St. Stephen's day wedding awkward?

wobblinbrush

Would people think that St. Stephen's Day would be a particularly awkward and bothersome day for guests to attend a wedding, women especially, what with hairdressers, beauticians and such like not being open?

Nantastic

Personally, yes. Stephens Day is a massive family day. Add on the extra expense so close to Christmas, Babysitters, presents, potential hotels etc, I think a lot of people would find it quite awkward.

Acoshla

I would assume you would have serious trouble with suppliers, wedding cake, florists, beauticians, hire cars etc, a lot of them will obviously not be working the day of your wedding and the two days previous to it.

As a guest I would hate it, wrecked from Christmas Day, and have to squish into a dress and eat more food, ugh.

Whereas a New Year's Eve wedding is my ideal date, a fun party to go to and everyone in a great mood anyway.

Thoie

Unless you were holding the wedding in my sitting room, I'd resent having to travel to a wedding on Stephen's Day if I'd just travelled home on Christmas Eve, and that's before thinking about the expense and inconvenience.

super_furry

Very. You're asking people to give up a large slice of their Christmas.

mikemac

Big issue for guests, some people are going to put out and it's hard to get babysitters

And an issue for suppliers too and for the parish to prep and get the Church too, the priest might flat out refuse this date if you haven't already asked

I think New Years Eve is a decent option if you're going for that time of year.

kippy

The main issue (from experience) is the weather - especially if we are to have the weather we have had in the past two years.
Snow and ice, while making lovely photos and being a bit different, is a real pain in the ass to drive through and get to weddings for guests, suppliers etc
Then you are unsure of numbers because of the weather - lots and lots of potential issues.

I know a few couples that got married last winter and while the photos are something else, they said they would not wish the stress on anyone due to the issues they had around the weather and cancellations, guests travelling etc.

Penny Dreadful

Thoie wrote: »

Unless you were holding the wedding in my sitting room, I'd resent having to travel to a wedding on Stephen's Day if I'd just travelled home on Christmas Eve, and that's before thinking about the expense and inconvenience.

Me too. I have a policy of not getting out of my PJs on Stephen's Day for anyone or anything. Love having a lazy lazy day at home.

culsoh

Yes, for me a St.Stephen's Day wedding would be very awkward.

A lot of people go home for Xmas and St.Stephens Day can be a day of relaxing after eating and drinking too much the day before. For me, its a day to spend with family.

Also, its a lot of pressure to put on people over the christmas as along with buying christmas presents, people will be under added pressure to have money for new clothes, staying over maybe, present for the couple and spending money

Also, babysitters are harder to get around christmas

Also, for women it will be awkward for beautican and hairdressers appointments and for the bride and her bridesmaids as most of these won't open until the following week.

Beruthiel

Something tells me you would be better off having the wedding on the 29th/30th Dec OP.
I'd hate to have to move my ass on the 26th.

Heineken Helen

People already have family committments. Many 'broken homes' also have two christmas dinners where it's Stephens day with the other parent. If people are willing to come, great, but expect to lose a lot of people who really would love to be there . If there is another option, take it. If I were invited to a wedding on Stephens day, no matter who it was, I couldn't go

fiona-f

I'd normally be pretty much of 'whatever the couple wants' school of thought for weddings and am not overly bothered by midweek invites or things like that, but I would be mightily bothered by an invitation on Stephen's day. Your guests will either have to choose between their own family and personal traditions or your wedding day, it's not fair to ask them to do that. Sorry.

Bride2012

Awful idea! There's actual no positive spin to it. I wouldn't go unless it was a sibling or best friend and I wouldn't be happy. Travelling home is the only stress I want in that time period.

elbee

Anyone who doesn't live close to the venue may have to travel on Christmas Day. I'm guessing such people would just have to say no.

Also any guests who don't drive will be depending on a virtually non-existant public transport network. I think it's an excellent way to ensure a tiny intimate wedding though

LXFlyer

While there is a Sunday bus service in Dublin, there are no rail services anywhere on the 26th and a very limited provincial bus service so that would mean it would be very difficult for people to travel.

