Are election season weddings a good idea?

ThxSugar

My FI and I were thinking about a lovely fall wedding next year. My biggest concern was college football season. Until yesterday, when we visited some of his extended family.

Their veiws are the exact opposite of my family's. I am seriously considering pushing the wedding back to Spring of 2017 to avoid political arguments at the wedding. They are all reasonable people during normal circumstances but I am afraid a month before the election, plus alcohol, would be asking for trouble, lol.

Anyone else deal with anything similar?

ShesSoCold

Knottie1430505628 said:

My FI and I were thinking about a lovely fall wedding next year. My biggest concern was college football season. Until yesterday, when we visited some of his extended family. Their veiws are the exact opposite of my family's. I am seriously considering pushing the wedding back to Spring of 2017 to avoid political arguments at the wedding. They are all reasonable people during normal circumstances but I am afraid a month before the election, plus alcohol, would be asking for trouble, lol. Anyone else deal with anything similar?

It never, in a million years, would have occurred to me to even think about election season in regards to my wedding.

Edited for typo.

luckya23

In my experience, the families didn't seem to speak to each other at all, much less argue politics.

I would not alter my life plan for this sort of thing, unless you think one side might actually massacre the other... In which case, don't invite them.

thisismynickname2

Hm. No, I didn't deal with that, but you're under no obligation to mix families at the tables. In my experience the extended families don't mix much because they're focused on visiting with their own families.  If they do, it's over things like, "Oh hey, is that crab cake good?" 

lyndausvi

I really, really hate that "election" season is only the year of the president.  Fact is EVERY year there is an election.   Maybe if more people worried about local, county and state elections instead of just the presidential ones maybe we would be in a better spot.

Anyway, unless you have VIPs either running for office or involved in campaign making them unable to attend then I think not getting married in a presidential elections year is dumb.    There I said it, dumb.

STARMOON44

I think this will be fine. They will mostly socialize with people on their side, and talk about things like how lovely the wedding is and how nice it is to see everyone. People who really want to get drunk and pick political battles at social events can do that anytime.

kvruns

what??

I would never consider that as a reason to change my wedding date. What happens when a polarizing topic pops up in Spring 2017 (war, something else related to same sex marriage, abortion rules, gun laws, etc) are you going to postpone your wedding so people won't talk about those topics and get riled up?

Your guests should be able to behave at a wedding, alcohol or not.  If you're that concerned then make sure the venue has security or something but seriously it is a pretty silly argument.

AddieCake

This has to be the biggest overthinking I have ever seen on TK.

arrippa

To be honest, the only person at my wedding who would argue politics would not have to wait for an election year. He would do it anytime. It would never occur to me to not have it during an election year because of him. Just hope that everyone acts like adults or learn the art of bean dipping.

emmaaa

Honestly, if you waited until spring, then you'd have people arguing about the new POTUS.

You are overthinking this.

Maggie0829

People argue over politics All. The. Time.  Not just in election years.  

So get married when you want to get married.  To not get married in an election year is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.

kimmiinthemitten

I'm a former campaign manager so political conversations are brought up with me all the time, sometimes in the spirit of debate and sometimes for insight, but I have never ever had someone approach the topic at a wedding.  

lyndausvi said!

ThxSugar

arrippa said:

To be honest, the only person at my wedding who would argue politics would not have to wait for an election year. He would do it anytime. It would never occur to me to not have it during an election year because of him. Just hope that everyone acts like adults or learn the art of bean dipping.

Thats what i am afraid of. I have several on my side, and apparently, several on his side who have no problem telling people their veiws the first time they meet them. Like his uncle did to me yesterday, I know there is no way my sister could have let it slide.

@lyndausvi -you are correct. I should have worded it better. There are people on both sides very interested in politics on the local level but since they from different regions of the country they would have no common knowledge of local elections.

I am glad everyone thinks this will not be an issue or have any horror stories to share. I definitely overthink things, which is why I like posting questions here to see what everyone thinks.

Etf: deleted extra, unneeded, word

climbingsingle

Political arguments can happen at literally any time. I agree that you are way overthinking this. 

novella1186

Hopefully most people would have the tact and grace to not get into a political argument at a wedding. But if they do, it's not the end of the world. 

And as PP have said, you're way over-thinking this. 

OliveOilsMom

My BFF actually pushed their wedding up to avoid election season.  But that is because he was working for a US Senator and she was working for state assembly people.  So THEY would have been in the middle of their bosses' elections had they planned the wedding for when they wanted to get married.

If FI's uncle is going to bring up politics, he will do it regardless of an upcoming election or not.  And if your sister wanted to rebut him in his political views, she would probably also do it regardless of election season.  But it will be a wedding, hopefully, everyone will just be talking about what a lovely ceremony it is, how happy the couple looks, etc, etc.  They will also likely stick to their side of the family, so I don't think you will have the all out political brawl you are imagining.