First and foremost, ask your closest loved ones and friends if they have holiday plans within a certain span of days. You don’t have to particularly plan around them, but its good to have peace of mind. Once you know the heavy portion of related attendees can attend, then send out your save the dates.

Picking a long weekend can get sticky depending on what long weekend it is. Religious holidays are advised to stay away from, but in the end its your wedding and if you have a special date in mind, do it. Choosing a more neutral holiday though, like Labour Day, can prove easier to get people to come to. A weekend that has no prior commitments or parties is the easiest to book for.

Another red flag that is often over looked is a sporting event. This can be tricky to plan around when their is no schedule for the post season of a sport due to the fact that your planning so far ahead. However, looking at past trends can tell you a lot. The Stanley Cup is typically awarded in June and the Super Bowl is typically in early February. The last thing you’re going to want is half the male population missing to a TV across the street from your venue, while the dance floor slowly dies.

Im not deterring you from that ideal date by any means. If your going to be doing ample amounts of planning, then just keep in mind to plan ahead  on the date as well. This can really put a negative spin on a wedding when a portion of your guests can’t attend.