Wedding on Bank Hol Monday

Guess_Who

Hi,

I recently got engaged and we don't want to have a long engagement so looking at the end of this year. Obviously a lot of Friday & Saturdays are already booked up so I'm wondering if the Monday of the October Bank Holiday could be workable.

We're planning a city wedding with approx. 60 for the meal & ceremony but a larger after party. The majority of people invited to the after party will be local so won't need hotel accommodation. Some people invited to the full day would be travelling so I would be hoping to send the Save the Dates far enough in advance for them to get cheap(ish) flights.

Is a Monday a tough day to get florists etc.?
Is there anything I'm missing as I know Monday isn't normally a day for weddings

Thanks in advance

amtc

I know my hairdresser shuts Mondays, my beautican and my favourite restaurants.

bigpink

And work Tuesday morning

LirW

Also while October is already considered off-season, Bank holidays are always popular and they might be snapped up. Also ask what rates they charge you, if it's weekend rates or mid week rates.

mrs.doubt.fire

First of all....Congrats on your engagement
Monday, regardless if it's a bank holiday or not, is regarded as a mid week wedding, most if not all hotels give a discount for mid week weddings.

Your florist, photographer, hairdresser etc should be pre-booked well in advance. The florist needs a few weeks notice as they have to import the flowers if you ask for something that is out of season that time of year, it generally can be got but will cost way more, so keep costs down and order flowers that are in season that time of year, your florist will advise you what's in and not in season. Believe it or not but ALL wedding flowers arrive at the florist up to a week (7 days) before the date of the wedding, this is to ensure that the flowers are OPEN and looking their best on your big day, dont worry they are still fresh and will look great on your day. The florist will start working on putting your wedding flowers together a day or two before the wedding date, the wedding flowers are NEVER put together on the morning of your wedding, the only thing done on your wedding day is giving them to you and the florist will put them in the church for you on the morning of your wedding, hotels will supply their flowers (it's included in your hotel cost). If you book your florist now and tell them it's a bank holiday Monday and be up front about it...they'll tell you if they'll do your wedding or not but generally they will agree to do it. Same with your hairdresser and beautician and if you find a salon that has both, they might come to your house on the morning of your wedding to do your hair and make up...and for your bridesmaids too, but give them a time to arrive at, and between now and then you and your bridesmaids should visit the salons to get sorted on what hair styles your going to have on the day, dont wait for the morning of the wedding to decide what hair styles your all having.

LK Rose

People might be working on the Tuesday but then if you got married on a Friday they would have to take that day off too.

Also don't know if you have kids/ teachers involved but they would probably be on midterm so could be a plus or negative.

I'm pretty sure October is off peak season so usually hotels have a discount on their packages

lazygal

Could you not try for a Sunday?
Any midweek weddings I've been to have fizzled out because people have work the next day.

stargazer 68

If you aren't having a church wedding you will have to source your own Celebrant as the HSE won't be working.

dragonfly!

congrats on your engagement!
Are you looking at having a civil ceremony or church wedding?
AFAIK the HSE wont be working that day so civil option would be out
I would advise ringing around the suppliers you think would be an option for you for the likes of hair / make up etc and see if they will be open / will open for you. Where I live ALL the hairdressers (Bar one clever person) close on a Monday and same for make up places and some of the restaurants also.
I think this will be the midterm so hotels may not offer a midweek discount but this all depends on the property really
In terms of attending a wedding a bank hol Monday wouldnt bother me. I would be likely to need the Tue off work but thats no different than me taking a Friday off for a "weekend" wedding
Enjoy the planning

GingerLily

A large wedding on a weekday does annoy me, especially when it's a typical package hotel set up - too many people trying to make a profit at their wedding these days!!
But I don't mind small weddings at all during the week, provided the B&G know that not all guests can attend!

Are you prepared for people to decline the invitation because of the day you've chosen? Some bride's find it quite tough, so be prepared for it! Especially if it's mid term and families have mid term plans!

dragonfly!

GingerLily wrote: »

A large wedding on a weekday does annoy me, especially when it's a typical package hotel set up - too many people trying to make a profit at their wedding these days!!
But I don't mind small weddings at all during the week, provided the B&G know that not all guests can attend!

Are you prepared for people to decline the invitation because of the day you've chosen? Some bride's find it quite tough, so be prepared for it! Especially if it's mid term and families have mid term plans!

You will always get a certain number of people that cant go no matter what they day of the week or how much notice is given
I am a Sat bride this year and am engaged with date set for nearly 2 years
Just a few weeks back my friend in the UK sent me a message to say she cant go as she cant afford it - now she had 2 years notice but thats a whole other topic....

LirW

A large wedding on a weekday does annoy me, especially when it's a typical package hotel set up - too many people trying to make a profit at their wedding these days!!
But I don't mind small weddings at all during the week, provided the B&G know that not all guests can attend!

With around 60 guests, there are a lot of package venues that don't do such a small number on a weekend. A lot of them are more flexible off season mid week, they line that out in most brochures. If you wanna go for an all-in package with a small guest number you'll spend some time looking for a place that will accommodate a smaller number and a weekday is unfortunately all they can give you.

Just a few weeks back my friend in the UK sent me a message to say she cant go as she cant afford it - now she had 2 years notice but thats a whole other topic....

Well maybe something came up that ripped a big hole into her finances, these things happen. Better being honest about it than overstretching yourself. When they come from another country they need a flight, transport, accommodation, food and drink money for the rest of the stay, clothes. That adds up.

dragonfly!

