Original article appeared on MeritalBliss.com.
It seems there are two general schools of thought on hosting a wedding on a holiday: It's always okay and it's never okay. Really, though, there are some special days that are better for weddings than others. But even those better holidays come with caveats.
New Year's Eve
Unless you have a long-standing tradition for celebrating the last and first days of the year, you likely stress a bit about your plans. And if you're like me, you're doing the stressing on December 30th. I would welcome an invitation to a wedding on New Year's Eve so I don't have to think about how the hell I'll spend it. Plus, most people get New Year's Day off from work, and the holiday, which celebrates the start of something new, seems like a natural fit for a wedding. And it's frequently filled with sparkly things! Still, there are some who ring in the New Year with their families and wouldn't want to ditch them to watch you get married.
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Friday/Saturday/Sunday After
You wouldn't be a jerk and insist everyone forgo their turkey to toast to your nuptials, but the days before and after aren't for family gatherings, right? Wrong. Lots of people have multiple Thanksgivings, getting together with one set of relatives on the actual holiday and another over the weekend. Even if not, people travel to far-flung family for the Thursday meal -- and don't want to rush back to attend your wedding. But if the majority of your guest list celebrates Thanksgiving near the town where you're getting hitched, the days surrounding the holiday are worth considering. More potential dealbreakers: Lots of high school reunions take place on the Wednesday before, not everyone gets out of work early enough on the Wednesday to get to your ceremony, and some people have to work on Black Friday.
Halloween
Like New Year's Eve, figuring out my Halloween plans is often a last-minute pain-in-the-butt thing. And I'd be thrilled to get invited to a wedding instead of throwing together a costume comprised of whatever hilariously out-of-date clothing is still hanging in my closet. You know who'd be less enthused, though? People with kids who'd prefer to spend the day trick-or-treating with their little witches and ghosts. But Halloween-themed weddings that don't fall on 10/31, or ones that don't require parents with trick-or-treaters at home to attend, are fair game.
See more: The most selfish bridesmaid EVER
The Day Before July 4th
However patriotic you may be, odds are you aren't shelling out for a plane ticket to spend the holiday with your extended family. So July 3rd could be a good wedding date. But going to a wedding straight from work, if the 3rd falls on a weekday, can suck for your guests. And your ceremony would need to start fairly late to allow time for those who can't cut out early to arrive. It could all be worth it for the deals you'd get from holding your wedding on what may be a weekday.
Those Monday Holidays That Make Three-Day Weekends
Truth be told, I almost got married on the Sunday before Memorial Day. Then, we found out the following Saturday night was the same price as the holiday Sunday at our venue, so we booked that next weekend after enough people mentioned that they like to go away for Memorial Day. The same is true of Labor Day weekend. Even three-day weekends in the winter, like Martin Luther King Day and Presidents' Day, cause snow-sport-loving-types to skip town for skiing. Another drawback: Not every working stiff has the Monday off. Still, three-day weekends can be fun for weddings, especially those of the destination variety, since most guests won't have to take vacation days to attend.
And the day I despise for weddings...
Valentine's Day
A holiday that celebrates love? How perfect! Not. Couples like to have a special date night on February 14th, and forcing them instead to commemorate your relationship is a little selfish. On a practical note, your bouquets and centerpieces would cost absurdly more than they would if you got married on, say, any other day of the year. Except Mother's Day. Oh, and don't get married on Mother's Day.
Which other holidays should be on the banned list? What do you think of weddings on three-day weekends?