Photo: Ben Q. Photography
Holiday weddings. Some people love them and appreciate the opportunity to celebrate with you over a long weekend, others wish you’d just let them spend their day off with their family. So is that a seal of approval, or should you go back to the calendar? Here’s what our experts have to say.
When you’re looking at the calendar to choose a date for your wedding, it can be tempting to pick a long weekend where you’ve got Monday off. It seems like a no-brainer, giving you more time to spend with family and friends without using up every last vacation day. Some holiday weekends (we’re looking at you, Memorial Day and Labor Day!) are hugely popular as wedding dates. And why not? The weather’s pretty great, and having Monday off means you can invite guests to join you for a few days of fun without having to take time off from work. But, of course, they’re also popular travel and vacation weekends, meaning your wedding might prevent them from heading to the beach with their families or taking a trip home to visit Mom and Dad.
If you do decide to have your wedding on a holiday, it’s all in the holiday you choose. Steer clear of religious holidays if you can — especially if your guests will most likely be acknowledging the holiday with their families. You should also avoid holidays like Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. Not only will people probably have other plans (that are long-standing traditions!), travel and hotels can be incredibly expensive during these times, turning your wedding into a huge cost for guests.
You should also be prepared to have a lower acceptance rate, no matter the weekend. Whether it’s a trip that was planned a year in advance or an annual family reunion, there’s a chance some guests may already have plans, so proceed with caution!
See more: Help! We Want to Throw Our Wedding Over a Holiday Weekend, But Our Family Doesn’t Want Us To