Holiday weddings are contentious, and since the holiday season is rapidly approaching it seems like a great topic to tackle. Whether or not you want to host a wedding on a major holiday is a highly personal choice. However, in our opinions, there are actually advantageous times for a holiday wedding. Here are some things to keep in mind if you’re considering a wedding over Christmas, New Years or another holiday.
Be Prepared For No
When you select a holiday as a day for your wedding, some of your guests may say no. This doesn’t mean they don’t love and adore you. However, they may have family or other obligations that will make it difficult. Families with children are guaranteed to bow out if your reception isn’t kid-friendly. Try not to take it personally. If the majority of your guest list has children or large families you’ll need to factor this into your decision.
Take the Size of Your Guest List Into Account
If you’re imagining an enormous ballroom wedding filled with 500 of your closest family and friends, we wouldn’t recommend a holiday wedding. Generally, acquaintances who aren’t close to you as a couple are less likely to give up their personal holidays for your celebration. However, if you have a small wedding surrounded by your nearest and dearest, you’ll have more RSVPs.
Create a Family Event
One of the best ways to celebrate a holiday wedding is to build a family weekend around it. If many family members and friends are coming out, try to build in tons of activities and opportunities for celebrating outside of your reception. If you have a full program of events for family and friends, many will be happy to enjoy time with their loved ones and celebrate you. This is a particularly wonderful idea for weddings falling around Thanksgiving or Christmas when families would already be gathering.
Add Elements of the Holiday
If you’re asking your loved ones to celebrate you on a holiday weekend, adding holiday elements is a nice touch. Arranging a pre or post-wedding grill-out for a July 4 wedding or putting up a Christmas tree will put your guests in a festive mood and make your wedding more memorable. Details like playing Christmas tunes during cocktail hour would warm your guest’s hearts and create a loving, homey vibe.
Give Your Guests a Gift
Although your friends and family love you as a couple, know that your holiday wedding probably had additional consideration behind that yes RSVP. It would be polite to give gift bags to out of town guests who are traveling in or pay special attention to the favors at your wedding. After all, you want to communicate your heartfelt thanks for your loved ones coming to celebrate.