So you’re thinking about having your wedding on a holiday.
This is the post for you.
Honestly, I can get why some couples would want to book a wedding on a holiday. Many holidays always fall on a Monday (looking at you, Labor Day), and booking on the Sunday beforehand is an awesome way to get the Sunday pricing for the Saturday experience, if you know what I mean. Not only that, Mothers Day, Father’s Day, and The 4th of July are all in the height of wedding season. And because they are holidays, so to speak, they often come with discounts due to reduced demand.
However, there are definitely some drawbacks to booking on a holiday.
HAVING A WEDDING ON A HOLIDAY
1. GUEST ATTENDANCE WILL BE LOWER
You may have guests who traditionally do something ELSE on that day.
Whether it be an annual trip, a family BBQ, or just time with a certain person, there is an increased likelihood that they already have plans on your wedding day. Even if you give guests lots of notice, some of them will just not be able to make your wedding, and this is something you should anticipate ahead of time.
You can always look on the bright side of this holiday wedding side effect, though. Your overall budget will be less tight with each guest who declines, and that means you can splurge a little more on the guests who do attend your wedding.
2. THE HOLIDAY MAY CLASH WITH YOUR THEME
If you book your wedding on or around a certain holiday, you may be setting unintended guest expectations about what your wedding will look like.
For example, say you want an elegant wedding where everyone dresses up in formal wear, but you’ve booked your wedding on Halloween? You may end up with some guests in costumes, or at least not taking your request to dress fancy seriously. Another example is that you want to use purple and green as your wedding colors, but your wedding is on July 3rd and guests are expecting a little more patriotism with red and blue. Maybe you’re getting married on Valentine’s Day but want to use sunflowers as your main flower instead of roses? You get the picture.
Though it’s not the most essential part of a wedding’s experience, a theme and cohesiveness is important. If you completely ignore the holiday your wedding is near, some guests may have wished you acknowledged the holiday, at least a little bit.
I will say that if you choose to use the holiday as an opportunity to create a theme around it, you can avoid this issue altogether. So if you book your wedding on a holiday, do feel free to go all in with it. Examples being champagne and glitter for a New Years Eve wedding, or shamrocks and Guinness on Saint Patrick’s Day.
3. GUESTS HAVE TO GIVE UP THAT HOLIDAY THIS YEAR
The last comment brings me to this comment.
Holding your wedding on a holiday is a request to your guests that they do not experience that holiday this year in the same way that they traditionally have. For some, it might be a Sophie’s Choice of sorts to be present at your wedding instead of their usual Memorial Day camping trip. Or to spend the second weekend of May traveling to you instead of celebrating Mother’s Day with their own mother.
Not that your wedding won’t be awesome, but for the guests who do attend, that particular holiday will look different this year and that may cause a little disappointment when they learn of your wedding date.
4. YOUR ANNIVERSARY WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH A HOLIDAY
This may be a good thing.
If you get married the Saturday after Thanksgiving or before Easter, or on a long weekend in the summer, it is highly likely that your wedding will land periodically on an actual holiday. Of course, if you get married on the Fourth of July, or Christmas (I’m sure it happens!), it will always be the holiday. Depending on your personal preference, this could be really great or a burden later on.
Keep in mind how you plan to celebrate anniversaries in your marriage. Do you want to always be with family? Do you want the option to travel alone with your partner? Will there be a chance that your favorite restaurant will be closed for a holiday? These are all things to consider when booking that date, so choose wisely.
Long story short, if you want to have your wedding on or around a holiday, go for it! It can be a lot of fun, and you may luck out in the budget department. Just keep in mind the considerations above and do what works best for you and your partner.
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