TheBunk1

Oh no, bad idea imo OP. I'd hate to have to go to a wedding on St Stephens day. And I love going to weddings. Like has been mentioned above it's too close to Christmas. A lot of people will have traveled half way across the country to be with family and would be faced with a trip back after the excesses of Christmas Day. Factor in reduced availability of services such as buses and trains, not to mention various shops and the fact the country could be frozen again. It could be a mess.

tishandy

Hi O.P , I am a makeup artist for weddings and its a very busy time of year for us, But saying that I would never personally do a wedding on St Stephans day. It is a time for family and I would rather spend it at home and lose the money. Every year my start date for work is the earliest the 28th and runs into new year. I always do a wedding new years eve this is a popular day.
I know if I was invited to a wedding on 26th I would be giving out about it!.
My sister got married a couple of years ago on the 9th of January and even then it was financially hard for our whole family after Xmas.

iguana

Heineken Helen wrote: »

People already have family committments. Many 'broken homes' also have two christmas dinners where it's Stephens day with the other parent.

Not just "broken" families. Lots of couples will spend Christmas day with one partner's family and St Stephen's day with the other's. Especially if their parents live in different areas of the country.

whatdoicare

No way would I like to be on a diet for Xmas day to fit into a dress for the next day. Stephens day is stretchy tracksuit bottom day and secretly playing with the kids new toys day hee hee
TBH my pal got married on the 29th and had the most stressful time trying to get suppliers for even the most basic stuff. You have to order flowers the week before xmas as all the suppliers shut up shop and then find somewhere to freeze them until you need them.
Forget about any last minute alterations or fixing any problems and my friend had trouble when the bad ice nearly prevented the hotel from properly restocking the booze - so she had that stress on top of it all.
Loads of people cancelled on her last minute aswell - I mean day before cancellations, where people realised they were burnt out from xmas and just couldn't face another huge meal and simply couldn't afford to stay in the hotel if the ice prevented them getting taxis etc. NIGHTMARE.

John Mason

my big thing with a Stephens day wedding would be the food - the last deliever received would have been the 23rd December!!

Just make sure there is no fish on the menu

I've an aunt and uncle who got married on December 26th. It was waaaay back in the 1970s. Seemed to be a great gig, though in fairness I was only a kid so I might not have picked up any negative nuances.

jam_mac_jam

The other issue is money, weddings are expensive and I think right the day after is going to add a lot more to that. The other thing is travel if you have to travel very early the day after christmas or on Christmas day itself if they live far it really is asking too much of people.

rainbowtrout

Bride2012 wrote: »

Awful idea! There's actual no positive spin to it. I wouldn't go unless it was a sibling or best friend and I wouldn't be happy. Travelling home is the only stress I want in that time period.

I don't think I'd even go if it was a sibling or a best friend. I think it's incredibly selfish OP, people travel home at Christmas to meet friends and family. The people they don't meet on Christmas Day, they meet on St. Stephen's Day. Some people are already going back to work on 27th and will not want to give up their few days off travelling to your wedding.

If anyone has to travel overnight to the wedding that means travelling Christmas night. Can't see that happening after a truckload of turkey and ham, and a box of roses. Even if they did decide in a sheer moment of lunacy to travel Christmas night it means they can't drink that day.

Most people are wrecked on St. Stephen's Day, they want to chill at home, do nothing stressful, watch films on TV, eat turkey sandwiches for dinner. Parents, I imagine are probably wrecked from playing Santa and dealing with excited children all day on Christmas Day. A wedding on the 26th sounds like a complete nightmare.

My birthday is St. Stephen's Day and I usually go out with friends, it tends to be whoever is around because a lot are only around for a couple of days and like me trying to meet up with as many people as possible. I can't see anyone wanting to give up having a good night out for a wedding.