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Original poster

Christmas Wedding - thoughts please

81 replies

turtledovelove · 18/09/2021 14:16

Has anyone been to or had a wedding in the week leading up to Christmas? Is it a good idea? Will people be put off coming as they've got enough going on around that time of year anyway. Does it make it an extra special time of year to get married or does it just added stress and pressure to an already busy period?!

Would like to hear people's thoughts around this and own experiences. Partner and I are considering our own wedding for December 2022.

OP posts:
Jumpingintosummer · 19/09/2021 09:28

We have been to three December weddings and a real mixed bag.

20th or 21st, nearest city but still an hr away and room was a fortune. Last Saturday before Christmas and trying to palm kids off on grandparents to babysit instead of doing fun things with them like we usually do.

27th, Married in our town then to a country hotel 20miles away but an 45min drive in good weather. It was a horrible stormy night, trees down etc. Guests leaving early as weather got worse. Nightmare to get a hairdressers appointment as most closed that week.

31st, fun small wedding, all kids invited and everyone stayed over. However £££ for hotel.

herecomesthsun · 19/09/2021 11:37

Our Xmas wedding was basically a big Xmas party, with a buffet and masses of food, doors thrown open to the church community.

We provided the Xmas decorations for the church, basically.

InTheMiddle23 · 19/09/2021 11:47

The cost is the same whether July or December. You could argue that 6 months later allows more time to save.

Imagine saying to your sister/brother, "I'm declining your invite, because it's Christmas."

herecomesthsun · 19/09/2021 12:02

re cost

you need to budget for warm food for a buffet in December

you also need to think about whether people coming any distance need to be revived with warm tea etc

you can't get away with a marquee in someone's garden

you need a coat or jacket option for over your dress and brollies

you might need pictures indoors rather than out

we had just loads of food and snacks

herecomesthsun · 19/09/2021 12:07

the other thing is covid I guess, less hassle in the summer perhaps, especially with older family members who might be vulnerable?

it would be lovely if it weren't a consideration by then

SirChenjins · 19/09/2021 12:08

My heart would sink if I was invited to a Christmas wedding. It’s a hugely expensive time of year anyway, it can be very difficult to get leave from work because everyone wants that week off, and if the weather is as it often is and it’s raining or snowing it might mean I couldn’t travel and I’d lose money I’d paid for accommodation (or alternatively be stranded at the venue).
I’m sure it would look lovely in the photos with fairy lights and so on but as a guest I’d find it a total PITA.

HelloViroids · 19/09/2021 12:09

We had our the Saturday before Christmas, and it was lovely. Did save the dates in the Christmas cards the year before, so people had masses of time to plan and budget. We had candles and carols in the church, mulled cider straight after the service, the venue had a huge Christmas tree and holly everywhere and real fires roaring which made a lovely atmosphere, and it got dark nice and early so we had fireworks Smile We had about 100 people and everyone said it was a lovely start to the Christmas season. It is a busy time of year, but so can summer be with lots of other weddings, holidays, children off school….and I think the cost for venue etc was same as for high summer, so “peak season” price but not any more expensive.

Ionlydomassiveones · 19/09/2021 12:11

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

Driftingblue · 19/09/2021 16:22

I really don’t want to turn you off of the idea because I think it’s lovely if everyone lives locally. Venues are also often already decorated. You are likely to get tons of baubles included with wedding gifts which make wonderful memories each year when decorating the tree. We had an early December wedding and I love thinking about each guest who gave us a bauble as I hang it.

If you want to play the Covid restriction odds for 2022, I wouldn’t plan a wedding during winter.

Jumpingintosummer · 20/09/2021 09:46

@InTheMiddle23

The cost is the same whether July or December. You could argue that 6 months later allows more time to save.

Imagine saying to your sister/brother, "I'm declining your invite, because it's Christmas."

