Photo: Kristyn Hogan

You can’t have a wedding without an official wedding date, right? But there’s a lot more to it than just picking a day and starting to plan your dream wedding. We asked our experts to break down the best time to choose your special date. Now start planning!

Resist the urge to choose a wedding date the second you get engaged. The two of you may know exactly when you want to walk down the aisle, but there are a number of factors at play. While your wedding is your special day, it's also about bringing your nearest and dearest together.

Start by talking to any of your VIPs (particularly your parents, and especially anyone who is contributing financially to your wedding). If you have an idea of what time of year you’d like to get married, have them send you a list of the weekends when they’re not available. Then, compile a calendar and black out the dates that won’t work, leaving you with a variety of options when the most important guests can be there.

Then, if you’re hiring a wedding planner, start making some calls. If you have a few dates in mind, your planner will be able to let you know if he or she is available, even if it’s not narrowed down t a single date quite yet.

Now it’s time to look at venues. Yes, you read that right: Look at venues BEFORE you’ve chosen a date. With a few dates in mind, you’ll actually have more options of venues to choose from, as some may be available for one or two dates while others might be available for a different weekend.

Now, once you’ve chosen your dream venue, it’s time to pick a date from that initial list and start planning your wedding!

This article was written by Jaimie Schoen for Brides.com.