Nicole Knows: Booking on a Holiday Weekend

Memorial weekend is almost here! Are you going to any weddings? It’s tricky to find available dates to book your big day during your season of choice. Sometimes, holiday weekends seem to be the only dates open! What should you do when those weekends are the only ones open on the calendar? Try some of these tips!

For starters, don’t stress about other people during this time. Focus on yourself and your partner first and foremost. Sometimes, people even enjoy a full weekend of festivities! I’ve had brides who take advantage of the holiday weekend and book a 2-3 day long itinerary to celebrate. For example, on that first day the wedding party may book a spa day to prepare for the main event, or maybe the groomsmen book a round of golf. The following day can involve more fun for family and close friends, leading right in the rehearsal dinner! Extra days sometimes truly make the weekend memorable, rather than just one big day.

A holiday weekend could allow for some wiggle room in the budget, too. Holiday weekends usually mean a Friday or Monday off from work, therefore your big day could be scheduled on a Friday or Sunday instead of your typical Saturday. Usually these days are a lot cheaper when booking different venues. On the flip side, though, it is tricky to find caterers on holiday weekends due to large demand of staffing and additional holiday event bookings. This could lead to higher pricing when it comes to your caterers, florists, etc.

Another thing to watch for when it comes to budget is your guest list. Although it is more expensive to travel during a holiday weekend for those out-of-towners, expect a higher rate of RSVPs due to availability. Weekends like Memorial Day, New Years Eve, Labor Day, etc. are smaller holidays that may be good to book on to get higher guest counts if this is what you’re looking for. If you want a smaller wedding and still land on a holiday weekend, try for larger holidays like Easter, Christmas, or Halloween where family events may already be scheduled, leading to less guests RSVPing.

Last but not least, you will definitely need to book hotel blocks in advance during holiday weekends due to low availability and a lot of travelers. Especially if your wedding is in a city known for its holiday tourism, be conscious of hotel and AirBNB availability. You don’t want your guests who plan to stay the night ending up with nowhere to go!

A lot of it comes down to planning ahead, especially any vendors that are your “non negotiable, dream partners”. But remember, holiday weekend weddings can also be a great time to plan your perfect themed wedding! These wedding celebrations have extra fun layers of excitement to add to them (especially decorations), not to mention it’s a time where many family and friends will be available to celebrate you and your future hubby or wife! As always, Cheers my Beautiful Brides!

-Nicole