HELP! SATURDAY WEDDING AFTER THANKSGIVING?

wimmy326 · April 2011

Hi Knotties, we originally put a venue on hold over a year from now, August 2012. However, a great "steal" has been presented, but the wedding would either be the Friday after Thanksgiving or the Saturday after Thanksgiving THIS YEAR (2011)... What are your thoughts? Inconvenient for guests? Would you come to a Thanksgiving weekend wedding? Please help, I'm stressing

mmancin · April 2011

Personally, I wouldn't be thrilled with an event right after Thanksgiving. Airline tickets would be through the roof. I would probably only go if it was for an immediate family member, as I would likely be with them for the holidays anyway.

mattycam · April 2011

There is a not a weekend that goes by that people don't get married. I went to a wedding that was during the labour day weekend last year and it was very well attended. If people are given enough notice, I don't see a problem with it.

LoveMuffins · April 2011

If your'e a close friend or family member, give me enough notice and i'd be there! Granted, the airline tickets might be a little higher, but if the majority of your guests live in town or within driving distance (or the majority of the ones that you really really want to attend), i'd say go for it.

tenofcups4me · April 2011

It depends on your friends and family. Do they all mostly live in your area and tend to stay home over Thanksgiving? Then sure, why not. Or do they live in other areas and all come into your area for Thanksgiving? That would work too.

But if you have people who live all over or a lot of friends and family that typically travel to other places for Thanksgiving, I'd expect a low turnout.

AdeleDazeem · April 2011

I'd go.

Thanksgiving is a Thursday and the wedding is Saturday - plenty of time to do both.

Traveling will be more expensive and a bit of pain - think about how many out of town guests you'll have.

LauraT25 · April 2011

I would expect family would be more likely to attend than your friends. I didn't answer your poll because it really depends on my relationship with the couple - most people have plans for Thanksgiving and won't give them up for a wedding. I would only attend your wedding if it's in the place where I will already be celebrating Thanksgiving. The people that will already be spending Thanksgiving with you are likely going to be able to attend your wedding, and they will already be traveling/have time off so it might actually be more convenient for them.

To make it easier on your families, I would have the wedding where most of them usually celebrate Thanksgiving if that's at all possible. And you have to understand that some people, even close family members, may not be willing to change their holiday plans for your wedding. Traveling is also a nightmare on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving; our usual 3-hr drive from NJ took us 9 hours two years ago when we left on Friday.

Edit: I think for most people, Labor Day weekend is really very different than Thanksgiving.

MyNameIsNot · April 2011

I probably wouldn't go unless it was immediate family.

During Thanksgiving, we always have house guests, and they usually stay until Sunday or Monday. There is absolutely no way we could travel, and even if it were local, it would be a pain. I wouldn't want to go off and leave our guests to go to a wedding that they aren't invited to, and I'd have a hard time telling them they need to leave early.

Now I get that I'm not invited to your wedding, so it really doesn't matter what I'm doing, but I don't think my situation is rare.

nontradduo · April 2011

I originally had a an 11/26/11 wedding planned. We had to change it to the weekend before for various and sundry reasons. A after Thanksgiving wedding was not a problem for us and there are a number of couples who get married then.
Yes, there might be some people who would not be able to attend, but it could free up others to make it your special day. Yes, travel is more expensive and little more inconvenient during the Thanksgiving time frame...let guests who have to travel know there will be a nice welcome bag waiting for them at their hotel and maybe let them know that their presence is gift enough if the added cost of travel during Thanksgiving will tax their finances to a point that is painful for them, but they truly want to be there for you on your day.
There are plenty of pros and cons and plenty of options for you if you do take the Thanksgiving route.
It's a perfectly acceptable time to have a wedding and most people will accommodate you if they have enough notice and enough money to attend.

cschuma2 · April 2011

I work in retail, and I wouldn't be able to have this day off even if you were my sibling. Personally I would choose another weekend as this is generally a busy weekend for people.

GeauxTigers17 · April 2011

I'd go. I barely hang out with anyone but my immediate family on Thanksgiving, and we don't spend the entire weekend together.

The only weekend of the year that's an automatic no for me is Easter weekend, for religious reasons. I'd even go to a Christmas wedding if it was in town.

LauraT25 · April 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_saturday-wedding-after-thanksgiving?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:10Discussion:391806b7-8e7b-425d-bd20-5f096b92493bPost:56481812-8e0d-4dee-b41c-bd8a869b8315">Re: HELP! SATURDAY WEDDING AFTER THANKSGIVING?</a>:
[QUOTE]I'd go. I barely hang out with anyone but my immediate family on Thanksgiving, and we don't spend the entire weekend together. The only weekend of the year that's an automatic no for me is Easter weekend, for religious reasons. I'd even go to a Christmas wedding if it was in town.
Posted by GeauxTigers17[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>I think it's definitely a matter of who will be in town, and what sort of plans they usually have. My family only does something on Thursday, but if that would take me OOT from the wedding, I probably wouldn't drive back Thursday night or Friday morning just to make it to the wedding. My husband's family gathers on both Thursday and Friday. It's sort of hard to guess who will be where, since many people switch holidays with their SOs, some families take vacations, etc, so I would be calling people to get a feel for whether or not they could attend.

</div>

MilitaryBride2Be · May 2011

I attended a wedding that was the Friday after thanksgiving. For some people who lived close they just drove in Friday morning, and for the out of towners they all got together and had their own Thanksgiving that thursday and had a fun long weekend!

jleahd33 · May 2011

My question is why the rush? Why not keep the day in August 2012 to have more time for planning and such? Depending on the size of your wedding, you will have to rush these next several months rather than having plenty of time to book everything you want. I wouldn't do it, not because of the Thanksgiving thing (although PPs make a good point about the higher price of airfair), but because I would rather have more time to plan & get the vendors that I want.

This is coming from someone getting married in only 13 days....

LKParish · May 2011

I'm not sure if this will help at all, but 11/26/11 is also my wedding date. I am also worried about a low turnout. But my mom and several of my relative have assured me that as long as we give everyone plenty of notice, it will be fine. If your guests care about you and your groom they will make the effort to make it and celebrate your day with you. This is how I'm looking at it, Thanksgiving is Thursday and the wedding is 3 days awat on Sarurday. Plenty of time for travel. Hope this helps.

Calypso1977 · May 2011

bad idea, IMO.

1. gas is expensive
2. plane tickets are expensive
3. hotels are expensive
4. many folks (around here anyway) have high school reunions that weekend (which i actually think is a bad idea too)
5. general travel for the holiday
6. everyone is super full and ate a fattening meal - wont want to eat fattening wedding food/cake a day or two later.

HELP! SATURDAY WEDDING AFTER THANKSGIVING?

Re: HELP! SATURDAY WEDDING AFTER THANKSGIVING?

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