By Marianne Jensen
Warm weather. Flip flops. Pool parties. Spring brings these three items, but for some students the coming of spring also brings the ringing of wedding bells.
Several engaged couples said they have many reasons for wanting a summer wedding, including wanting some time to polish wedding plans after finals week.
“Right now is our busiest time because we have a lot of weddings right after BYU gets out,” said Valerie Turner, 22, bridal consultant for Walker”s Brides Emporium in Provo.
Summer is an excellent time to have a wedding, because, obviously, it is more difficult to have a wedding during the semester, Turner said.
“During the summer, the weather is perfect, school is out and you have plenty of time to plan a wedding,” she said.
One student said he is planning a summer wedding because he knew he wanted to get married and found no reason to wait.
“When you know it”s right, you don”t want to put it off any longer than you have to,” said Chris Bentley, 24, a senior from Reno, Nev., majoring in business management.
Bentley said at first he was pushing for a December wedding, but decided that was too long to wait.
“We just tried to find a day that would work with everyone”s schedule,” he said. “June 1 is the day we found.”
Another student said she chose June because she wanted an outside reception and the date worked well with her family”s schedule.
“My sister is getting married May 1,” said Jenny Clyde, 20, a UVSC sophomore from Highland, Utah County, majoring in dental hygiene. “June was the closest date that worked for my family.”
Clyde said she would have chosen to get married the end of April, but is excited to marry in June to have more time to plan after finals week.
“It”s not a big rush because we have time after the semester,” she said.
However, summer weddings do not necessarily mean all the planning can be done after school gets out.
Lindsey Bullock, 22, a senior from South Jordan, Salt Lake County, majoring in marriage, family and human development, is engaged and has plans to marry in June.
“There isn”t enough time to plan an entire wedding as soon as the semester ends,” Bullock said. “So now I am finding ways to juggle wedding plans and school work.”
But summer weddings are still ideal because couples can plan some, study some and then put their focus on a wedding, Bullock said.