LirW wrote: »

With around 60 guests, there are a lot of package venues that don't do such a small number on a weekend. A lot of them are more flexible off season mid week, they line that out in most brochures. If you wanna go for an all-in package with a small guest number you'll spend some time looking for a place that will accommodate a smaller number and a weekday is unfortunately all they can give you.





Well maybe something came up that ripped a big hole into her finances, these things happen. Better being honest about it than overstretching yourself. When they come from another country they need a flight, transport, accommodation, food and drink money for the rest of the stay, clothes. That adds up.

Yep it you read my first two lines you'll see I was using that example to say that things will always come up

Water John

If it's a civil wedding, Sunday is the obvious choice. Isn't there civil celebrants who are licensed?
No church weddings competing for hotels etc. Bank Hol Monday to recover.

RunRoryRun

Got married on August Bank Holiday a couple of years ago. Was great - had very few if any who couldn't make it. Total of 100 people. We booked out a restaurant and it was brilliant. Had no problem for florist / make-up / hair / musicians etc. Do it!

mrs.doubt.fire

I think the modern way now (dont mind me, I'm married almost 30 yrs lol) is to get married at the hotel and some hotels and small hotels have their own wedding license even though there is no Priest, no need for a priest, a lay person can do it and it's still legal. So even if it's a bank holiday Monday, does anyone know if the hotels pastor or what ever they are called, can wed them on a Bank Holiday Monday ??

lazygal

mrs.doubt.fire wrote: »

I think the modern way now (dont mind me, I'm married almost 30 yrs lol) is to get married at the hotel and some hotels and small hotels have their own wedding license even though there is no Priest, no need for a priest, a lay person can do it and it's still legal. So even if it's a bank holiday Monday, does anyone know if the hotels pastor or what ever they are called, can wed them on a Bank Holiday Monday ??

This is not the case. A hotel might know a list of humanist or spiritualist celebrants who can perform a legal ceremony. They don't have their own celebrants in house. "Lay" people cannot perform a legal marriage service, a licenced person has to do it.

GingerLily

lazygal wrote: »

mrs.doubt.fire wrote: »

I think the modern way now (dont mind me, I'm married almost 30 yrs lol) is to get married at the hotel and some hotels and small hotels have their own wedding license even though there is no Priest, no need for a priest, a lay person can do it and it's still legal. So even if it's a bank holiday Monday, does anyone know if the hotels pastor or what ever they are called, can wed them on a Bank Holiday Monday ??

This is not the case. A hotel might know a list of humanist or spiritualist celebrants who can perform a legal ceremony. They don't have their own celebrants in house. "Lay" people cannot perform a legal marriage service, a licenced person has to do it.

And these celebrants can be quite difficult to get, they are in very high demand.

stargazer 68

GingerLily wrote: »

And these celebrants can be quite difficult to get, they are in very high demand.

Some are booked right through 2018 as well now

lauras91

Dovies wrote: »

Some are booked right through 2018 as well now

I recently booked a celebrant for November this year, a Saturday, and no issues with availability. I'm using Spiritual Ceremonies, all of their celebrants are licensed with the HSE so can perform the legal aspects.

lazygal

lauras91 wrote: »

I recently booked a celebrant for November this year, a Saturday, and no issues with availability. I'm using Spiritual Ceremonies, all of their celebrants are licensed with the HSE so can perform the legal aspects.

AFAIK it is humanist celebrants who book out more quickly because they're not classed as religious celebrants. Lots of people don't want their wedding to be stamped as religious with officialdom. Myself included. Plus the spiritualist union seem a little sketchy.

lauras91

lazygal wrote: »

AFAIK it is humanist celebrants who book out more quickly because they're not classed as religious celebrants. Lots of people don't want their wedding to be stamped as religious with officialdom. Myself included. Plus the spiritualist union seem a little sketchy.

Yes, humanists are definitely more in demand - I would have preferred to go with one but my partner wanted to be able to include religious references. Some were still available though for our date when I was enquiring in January, so the OP may still be in luck with an off-peak date.

Just curious as to why you think the spiritualist union are sketchy?

lazygal

lauras91 wrote: »

Yes, humanists are definitely more in demand - I would have preferred to go with one but my partner wanted to be able to include religious references. Some were still available though for our date when I was enquiring in January, so the OP may still be in luck with an off-peak date.

Just curious as to why you think the spiritualist union are sketchy?

The links with mediums for one. And the whole background to the union, it's all linked to 19th century woo. Not for me, I'm afraid. A read of this might help: http://spiritualistunion.com/?page_id=234

GingerLily

Wasn't there also a very high profile spiritualist here in Ireland that had been done for fraud?

lazygal

GingerLily wrote: »

Wasn't there also a very high profile spiritualist here in Ireland that had been done for fraud?

I don't know about high profile but there is this: http://www.michaelnugent.com/2015/03/17/psychic-medium-jailed-solemnise-marriages/

mcgiggles

LK Rose wrote: »

I'm pretty sure October is off peak season so usually hotels have a discount on their packages

All Bank Holidays are considered "peak season", but usually weddings are on the Sat or the Sun so maybe the Monday of it might not be considered as "peak"

mrs.doubt.fire

lazygal wrote: »

"Lay" people cannot perform a legal marriage service, a licenced person has to do it.

DOH!! I know that!! I dont know what they are called and that's why I called them ''lay people'' meaning not a Priest from a church regardless of religion.

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