Weddings over long holidays provide flexibility for the wedding couple.  Some receptions sites, if you get married on a Sunday of a holiday, they will give it to you for a lower price. Also, an extra day in the weekend gives the bridal party more time to prepare for the wedding. Yes, it’s inconvenient for the out of town guests because they are forced to travel with the rest of the world, but try to keep in mind that the couple chose to have their wedding over a long weekend for a reason. And if you’re seeing a trend, it might correlate with the economic downturn. Most folks are struggling financially and adding the cost of a wedding is not a pretty sight.

If you are the bride or groom that is getting married over a long weekend, be sure to give your guests earlier notice so that they can plan their holiday schedules around your wedding. Typically, invitations are sent out 2-3 months before, but I would give 4-5 months notice because often, your out-of-town guests will try to see other people and do other things while they are visiting. Also, for your out-of-town guests that are staying at a hotel, provide goody bags with helpful information for their check-in. You can provide water bottle, maybe a coffee gift card, etc so that they can feel welcomed during their stay. It’s also nice to have a brunch the morning after the wedding and sometimes brides/grooms will invite the same guests for the rehearsal dinner the night before. All of this is optional but just try to be generous.

What did you do for your long-weekend-wedding?