We are looking to have our wedding on Saturday, 11/24/18. As a guest what are your thoughts on having a wedding over the Thanksgiving holiday? Our venue doesn't have much date options.
I wouldn't go unless you were my sibling. Air travel is super expensive during thanksgiving and I wouldn't want to deal with any holiday traffic. Plus that's a huge family holiday for me.
I would try to find another date. Someone was posting earlier about a NYE wedding and well it is just expensive for guests. Hotels, flights, and caterers in general are going to cost more on that Saturday.
If you are planning on having a small wedding, like 30 to 15 people, it might be something you can do, especially if it is just close family. However, I would make sure that you are ready for people to RSVP no.
Master
April 2018
Powers2 ·
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I think it could work if and only if the vast majority of your guests are local and they do not have to travel elsewhere for annual family holiday obligations.
Super
May 2018
Jen ·
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I wouldn't be able to go. Not only is traveling super expensive that time of year but I work part time in retail and it is impossible to get time off that weekend.
Typically travel is crazy expensive around Thanksgiving. Our wedding is 12/2 in Vegas and the soonest we can fly out there (to have some downtime to relax, but together centerpieces, etc, is Nov 29th. So if it's not out of town for most guests, I think the date is fine. Unless it was immediate family or a very close friend I wouldn't travel during that weekend. But keep in mind a lot of people may be out of town visiting family, too. I personally dislike Thanksgiving quite a bit, so I may not be the best judge!
Master
October 2016
Mrs. Fall Bride ·
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I would honestly find a different venue or push it out to a different date next year. Thanksgiving is the biggest holiday in my family, so like PP said, unless you were my sibling, I wouldn't be there. Plus, I'm always completely spent by that Saturday, so I just don't think you'd be getting people in full-on party mode. People will be tired from the holiday.
I have gone to a Thanksgiving weekend wedding! It, surprisingly to me, was really well attended. No one really had issues, some people found it easier.
I may plan to go. I'm usually home by Saturday anyways. If I really liked my family and wanted to spend more time, or if we weren't that close I would say no. And as other people have mentioned, if I had to fly it would be a no because flights are MUCH more expensive that weekend.
You may just have to expect to have a lot more declines than another date. If you're ok with that then go for it. If you're not, consider pushing it out a year to have a better option of dates or finding somewhere else
If it were local I would go, but I might not travel for a wedding that weekend. The cost of travel is typically so high, and we usually have plans with family over the long holiday weekend.
I would go if I were local. I don't usually travel that weekend, as PP have said it's guaranteed to be very expensive and also crowded, lots of delayed flights, potential for weather problems, etc.
I love thanksgiving and would be pissed if you expected me to go to your wedding over that date. It is my favorite holiday. And it’s also statistically the most expensive. So unless you’re planning for a small event, I’d make sure to do all the fixings turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing as my food.
I’m having my wedding that day. My parents were military so we typically didn’t get to spend Thanksgiving with family anyway. This year will be special because we do all get to share the holiday and my wedding day together. We are having a 75ish person wedding, and no one has complained about the date especially since they all have off of work anyway. My mom thought it would be an issue, but was pleasantly surprised when everyone said they would be there no matter what. We’re sending our save the dates out early so that people can plan accordingly and we found a reasonable hotel for everyone. I think it is definitely doable -the people that love you and that you want at your wedding will make it happen regardless of Thanksgiving.
VIP
May 2018
Red Queen ·
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Like I commented yesterday, if you are having a holiday wedding I think you absolutely must invite children. If you're expecting people to give up their holiday time to spend it with you, then you need to let them bring their immediate families.
It would be a hard no for me to leave my child behind on Thanksgiving. First of all, I'm not going to be able to get a babysitter because they'll all want to be with their families, and second of all, that's no fun for my child. And I do want to spend the holidays with my family!
Super
May 2010
Officiallymrs ·
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Well since you didn’t mention anything about it being not local to most of your guests and assuming it would be local to me I would 100% be there, I wouldn’t think of it being any different from any other weekend wedding just because thanksgiving is2 days before..