Guest Considerations
Gathering all your family and friends for your wedding is a special part of your ceremony. Keep these wonderful people in mind when you begin your plans. Accommodations can become scarce as the rest of the country heads off to celebrate with their families. Offer your guests and relatives extra options for rooms and inns surrounding your venue location. Travel can also become more difficult as winter weather and overbooked flights are common annoyances. Consider hosting your wedding in a large city with various attractions and hotel options so guests are not limited in their flight choices and can arrive early or stay after the ceremony to enjoy your venue site.Decoration Considerations
Special time and thought will need to be paid to a Christmas wedding and the accompanying decorations. Many venues will already be decked out in holiday finery for the season. This can be a major budget bonus as your own contributions will be less, but you will need to clearly see what will already be in place. Check with your officiant and your venue if your ceremony will be held at a religious venue. Many churches have specific decoration plans for the holidays and your additional flowers and pew bows may not have room in a fully decorated church. Some churches also have strict traditions which apply during the holidays regrading the placement and types of arrangements they will accept. Restrictions can include only live flowers on the altar and no lilies or other particular flowers.Schedule Considerations
The holiday season is a busy time for congregations around the country. Traditional rites and services will take precedence over your ceremony and you will need to be flexible in selecting your date. Priests and ministers are often busy with church obligations and won't have the time to spend with you as they would with a spring or fall bridal couple. Speak openly and frequently with your church counselors and officiants to be sure you are following any guidelines and requirements they have in place during this sacred season.Too Much Christmas
Consider hosting a more simple ceremony to blend with all the seasonally-supplied decorations and music. Christmas time has its roots in so many color combinations and world wide traditions, your multi-colored wedding complete with carols and mistletoe might put everyone on holiday overload. The simple addition of a red sash to your bridesmaid dresses or your own gown may be all the Christmas touch you need if you will be married in a fully decked out church with poinsettias to spare and Christmas trees in abundance.Early Planning is Essential
The main Christmas wedding consideration is an early start to your plans. By starting your planning at least a year in advance, you will save yourself some real money and avoid some of the most common conflicts inherent in a Christmas wedding. Shop Christmas sales for discount decorations and props you can use the following year. Having extra time will allow you to consult with your officiant over the less busy times of the year and receive the guidance you need at a relaxed pace. Making your reception venue reservations and committing to other vendors will be much easier if you have plenty of time to consider your options and not feel pushed by the rushed holiday time line. Also, careful attention to the holiday festivities the year prior to your wedding will open up possibilities for your wedding you might not have considered.Holding a wedding during the Christmas season will pose a few more challenges than other weddings, but the natural emotion and sparkle of the season will outweigh any extra planning needed. Early planning, keeping your guests' comfort in mind and a flexible attitude will resolve most of your special Christmas wedding considerations.
