"Caution! When Are Weddings on Days That Can Be Inconvenient for Guests, Like Christmas and Holiday Weekends?"

What is a wedding on a day that guests find troublesome?

How do you decide on the date for a wedding? Some brides choose the wedding date based on "birthdays," "anniversaries," or "favorite seasons," but couples have various overlapping reasons to settle on a wedding date, such as "it was a good day" or "the venue was available."

However, have you ever thought about what days might be considered “troublesome” for guests when invited to a wedding? If guests receive an invitation on a day they find inconvenient, they may feel that "the couple isn't considering the guests; I really don’t want to go on this day..."!

Since perceptions can vary widely among guests, it's best to avoid days that as many guests as possible might find troublesome. In this article, we introduce some days when being invited to a wedding might be considered inconvenient.

Caution! Troubling Days for Guests at Weddings ① Holidays like Christmas and Valentine's Day

One of the days that many people find troublesome when invited to a wedding is [holidays like Christmas and Valentine's Day]. Christmas and Valentine's Day are important days for couples and families. Many may want to spend time dating or relaxing with family!

Weddings on Christmas or Valentine's Day might be very romantic and desirable, but some guests may think, "The couple is happy, but they might not be considering the guests..."

If you're considering getting married on Christmas or Valentine's Day, it might be a good idea to think about whether "there may be guests who dislike this" before deciding. If it’s not absolutely necessary, it might be safer to avoid these days.

Caution! Troubling Days for Guests at Weddings ② Midpoint of long holidays like three-day weekends or Golden Week

There are cases where weddings are held on the middle days of long holidays like Golden Week, Obon, or three-day weekends. Days in the middle of long holidays are popular as they allow for preparation the day before without taking time off work, and guests can relax after the wedding.

However, if invited to a wedding during the middle of a three-day weekend, some guests might think, "I was planning to travel during the three-day weekend, but since it's on the middle day, I can’t go anywhere..." It's true that there are only a few three-day weekends in a year, making those days quite precious.

That said, if many guests are coming from far away, having the wedding on a middle day of a long weekend could actually be convenient for them, so it’s not necessarily a bad choice.

If you decide to hold a wedding on the middle day of a three-day weekend, it's a good idea to carefully consider how many guests will be traveling from afar and accommodate that.

Caution! Troubling Days for Guests at Weddings ③ Weekdays

If the bride and groom have jobs where they take days off during the week, they might choose to have the wedding on a weekday. However, for guests who work Monday to Friday, this means they would need to take a day off.

The newlyweds might think, "It’s just a weekday, surely they can take a paid leave..." but the ability to take leave and the busyness of work varies from person to person.

When holding a wedding on a weekday, it's considerate to let guests who have weekend jobs know in advance with a comment like, "Sorry for having a wedding on a weekday..."

What if you still want to have a wedding on Christmas, holidays, or weekdays?

Of course, there are reasons you might still want to have a wedding on Christmas, Valentine's Day, Golden Week, Obon, three-day weekends, or weekdays.

If you and your partner can discuss with your parents and choose "this day," while thinking about the guests too, that will likely make it the best day for everyone.

What’s important is the consideration for the guests attending the wedding! Saying something like, "I'm sorry for scheduling it in the middle of a holiday when many relatives are far away," or "It's difficult to have a wedding on a weekend because of my job in services, but I hope you can come," makes a huge difference in the impression you leave on your guests.

Consider the wedding date and plan a wonderful wedding!

How did you find the list of troublesome wedding dates for guests? The choice of wedding date is a major decision not just for the couple but also for the guests! No matter how wonderful the wedding is planned, if it leaves guests thinking, "Oh, it's a wedding today..." it defeats the purpose.

By considering the feelings of your guests when deciding the wedding date, you can become a beloved bride!