There are pros and cons to having your wedding on notable holidays like Valentine’s Day, the Fourth of July, Halloween, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve. Aside from never having the excuse of forgetting your own wedding date, the do’s and don’ts of holiday weddings should be a special day of celebration set apart from everything else.
Give your own special day a personal feel with wedding decor and embellishments that drive the concept, and not the holiday. Utilize elements of the season such as winter spices, spring flowers, summer beaches or the fall harvest as subtle ways to incorporate the time of year without going overboard. Don’t go to extremes with your color palette or with theme details such as flags, pumpkins, or Christmas trees. Instead, use those same colors or details as clever accents throughout your wedding theme.
Holiday Wedding Do’s and Don’ts
• Do give as much notice as you can to your guests. Send save-the-date cards well in advance. Many people often plan vacations during holidays, so to avoid a larger percentage of RSVP declines, send them out with plenty of time to plan.
• Do make sure to incorporate a signature cocktail that relates to the holiday. This is a great way to bring in the elements of that season into your wedding day.
• Don’t play seasonal holiday music at your holiday wedding. It’s not a holiday office party- it’s a wedding. Make sure to differentiate through the melody.
• Don’t forget that the cost of vendors and travel may be more expensive during this time of year. Vendors may raise prices due to having to pay employees holiday overtime, and non-seasonal flowers cost more in winter months, or during holidays such as Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day. Remember that hotels and airlines are likely to cost more during peak vacation times, too.
• Always make sure the venue and wedding package you want is available during the holidays and that you have it booked and confirmed before sending out invites! Many venues often open their doors to the public to host their own events on major holidays.
• Especially if you’re planning a New Year’s Eve or formal evening wedding, remember that your reception time should start much later.
Bottom line
It’s important to allow your wedding to be about your own style, wedding colors, and self… not the holiday or date that it happens to be held on. When considering the do’s and don’ts of holiday weddings, your goal should be to celebrate the holiday-inspired theme without going overboard or focusing on the holiday only.