proper dates for wedding around christmas and new year

Have your wedding on any day you want and the people who truely want to be there will. With that said, my son's birthday is the 28th and having a birthday party for him on the 29th has been a challenge. A simple kids birthday ice cream and cake party. Nothing fancy. So you might wanna keep that in mind.

We are planning a new years wedding and people seemed excited for that. I think it all depends on the family.

There really is no "proper" date. Talk to your VIPs (parents, siblings, etc) to see how they feel, if there's a good (or bad) chance they could make it on those dates, and go from there.

For me, if a local friend was getting married in between the holidays, it wouldn't be a problem (the actual holiday would be.) But if it was a serious DW (like, at least out of state), it may be difficult.

But I say talk to the people you most want there, and then keep planning.

I find that I book quite a few weddings around holidays (particularly 3-day weekends) when families are getting together anyway -- such as Thanksgiving weekend and Christmas. Yes, I even did a surprise wedding during Christmas morning brunch!

You certainly know your friends & families better than any of us do. Christmas Day will be on Wed. next year and the 29th is a Sunday. Can you take a poll and ask if 12/22 or 12/29 would be best for each family?

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I think Tabatha and Reenski have answered very well...Happy planning!

I am getting married on December 29th of this year and the response has been a mixed bag... All of our family is traveling and making it happen but we have no friends that are at this point traveling to come to our wedding.

Our grandparents live in the town that we both reside in so most of the family is traveling here for the Christmas holiday anyway. The rest have just decided to make it a combination wedding/holiday trip this year.

We have had a few friends that would like to come up from Florida but needed more time to see if their finances would permit. I have not checked with them to see if they are coming or not. I will probably wait until next week when I work on my seating chart and need to give my final numbers to my venue.

I can imagine it would be difficult to make it around Christmas. Some people are already being pulled in so many different directions to see their family, in-laws, and grandparents even. I'm blessed to have each side of the family within driving distance but to take up to 3 separate trips to separate cities or even states would be really hard. I think if you plan a wedding during busy times of the year, it's fine, just be prepared for not everyone to be able to make it!

Float the idea past your families. We regularly do weddings all through the holiday seasons.

Thank you everyone you are so helpful and congrats to all of you... I will take heed to all of your advice... I know family and friends are so important... I feel torn between the good of the business and absent loved ones for the wedding... Maybe setting up a computer cam at the ceremony and reception will be a good idea.. this way they dont actually miss the event... if this date is the best way to go..

As someone who has to go to a December 29th wedding this year, it's PITA. We originally weren't going to go but were told by other family members that we HAD to and that Christmas wasn't as important. I am even missing my family Christmas for this wedding. And due to moving unexpectedly to a different state, we have two sets of tickets for this wedding. And, we're flying back New Years Eve so it is also taking up any plans we could have had for that as well.

It's hard to get off work too if you have to travel, they're already closed part of the week for the holiday and so it could make it hard to take the end of the week off as it's already a short week.

While I suspect your family will make it happen, you may have friends that can't. Just depends on how close they all are and if everyone goes to weddings in your family no matter what.

I honestly wouldn't be a fan of it even locally. The end of the year is a delightful but extremely hectic time of the year, at least in our house. Traveling is more difficult and expensive so close to the holidays.

How about a Sunday wedding? Any other time of the year when business is slow? Anybody who can cover for you for a day?

Its not slow necessarily its a hair salon and I am a cosmetologist.. I have to arrange around my clients AND family... I don't think its going to be un-clomplicated.. so I was thinking when is the best time for me to take advantage that is a given closing time or time for me to be away on a honeymoon and not lose business... I feel as though no matter what someone isn't going to make it because they have to travel... I love my friends but is it selfish to do what benefits me and if they cant make it sorry they couldn't come lol I will miss them but I would think put the business first since its my future.... is that a snooty way of thinking? i really don't mean to be I love them all lol

I don't think it's mean. It's the question of priorities, so it's up to you. Our friends were a crucial part of our wedding and I wouldn't do it any other way. Most of them traveled too.

My cosmetologist takes vacation. So does my hairstylist. I just go when they come back.

Farrah I think you are totally safe having a wedding on December 29th, besides, Houston isn't a bad place to ring in the new year, so maybe your out of town guests can celebrate with the rest of us!

I would include New Years Eve information in your Out of Town welcome packets and on your wedding website, just to show you've taken that into account for requesting their time during the holidays!

My MOH got married on Dec. 20th almost 9 years ago, which I thought was kinda inconsiderate. No offense to anyone, but scheduling a wedding around Christmas or New Years makes that time of year a lot more expensive and hectic for everyone around. Not only do people have to buy gifts for the holidays, but now they have to have an outfit, arrange transportation and accommodation and purchase you a wedding gift on top of everything else.

Perhaps have your wedding on a different long weekend in the year and delay your honeymoon; DH and I did that due to him having to go back to work. Being closed for a day and then being closed for maybe a week 6 months later with enough notice to your clients shouldn't be too bad for business.

^-^ Agreed... personally I wouldn't attend a wedding that close to Christmas unless they were a close relative or my very best friend. It is way to expensive especially for Out of towners (and locals too)

Farrah J- It is 100% NOT inconsiderate to choose a date for YOUR wedding that works for you. You will NOT be the first person to get married around the holidays. People who want to be there will. That's it.

For instance most people go out for new years anyway, have a new years dress or plan to get one. All I'm doing is giving them a CHOICE to come to my wedding to party for FREE or pay a cover charge at a bar or club. If people are home bodies and don't like going out or driving there is a hotel attached. We're giving over a years notice. People ARE IN LOVE with the idea of having a huge party to go to on new years.

So with that said, you should really do what is best for your self. Live the life you want and don't let people change your mind. When you find the right date you will know.

I think NYE weddings are different.... Dec 29 isn't NYE therefore thats another expense people will have 2 nights later on top of Christmas and a wedding to go to

I appreciate the honesty so much...I needed all views...thank you everyone for your help in planning..tons of hugs

I think it is, without question, wildly inconsiderate to have a wedding mere days after Christmas. I think the responses here that say it is "YOUR wedding" and you can do what you want are not incorrect, but it IS inconsiderate. Quite literally. It shows no "consideration" for the MANY other demands that people have during the holidays. I realize that people don't "have" to come to your wedding but, let's be real, depending on the relationship, it is without a doubt an obligation. I have a wedding to attend this coming December 28th and everyone I have told about it is simply aghast that someone would try to make a well deserved Christmas vacation all about them. True, you can schedule YOUR wedding whenever you want. But there will be A LOT of people who will think you are inconsiderate for it, whether or not they ever tell you.