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Original poster

Christmas Eve wedding

109 replies

RRK593 · 11/06/2022 20:22

Has anyone got married on Christmas Eve? My partner and I are in the very early stages of planning our wedding and we’re not sure on what we want at all at the moment!

The one thing we do know is that we want a smaller wedding (I hate the family politics of pleasing everyone!) so I think it will just be us, our two children and immediate family. (14 total)

We got engaged on Christmas Eve last year and love the idea of a small Christmas Eve wedding, maybe in the afternoon as it starts to get dark with lots of candles and a nice meal. Though the logistics of it might be a little tricky! (Sorting the children’s presents for the next day/ everything that comes the day after a wedding being on Christmas Day) or even if places cater for weddings on Christmas Eve.

Has anyone done this and can share how their special day went?

thanks! :)

OP posts:
Remainiac · 11/06/2022 22:00

We got married on Xmas Eve. Immediate-ish family (around 18 people). We rented a big place near in-laws and everyone stayed together until New Year’s Day.
People came from all over the country and still talk about it as being a wonderful, memorable wedding almost 30 years later.
A florist friend made my bouquet of holly, ivy, Xmas roses and mistletoe, we made the other floral decorations and buttonholes etc ourselves the night before.
The only wrinkle was that the Register Office closed in the afternoon so we had the last slot which was noon. There were two other weddings that morning.
And it snowed!

Datsandcogs · 11/06/2022 22:02

I don’t think it’s a good idea. Christmas Eve is the best day of Christmas for us I wouldn’t want to go to a wedding. But any day from the 26th would be far better.

Also, in years to come, Christmas Eve is a rotten day for an anniversary.

Move your plans on a couple of days at least.

Thebeastofsleep · 11/06/2022 22:03

RRK593 · 11/06/2022 20:41

Ahh I guess the general consensus is that it’s not a great idea - though just to clear a few things up it would literally be us, our children, our parents, my brother sister and nephew and my OH two brothers and one wife. We all live within 5 mins of each other and will all spend xmas eve/Xmas day together.

Bit reading through all your wise concerns I am slightly rethinking - the other option which we would also entertain would be just us and the children but we would still need witnesses which would still be tricky on xmas eve and the issue of the venue.

@DandelionPocket is right, a romantic idea… probably a bit hard to do in reality? 😣

I think if you live really close to each other and where you are getting married then it could work. But personally, I'd seek the opinion of those who will attend.

Honeyroar · 11/06/2022 22:03

If it’s really going to be just the small group of close family that you’ll be spending Xmas with anyway you’d be better just asking them, not us.
Would you be cooking/organising the Xmas day arrangements/meal? If so it’s possible- nobody would be stressed at your wedding thinking of jobs they needed to be doing for Xmas..

Kingstonmumof1 · 11/06/2022 22:08

We have family with a wedding anniversary around that time and it means that it gets kind of lost, not a problem most years but on the big anniversaries it's a shame. Just something to keep in mind I guess.

LunaLoveFood · 11/06/2022 22:09

It's only 14 close family...talk to them. Ask their opinions and go from there. They might like the idea they might not, but you won't know till you ask.

Katya213 · 11/06/2022 22:12

No, I wouldn’t go to a Christmas Eve wedding. Christmas Eve is hectic enough.

PinkWisteria · 11/06/2022 22:15

Having read your update and that you would normally spend Christmas Eve together, it might be fine. Why not ask and see what they think.

FinallyHere · 11/06/2022 22:17

Would you be happy for any anniversary celebrations to be completely swamped by Christmas, every single year ?

We got married in a couple of months and picked the first date available at my favourite venue. It happened to be in the school summer holidays.

I've kicked myself most years. We have started to do something low key on the day then have holidays in school time. If I'd known then... I would have waited til September for our wedding.

Honeyroar · 11/06/2022 22:19

Kingstonmumof1 · 11/06/2022 22:08

We have family with a wedding anniversary around that time and it means that it gets kind of lost, not a problem most years but on the big anniversaries it's a shame. Just something to keep in mind I guess.

Good point. We got married on my mother’s birthday and I always feel like we need to fuss her on her birthday, so our anniversary takes a back seat. It’s a tough time of year to book a romantic restaurant too. Set menus and party time..

Ledkr · 11/06/2022 22:20

I did but it was very small and we got married at 12 then went to a really lovely curry restaurant for lunch.
It was beautiful and we had a really wintery theme for mine and dds dresses.
After the lunch everyone went off to get on with their own plans.

That said, I don't think I'd like an invite to a christmas eve wedding if it was for the full.day. I love Xmas eve with the kids and dh and it would be stressful trying to do santa after a long day and a few drinks.

MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 11/06/2022 22:22

I like the idea of a snowy and atmospheric Christmas wedding with echoes of Greenknowe, but in reality Christmas Eve tends to be a hectic time so probably wouldn't be great. But if your intended guests would be with you anyway on that day it might work very well!

GreenCard · 11/06/2022 22:22

I think it’s sounds lovely and for the people you actually want to invite it might be fine. Maybe ask everyone individually and say you are thinking about it, and how small it’ll be and what timings and involvement and see what they think.

SurpriseSurprise · 11/06/2022 22:23

I got married on Christmas Eve but no longer with the man I married

I can’t believe the negativity on her about Christmas weddings. I can honestly say that no one declined an invite, we didn’t struggle to find things and it was no more stressful than organising another wedding. Well apart from the snow but that could happen for any winter wedding

Ragwort · 11/06/2022 22:29

I think it sounds lovely so long as you talk it through with your family and they are all happy with the idea. If you spend Christmas together anyway surely it is just bringing it forward one day. Are your DC the age when they expect Christmas Day is just about the presents ... personally I think it sounds a nice, different sort of celebration (but only for those who live close by).

Assume none of them work in retail ... I could never get the time off Grin.

MiddleParking · 11/06/2022 22:36

Your guestlist would have to be smaller than it is for this to be in any way a good idea. If it involves siblings and a sibling’s spouse then you should discount it as a possibility. It’s not fair.

motogirl · 11/06/2022 22:38

Check if it's even feasible - I'm not sure registrars are available and hotels might not be interested in loosing a lucrative trade day to a wedding. A church might be able to accommodate you early afternoon but by 4pm they are likely to have crib services

DolphinaPD · 11/06/2022 22:44

Have your legal ceremony on Xmas eve so uou get your anniversary on that date then a party on nye for everyone else to come to.

Yodaisawally · 11/06/2022 22:50

We went to one ore kids and it was fab, now with kids I'd decline until they're a lot older.

SemperIdem · 11/06/2022 22:52

My parents did.

It’s an inconvenient pain in the arse that adds additional expense on top of Christmas, every single year, the big anniversaries are even worse.

Please don’t.

Original poster
RRK593 · 11/06/2022 22:58

Thanks everyone for your interesting views!

As I said we’re in the early stages and would definitely look at different dates in Dec. My daughters birthday is on 22nd but I love the idea of 23rd too actually or in between Christmas and new year - I would absolutely do the whole Christmas theme though! 😍

there isn’t really any question of whether our small family circle will attend because I know they all will - The point around stressing about xmas lunch the next day is a great point that I hadn’t thought about though as MIL loves to host.

I have a venue in mind so I’m going to contact them next week and get an idea of availability around the festive season though with the insight of all your comments I’m definitely thinking of swerving Christmas Eve I think!

OP posts:
SimpleShootingWeekend · 11/06/2022 23:07

It’s a very busy day at the end of a very busy week and lots of people would struggle to get time off work. I think its the sort of thing that is lovely on television but the reality is it would be an extra stress for people, difficult to cater etc and would make ordinary things just more difficult (traffic, shops being busy, parking, no priest etc). I would go for a sibling child or very very best friend but anyone more distant I’d struggle to fully focus

chickma · 11/06/2022 23:09

I think it's a beautiful idea but realistically from a practical point of view it would be a nightmare.

MenaiMna · 11/06/2022 23:11

It's too busy a time for a Christian church
It's probably half day at the council for the registry office (I know NYE is) so hard to book.
If you have £££ to throw at it you might get a registrar to do a wedding venue.

SunnyShiner · 11/06/2022 23:21

The days in between Xmas and new year can drag a bit. I'd go for one of those. Christmas Eve would be a pain.