National Wedding Planning Day is an annual holiday celebrated on March 1st. What is this day all about? Great question! And we have all your answers here. We sat down with Esther Lee, Senior Editor for The Knot who has covered events like the 2018 Royal Wedding and the premiere of Crazy Rich Asians, to fill us in. Listen to the podcast for the full interview with this wedding industry expert!
What is National Wedding Planning Day?
The Knot created National Wedding Planning Day to designate the beginning of wedding planning season, which is right after proposal season. Wait a minute: there’s a proposal season? We asked Esther to elaborate, and here are the numbers she gave us:
- 40% of marriage proposals happen over the holidays thus creating this proposal season from November through February.
- 60% of couples begin planning their wedding within a month of engagement
The goal of National Wedding Planning Day is to celebrate the start of the planning process. It’s a holiday that emerged as an inspirational benchmark to start planning your big day.
Wedding Planning Trends to Know
The Knot helps you kick start your wedding planning process on National Wedding Planning Day by providing advice, tips, and trends. They’re always a great place to start with your wedding planning journey. Esther assured us The Knot will have more tools for couples coming this year as the National Wedding Planning Day arrives!
Esther and The Knot editors are all well-informed on wedding trends and have a clear pulse on the wedding industry. In the podcast, we covered a ton of ground about budgeting and communication, so make sure to check out the interview to learn more to kickstart your planning process. Here is a preview of the interesting trend discussions.
Where to Start?
Esther listed 13 months as the average length of engagement. Setting a firm foundation is the important first step, and she suggests securing these things first:
- The first month of engagement: set your budget, book your venue, and secure a wedding planner
- 8-12 months before wedding date: book photographer (most couples include in top priorities), set floral and décor, book music, and book catering
The key theme is to make the biggest decisions first. You’ll find many conversations throughout our podcasts that consistently recommend couples to be focusing first on their three to five main priorities, and Esther validated that thought.
Be Well and Party Well
Personal and mental wellness are societal trends, and Esther discussed both as wedding trends. She specifically mentioned personal and couples therapy during the engagement time. Communication is key to effectively planning a large event, and for a strong, stable marriage. It is always a good idea to improve yourself and your communication.
Esther’s had an interesting take around bachelor and bachelorette parties. Vegas is not being dethroned as a top bachelor or bachelorette party destination anytime soon, but she is seeing a change in the activity list. The major trend is the decline of debauchery in favor of personal wellness events. This does not mean the events are dry, but maybe a yoga session proceeds the champagne brunch. Wellness destinations such as Tulum and Sedona are on the rise, but crazy partying and wild nights can still be had in places like Nashville.
Still in This Together
We are still not out of the Covid woods. It sucks, but it’s true. We even hate to bring up this topic that has become a huge hassle for wedding planners. However, it is still affecting the planning process and a factor to be cautious of. Dates and venues are still harder to secure due to the ripple effects of 2020 and will continue for a couple more years. Much of the world is opening more, but health and safety standards are still in the discussion.
Additionally, the honeymoon remains complicated. Make sure to hire a great travel agent to help navigate the travel restrictions and avoid extra stress getting to your destination and back home.
Chicago Trends
Public and guest safety remains a major trend in Chicago, which is similar to most large cities. The standard practices of offering masks at the door and sanitizer at the table remain mainstays, especially in the more urban areas. It is also common for couples to request vaccination certification and/or negative Covid tests prior to the big day. The pandemic is still causing problems but has also produced solutions. Over-the-counter, at-home tests are widely available and produce results in 15 minutes. This along with recommended safety precautions serve to keep the wedding day fun and fulfilling, and free of unfortunate surprises.
Wedding Planning Podcasts
Complete Weddings + Events is celebrating National Wedding Planning Day with planning advice for newly engaged couples. The podcast with Esther is the first of a month-long celebration leading up to March 1st.
Here are more podcasts to come for couples to listen to as you begin and enjoy the planning process:
- February 8: You’re Engaged! Now What? pt 1
- February 14: Celebrate Love – The Importance of Dating Your Spouse
- February 22: You’re Engaged! Now What? pt 2
- March 1: Complete’s National Wedding Planning Day Panel
Contact us for more details about planning your wedding in Chicago!
Complete Weddings + Events in Naperville
Reach out to South Chicago wedding professionals to help you or connect you to more wedding resources to make sure you’re getting help where it’s needed. Complete Weddings + Events in Naperville is a text or phone call away (331.256.6468) for advice or to set up a consultation to chat through your event! Contact Complete today!