Written by Julianne Cuomo, our Director of Celebrations.

When you hear about weddings being held on a holiday, you probably think one of two things: it’s a really good idea or it’s a really bad idea. Holiday weddings are not unusual and some couples even prefer to combine their wedding with a holiday in order to be sure friends and family can attend. However, this may also mean that some of your invited guests will be unable to attend because they are spending time with their own families.

The word “holiday” covers a broad category of days including big holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, and smaller holidays like Memorial Day and Fourth of July. Some holidays have even been used to help cater towards the theme of a wedding, such as Valentine ’s Day or Halloween.

Pros and Cons of Holiday Weddings

Pros

• If you are hosting your wedding over a long weekend, Memorial Day for example, you will be able to get “more wedding” in a sense. You are able to host a night-before dinner and a post-wedding brunch, which can be nice bonding time for all of your family and friends involved. Do keep in mind that while you are spending more time to be together with everyone, you could be spending more money as well.
• Out of town guests will not have to take a day off from work in order to attend your wedding. Often times, weddings are held on a Saturday so that guests can choose to leave work early on Friday or not go in at all. If it is a 3-day weekend due to the holiday, then the wedding can be held on a Sunday, allowing a day for guests to arrive at the location of the wedding.
• Guests will have more time to visit with you. At a wedding with 200 people, it may be hard for you to find time to see and visit with all of your friends and family. However, during a holiday wedding, there will likely be more time before and after the wedding day for guests to spend time with you.

Cons

• Out of town guests have to dedicate an entire weekend to your wedding. Many hotels often have a minimum of a 2-night stay during the holidays, so guests are forced to spend time before and after your wedding at the hotel. (This could be beneficial if it is also a destination wedding! Who wouldn’t want to spend an extra night in the beautiful heart of Florida, enjoying a round of Golf at some of the most amazing courses in the world, or relaxing in a Day Spa, pampering yourself before the festivities begin!)
• Travel fare tends to go up during the holiday season. This includes gas prices, as well as airplane fare. Thus, guests will have to pay extra in transportation plus the costs associated with a hotel stay.
• With the holidays comes traffic. It may take your guests longer to get to your wedding due to the extra traffic and increased number of other travelers at airports.

Choosing the Right Holiday

If you are set on having your wedding on a holiday, now it’s time to pick the right holiday that matches the vision of your wedding. Here are some tips for choosing the right holiday for your special day:

New Year’s Eve

Odds are, people are looking for plans and parties to attend for this evening anyway, so why not bring in the New Year with a wedding! People often get a day off from work for this holiday and are in the spirit to celebrate a new beginning; what a perfect fit for a wedding! Just remember, some guests may not want to abandon their New Year’s traditions.

Valentine’s Day

Although some may find this day to be too cliché for a wedding, it’s a very romantic day for some nuptials. Keep in mind, other couples may want to spend this romantic day on their own, which may cause a decrease in your guests’ attendance. Not to mention, the cost of flowers for your wedding may increase due to flowers being so popular for this holiday.

Halloween

If you’re looking for a great themed wedding, then this is the holiday for you! As adults, people don’t usually get as involved with this holiday, and it usually isn’t a time for celebrating with family. So, you won’t have to worry about guests missing out on family time. Just be careful if lots of your guests have kids because they will not be too happy missing out on all of the candy… unless you have a Candy Bar!

4^th of July

If this date falls on a weekday, businesses usually don’t give their employees the day off for this holiday, so it may be hard for out of town guests to get to your wedding unless they take days off from work. However, you may be able to get good deals from vendors since it is likely to be a weekday. The good news is that there are bound to be fireworks after your wedding!

Thanksgiving

Having a wedding on Thanksgiving Day may be very hard to plan because it is likely that guests will forgo the event to spend time with their own families. However, having a wedding the Wednesday before or the following weekend might not be a bad idea. Often times during this holiday, family members come back to their hometown to celebrate, which is where most brides are married (this could work in your favor). Also, many people have extended time off from work for this holiday and would be able to travel to your ceremony. However, some still may not want to rush the holiday by spending time traveling and may already have an overwhelming schedule.

Monday Holidays that make a 3-day Weekend

Having your wedding on the Sunday of a 3-day weekend gives guests plenty of time to get to your venue if they’re traveling from afar. They also can take their time getting home on Monday, or continue to enjoy the long weekend. 3-day weekend weddings are perfect if a bride wants to plan a dinner the night before the wedding for family and friends or a brunch the day after the wedding.

Call Julianne Cuomo at (352) 402-4376 to start planning your holiday wedding at Golden Ocala!