Holiday Weddings: How to Throw a Seasonal Celebration

The holidays are times of celebration, so they’re also the perfect occasions for weddings. Merge your annual festivities with your upcoming ceremony by planning a seasonal soiree that’s sure to be memorable. Use these tips to create your dream wedding during any holiday throughout the calendar year.

1. Pick Holiday-Inspired Colors

Your wedding colors inform every decision between your engagement and your ceremony. You’ll need them to pick your bridesmaids’ dresses, flower arrangements and more. It can feel challenging to sort through a rainbow of options, but not for holiday brides.

Consider using holiday-inspired colors for your big day. You don’t have to use traditional options, either. Swap greens and reds for artsy winter wedding colors like silvers, blues and ivory. Burgundy and shades of cream work well for Labor Day weddings in September. It’s much easier to pick a few colors with the holidays guiding your options.

2. Find Popular Seasonal Venues

You wouldn’t want to host a summer wedding at a ski resort. It would be an odd place to enjoy the warm weather during a Fourth of July ceremony. Match your holiday wedding with a venue that’s optimal for the season. Research popular places online and in bridal magazines to create a general list. Afterward, you can narrow down potential locations based on your wedding date.

3. Create a Custom Bridal Look

Brides often choose their dresses and accessories according to their wedding date. A winter bride could wear a fur wrap that wouldn’t be comfortable for a spring or summer ceremony. Use your holiday date as inspiration for your bridal look to match your style to the season and accessorize accordingly.

4. Select Great Holiday Decor

Wedding decorations set the mood for your ceremony and reception. Embrace the holiday spirit by selecting decor that matches the season. You could hang Halloween string lights and spooky signs around your venue or create a nutcracker with balloons to greet your winter guests. It all depends on which holiday is your favorite or falls near your preferred date.

5. Prepare for the Weather

The weather is a significant part of any wedding planning experience. It’s especially important to consider during the holidays. Your Easter wedding could be the perfect opportunity to lean into a cherry blossom theme by picking a venue with trees around an outdoor reception area. However, the weather might not cooperate with your plans.

Remember to make a backup plan for rain, snow or other inclement last-minute weather. Renting outdoor heaters, preparing ice buckets for water and keeping reception tents in storage will ensure that everyone is comfortable during your ceremony.

6. Get Creative With Music

Holiday music only becomes popular during specific dates, which could include your wedding. Get creative while working with your reception DJ. They could play favorites from various decades to please guests of every age. Mixing modern music with classics like “Monster Mash” or “Thriller” would make your Halloween wedding feel like a seasonal celebration from your cocktail hour through your reception.

7. Incorporate Your Traditions

Consider which family holiday traditions you love most and would like to incorporate. Your guests could enjoy Fourth of July fireworks at your reception alongside your dad’s annual two-tiered cake or your grandma’s mini cherry pies. It depends on which traditions make the holidays feel special for you and your partner.

8. Save Extra Money

Sometimes holiday wedding dates cost more than usual. Venues could upcharge their standard fees due to higher demand. Prepare to save extra money if your holiday wedding date is popular or falls on a weekend. You might only avoid more costly fees if you choose a weekday holiday like Memorial Day.

Start Planning Your Seasonal Celebration

Anyone can learn how to throw a seasonal wedding celebration. After choosing the holiday you love the most, use it as inspiration for choices like bridal accessories, wedding colors and decorations. You’ll create a dream ceremony and reception plan that starts your married life the best way possible.