How to Plan a Holiday Weekend Wedding Without the Stress

Everyone adores long weekends — a bonus day off and cause for celebration. But is now really the right time to hold a wedding party? As with most serious questions, of course, the answer isn’t so simple. For Cassandra Bell, who married on New Year’s Eve, it was a dream come true.

"I attended a NYE wedding a few years ago, and loved how festive and joyful it felt. Already, everyone is in a party frame of mind,” she says. “By 11:50, we had the entire crowd on the floor dancing and counting down to midnight. It was magical — all one big fiesta.”

But marrying during a major holiday does have some extra considerations. We asked planning professionals for their best advice for being able to make it work.

Choosing the Right Holiday

“I don’t really know how to celebrate a holiday that doesn’t already feel like a party. In the end, however, couples should go with what feels good to them,” says Cassandra.

Wedding planner Naomi Tran of EverAfter & Co., in contrast, suggests researching quieter holidays such as Presidents’ Day. “These weekends are often unencumbered by long-held traditions, so it’s easier for guests to attend,” she says.

For florist and event designer Isla Romero of Wild Fern Weddings, however, Memorial Day weekend is the best, due in large part to the more moderate weather. But she recommends avoiding dates too near major holidays — certainly Christmas or Thanksgiving, when people are likely to have travel plans or family obligations.

Best Ceremony Timing

The 2024 evidence still suggests Saturday is the long weekend sweet spot, Tran says. “It leaves guests with Sunday or Monday to recuperate or travel home,” she says. But this is contingent on your crowd. What kind of work your guests do makes a difference, Romero said.

“If the majority of guests have a typical Monday through Friday job, Saturday is great. But if much of the labor force is in the hospitality or health care sectors, Saturday may be the worst alternative. These sectors get hammered over the holidays,” she says. “In that case may I suggest a Sunday or a Thursday evening instead.”

Vendor Costs and Availability

One major factor to watch? This is all subject to vendor pricing and availability.

“Florists, for example, are typically too full on Mother’s Day weekend to do a wedding,” Romero says. “And a lot of venues or vendors charge a premium for holiday bookings — if they’re even available at all.”

“Labor costs skyrocket through the holidays,” adds Tran. “If your caterer needs to bring on 20 staffers for a New Year’s Eve wedding, they’re going to pay them a holiday premium — and you’re going to foot the bill.”

Cassandra was able to plan for this long in advance. “We booked everything almost two years in advance,” she says. “Our venue allowed for us to do set-up the day before, so nobody’s job was on the actual holiday. And there were no additional fees, which was a nice surprise.”

Her top advice? “Start early—way early.”

Think of Your Guests

Travel costs for guests spike for holiday weekends. Flights and rooms can be far more expensive — and more difficult to book. “Hotel blocks can be the worst during these times,” warns Romero.

In Cassandra’s case, her wedding was largely local, but she held hotel blocks nonetheless. “I didn’t want people to be driving home at 1 a.m.,” she says. “I did feel guilty asking people to spend money right after Christmas, but it seemed to work,” she said.

There will be some guests who already have holiday plans but have to decide if they are going to break tradition to come to your wedding. But there are also some advantages to being in a holiday weekend. Guests are being given more time off, so they can turn a wedding into a mini-vacation. And for families with members spread across the country, the holidays might be the one time they’re all planning to be in the same place, which could make attending the wedding easier, not more difficult.

Should You Lean Into a Theme?

Planning to get married on the Fourth of July? Should your decor shout red, white and blue?

Tran cautions against getting too caught up in holiday themes. “No orange and black to show Halloween, no red and green to show Christmas. It can come across as cheesy rather than charming,” she says. “We once designed a masquerade ball wedding on Halloween, and it was amazing — but that’s because it was planned and executed well.”

Romero agrees. “Take gentle cues from the holiday. A winter wedding doesn’t require reindeer and elves. Think of a snow-kissed palette and the flicker of candle light that can subtly nod to the season without going overboard.”

Final Thoughts

Coordinating a wedding on a holiday weekend requires a bit of extra planning, but with the right prep work, can be deeply satisfying. But give yourself plenty of notice, your guests that is — and your vendors — and really think through the details. The result? A celebration your family and friends will reminisce about for years to come.