if you and your other half are sun-worshippers, are you sure great-aunt Beryl won't wilt in the August heat...?
In our next blog, we'll talk about the third of our three key decisions in your wedding planning - picking your venue! Read it here.
If you're in need of some wedding inspiration to help you get started, visit Madama's Our Weddings pages, where we share details from some of our previous happy couples' big days.
Or to find out more about getting married in Puglia with the Madama team, get in touch us today.