Wedding Customs & Traditions Forum

Wedding on Easter Weekend?

We're trying to book a date for next year, and are considering having our wedding on the Saturday of Easter weekend.    Neither of us are Catholic, but we both have practicing Catholics in our families.

So, for all the practicing Catholics in the crowd, would you find it odd to attend a family member's wedding on Easter weekend?  That would make the rehearsal on Good Friday (obviously we could offer a non-meat option, but I understand that many Catholics fast on Good Friday), and would mean people getting up early the morning after the wedding to attend Mass.    I know that very strict Catholics generally wouldn't have a wedding during Lent, but I don't think any of our family members are THAT strict (though I think some of them will fast on Good Friday).

Also, we realize that having a wedding on Easter weekend could make finding an officiant more difficult, but since we aren't looking at having a church wedding, we are open to a non-religious officiant....

Thoughts?  Opinions?  Anyone else doing this?
DSC_9275

Re: Wedding on Easter Weekend?

  • meep2meep2 member
    First Comment
    I'm Catholic. I would have difficulties attending any weddong on Easter, no matter how close the family member. Please realize that Easter, NOT Christmas, is the most important day in the liturgical calendar. To summarize, Easter is the celebration of pretty much the entire point of our entire religion. I would have difficulties traveling far due to Holy Week services, especially on Good Friday, which is a day of obligation. Any Catholics involved in the rehearsal dinner would be fasting if it's on Friday.

    Not only this, but my family has a lot of traditions built around Easter. It's not just Easter eggs hunts that end when you're a kid. It's tantamount to missing Christmas Day for me, really. But really, put this together with the above, and even if you think it's great to get your family together for your wedding, Easter isn't a great day to do it if you want the Catholics (and, generally, a lot of other Christians) in your wedding to attend.  Feel free to still have it that weekend, but if you do want them to attend keep this in mind.
  • My family's Roman Catholic and I doubt any of them would have any problem attending a wedding/reception in lent. However, I could see how very very strict Catholics may avoid attending a festive event such as a recpetion during that time.

    If you do a recption that weekend, Saturday is a good choice since Catholics are tecnically not required to go to church that day. On Friday, your guests can plan ahead to attend chucrh before your rehearsal dinner. Churches will have several masses held throughout the day on Friday.

    Check with your wedding party/rehaersal dinner guests beforehead to see what they're dietary limitations are on Fridays. Most people give up meat, but some also limit themselves to one meal a day, or refuse snacks between meals or don't eat desserts, sweats, etc.

  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_customs-traditions_wedding-easter-weekend?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:36Discussion:329c3c02-b105-405c-b0a1-11e3e0dc3e8aPost:72e33508-afba-4f84-b376-b4471004efee">Re: Wedding on Easter Weekend?</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Wedding on Easter Weekend? : I'm not saying that this is necessarily the case, but please do consider that no one with any speck of manners at all is going to say that they find a bride's wedding date 'inconsiderate'.  So, just because you're not HEARING it, that doesn't mean it isn't being said.
    Posted by StageManager14[/QUOTE]

    Of course Stage and if that's the case, I love them all the more for it.  Like I said, it's not an ideal weekend, but July in Phoenix (our other option) was less than ideal as well.  Here's hoping we don't get pelted with Peeps at our getaway.  :)
    image
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_customs-traditions_wedding-easter-weekend?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:36Discussion:329c3c02-b105-405c-b0a1-11e3e0dc3e8aPost:9828f2d8-c565-4f7f-bdaf-0f23f693f1de">Re: Wedding on Easter Weekend?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Thanks so much for all of your replies! I would say that 85% of our guest list is family, and of those family about 10% are practicing Catholics (mostly grandparents).  Those who aren't generally don't attend church and aren't particularly religious (like us).  But like most of you have said, we all usually use Easter as a time to get together as a family.  So we were thinking that since the family would be getting together anyway, we might as well get married.  If we picked a different weekend in March or April, then we feel like we'd be making people pick between traveling to be together at Easter, or traveling to be together for our wedding weekend.  It doesn't HAVE to be in April, but we'd like it to be (I'm active duty military, stationed overseas, and that would be an easy time to get back to the States to get married). I guess I'll ask my grandmother for her opinion, and see how she thinks the family will feel.  She probably has a pretty good idea :-) Thanks again!
    Posted by Avion22[/QUOTE]
    All of this seems to be talking about your family.  What about his family?  Presumably their plans for holiday get-togethers don't involve relatives of their in-laws.
    This is a neglected planning bio.
    This is a belated married bio, with no reviews yet because I'm lazy.

    image
    Sometimes I feel like people think that brides are delicate little flower princesses who get all dressed up and pretty for one special moment of their dreams, when really they're just normal people who just happen to be getting married. Things shouldn't have to be sugar-coated for grown-ass women. -mstar284
  • Lent is a penitential season. We are supposed to be reflecting on our sins and that Christ died for us. A celebration during this time is in poor taste.
  • a wedding during lent is generally frowned upon in the catholic church as it is a very solemn time, a period of mourning.  some churches will allow very simple weddings, many catholic churches wont allow it period.

    holy week (the week prior to easter sunday) is the most important week of the entire liturgical year.  IMO, a wedding on easter weekend is in very poor taste if you know there are practicing catholics (heck, even christians in general) who will be attending.

    as a catholic guest, i would decline to attend your wedding, simply because i have religion related things to do that weekend, most notably easter vigil mass.
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards