Things to Consider When Choosing a Wedding Date in France
All the variables to consider when selecting a wedding date are many. Consult the work schedule, the season, family obligations and maybe sentimental day choices. But, when planning your date in France for a destination wedding, there is another item to consider with respect to France: Holidays
I chose this subject as an important topic because, there are many other people involved to make your wedding date spectacular. And in my case it is creating your flower arrangements and bouquets. So, why do you have to take into account French holidays too?
Have you considered holiday dates in France? Here are the dates that are important to take into account:
1 January-New Year
A Monday the day after Easter-Usually
1 May-May Day
8 May-End of WWII
A Thursday in May 40 days after Easter-Ascension
Monday after Pentecost in beginning of June
14 July Bastille Day
August 15-Assumption
July and August Europe is on vacation
September, going back to school is the main focus
1 November-Day of the Dead
11 November-Armistice WWI
25 December-Christmas
Why does your choice of wedding date effect a florist? If you want your flowers fresh and beautiful, they need to arrive a day or two before your event. Not more. If your date is falling when everything is closed, shipment of your flowers requires extra dates in advance meaning the florist has to conserve the already highly traveled flowers an additional day or two. It is difficult to do.
For example, your wedding is May 9-let’s say a Tuesday. May 8, being a Monday and a holiday, means your flowers had to arrive Friday or 4 days in advance because there is no delivery on weekends or holidays! Your florist is doubly stressed caring for the flowers!
Let’s add another variable to the above. Your date is a Monday in July. As we all know, temperatures are rising so your flowers had to be delivered on Friday as there is no weekend mail or delivery service to the florist. Add 30-35 celsius to this mix, and again, you may not be happy with the roses despite every effort to care for them.
French florist don’t have coolers like a lot of American florists. They’re smaller in scale and facilities are simple. So, it isn’t always possible to store these in advance-delivered flowers in a cool location. In addition, most French homes do not have air conditioning. So, when you’re picking a beautiful date in July and insisting on delicate flowers, you’re setting up the florist to work doubly hard for you.
After holiday dates, consider the seasonality of your flower request. Peonies are finished no later than the end of June. Hydrangeas wilt in heat and are better suited for early Spring weddings, not August weddings. There are no tulips after May.
Flowers and their delivery is one element but consider your date also within the custom and habits of the French people. Unless you’re in Paris, banks in small cities and towns are closed Monday. There are no 24/7 corner stores. Sundays most shops and activities are closed. You will not find an Uber everywhere. If a grocery store is open on a Sunday, they usually close after the noon hour. Small town pizza places do not deliver. Store and shops, on average, close at 6 or 7. And it isn’t common to find English speaking French people in small towns or locales where your chateau may be located.
Planning a wedding is exciting and a once in a life time event. There is so much already that needs to be dealt with. Just take a bit of time when choosing your wedding date in France. Your florist will thank you!