It wouldn’t stop me going but hotel prices are definitely more expensive on weekends in December and NYE etc.
mrsbyers · 20/09/2021 09:52

We married on the 28th ‘twixmas’ and it was great - usually it’s a bit of a down time between celebrations so a lot of people took the opportunity to join us and stay at the hotel and we had quite the party. I wouldn’t recommend the lead up to Christmas as people have other priorities but it’s a great time of year to marry plus the venue will already be decorated :)

ImInStealthMode · 25/09/2021 12:35

My first wedding was the Saturday before Christmas and as I remember there were very few people invited who couldn't make it.

Everything apart from the Groom was wonderful, so much fun to plan on a festive but not overtly tacky Christmassy theme.

Sunfl0wer20 · 26/09/2021 09:59

I’m going to sound like a massive hypocrite here.. but..
I’m getting married early December because we love Christmas… but we went to a wedding the day before Christmas Eve and couldn’t relax. We went because we love the couple and wouldn’t have missed it and they had a lovely lovely day l but I just wanted to wake up with my children on Christmas Eve, but the location meant an over night stay.

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 26/09/2021 10:04

I think it would be lovely if I got enough notice, loved the bride or groom and it was local. I'd prefer pre-Christmas rather than between Christmas & new year so it didn't restrict my potential plans for that week though.

jlg22 · 26/09/2021 10:07

I got married on 23rd. It was lovely! Just a bit difficult celebrating anniversaries now with 2 young children.

hauntedvagina · 26/09/2021 11:54

I got married in the days between Christmas and New Year, I'm biased obviously, but it was a lovely time.

We had a local venue so people didn't have to travel far. Carol's for hymns in the church.

The key for us was planning as we had four bank holiday days before the wedding day which did mean that flowers were a bit tricky and by mid day on Christmas Eve everything had to be sorted as we couldn't run out for anything last minute.

Darceyhemingway · 26/09/2021 12:34

I went to a wedding on the 23rd Dec before it was brilliant!

Darceyhemingway · 26/09/2021 12:39

I'd rather go to one before than in between. I love those days to slob around and see family I'd much rather the 23rd than the 27th/28th

AmperoBlue · 27/09/2021 17:37

My DH first wedding was a December wedding. Lots of issues including snow preventing guests coming, freezing hotel when the heating went pop and guests being cold and then boiling in their fancy clothes.

Photos look lovely but not something DH wanted to recreate.

SecretWitch · 27/09/2021 17:59

One of my favorite weddings occurred on NYE. It was candle lit and just lovely. Wedding was at 6pm, cocktails, dinner and dancing until 2am. I would love to attend another Christmas/NYE wedding.

Kite22 · 27/09/2021 23:20

My heart would sink if I were invited to a wedding in advent, tbh. It is just such a busy time of year.
I mean, obviously I would try and make it work if it were someone I loved / someone I was close to, but, if you want honest opinions, I would be thinking 'Why couldn't they have done this in any one of the other 11 months of the year?'
I love a good wedding.
I also love Christmas.
I think it is a nice thing to spread celebrations out throughout the year.
and of course it will impact on any anniversary celebrations you have from now til eternity)

Janedownourlane · 28/09/2021 21:43

We got married on the 28th. Everyone invited came including guests from America. The decorations looked lovely in the photos, tree etc.I can't actually remember much about the food except that we had hot choices including curry, and it was lovely.
The day itself was freezing and sunny and there were icicles on the fountain where we had the photos.
If you love Christmas then why not?

Kite22 · 28/09/2021 23:26

If you love Christmas then why not?

Well, my thinking is, if you love Christmas, then enjoy celebrating Christmas, and then also enjoy another family get together by having your wedding at a different time of year, rather than piling everything into the same week Smile

ThePlantsitter · 28/09/2021 23:31

I had one on 21st. It was lovely but in retrospect I wouldn't do it again, it was asking a lot of effort and bother from people.

EL8888 · 29/09/2021 00:11

I went to a wedding on the 28th or 29th of December about 10 years ago. We thought it was great! Broke up the boring in-between bit between Christmas and New Year. We were given plenty of notice, travel was fine and we were staying with family for the festive break anyway