So you just got engaged over the holiday season? Well congrats! After you’ve spent some time basking in the glow of your engagement announcement, it’s time to get down to business and start our planning journey! Step 1: you’re going to want to nail down your date (as well as your wedding venue) as soon as possible. This will be the basis from which everything else comes together! If you plan on attending weddings shows, you’ll notice that this will be one of the first questions vendors will ask.
Now picking a wedding date may seem like a simple task, but you’re definitely going to want to ensure that you choose a date that doesn’t clash with any holidays, big city events and so forth. We know you can’t (and shouldn’t) try to make everyone happy on your special day, but the goal is to aim toward having the majority of your guest list attend! With that in mind, here are a few dates in 2020 & 2021 you may wish to avoid.
New Years Day: many a guest may be recovering from their NYE hangover. Also, for many, the following day might also be a work day – ouch! Depending on your crowd, your guests may not be too eager and/or capable to attend.
Additional Holidays: Chinese New Year – January 25, 2020
Super Bowl Sunday falls on February 2, 2020 and February 7, 2021. While this may not be a national holiday, it sure feels like one! If you have any friends/family who are football fans, don’t get married on Super Bowl Sunday, just don’t. If you do, make sure you set up TV’s as many a sports fan will otherwise be glued to their phones during your nuptials. You may also wish to avoid Family Day, falling on February 17, 2020 and February 15, 2021.
Bonus: Valentine’s Day falls on the weekend in both 2020 and 2021. While this may not be too much of an issue with your guests, and you’re thinking a V-day wedding might be super romantic, you may be looking at higher vendor costs for things like florals!
Additional Holidays: Chinese New Year – February 12, 2021
Depending on the tone you wish to set of your wedding, you may wish to avoid of St. Patrick’s Day. Of course, this will also depend on the personalities of your guest list! If your crew would love to celebrate the day on your wedding, then go for it – you’d even have a default theme to work with! Oh, and if you’re superstitious at all, March 2020 also has a Friday the 13th, so you may want to avoid that too.
Additional Religious Holidays:
- Palm Sunday – March 28, 2021
- Passover 2021 – happening March 27 to April 3
Easter celebrations happen between April 10&13, 2020 and April 2&5, 2021. Between Good Friday and Easter Monday, for many, this is family time – don’t get married over this weekend if you want to keep your guests happy!
Additional Religious Holidays:
- Palm Sunday – April 5, 2020
- Passover 2020 – happening April 8 to 16
Victoria Day falls on May 18, 2020 and May 24, 2021 – but we’ve crossed off the entire weekend since many people like to go away on mini vacations during this time. Having your wedding, or even your bachelor/bachelorette parties on this long weekend may put a damper on your guests’ annual plans, so to avoid any drama, avoid these dates!
Bonus: For those looking to avoid getting married on Mother’s Day, it falls on May 10, 2020 and May 9, 2021.
Additional Religious Holidays: Eid-al-Fitr – May 23-24, 2020 & May 12-13, 2021
June is all clear of family and observed holidays, so you’re in the clear! With summer officially starting in June, this month kicks off the busiest 3 months of weddings (well, wedding season)! You may have a lot of date options, but they will book up fast! If you’re looking to have a wedding in June (or July or August), you’ll want to get on booking a wedding venue pronto!
Bonus: For those looking to avoid getting married on Father’s Day, it falls on June 21, 2020 and June 20, 2021.
Canada Day is another one of those traditional holidays you may wish to avoid, unless you’re sure your friends and family would rather party with you on your special day than go bar hopping wearing their cutest white and red outfits!
Additional Religious Holidays: Eid-al-Adha – July 30-August 3, 2020 & July 19-20, 2021
The Civic holiday falls on August 3, 2020 and August 2, 2021. For those of you feeling unlucky, August 2021 has another Friday the 13th, so beware!
Labour Day falls on September 7, 2020 and September 6, 2021. Much like Victoria Day, we’ve crossed off the entire weekend since many tend to travel and take advantage of the last long weekend of the summer.
Additional Religious Holidays:
- Rosh Hashanah – September 18-20, 2020 & September 6 -8, 2021
- Yom Kippur – September 27-28, 2020 & September 15-16, 2021
Thanksgiving weekend falls the weekend of October 10-12, 2020 and October 9-11, 2021. While the Monday is technically Thanksgiving Day, this is one of those holidays where families tend to get together on any or all days of the weekend, so we’d suggest playing it safe. Halloween falls on the weekend in 2020 & 2021, so we’d also suggest avoiding October 31st as well, unless you’re up for a Halloween-style wedding!
While November 11th, Remembrance Day, is not a statutory holiday in Ontario (except for Government and Banks), it is in most other provinces in Canada. We suggest avoiding this day so that you’re not celebrating your wedding anniversary every year while others are out paying tribute to fallen soldiers. November 2020 is also home to yet another Friday the 13th, so if you’re superstitious, you may like to steer clear.
Additional Religious Holidays: Diwali – November 14, 2020 & November 4, 2021
You probably don’t need us to tell you it’s likely not a good idea to have your wedding on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Even if you don’t celebrate the holiday, you may have a steep decline list if you book a wedding on one of these days. Choosing whether to host on New Year’s Eve will depend on your guest list. If your friends and family are up for it, a New Year’s Eve wedding could be a blast! But if you’re friends and family would rather celebrate these kinds of holidays separately, you can play it safe and steer clear.
Additional Religious Holidays:
- Hanukkah – December 10-18, 2020 & November 28 to December 6, 2021
- 2020& 2021 Kwanzaa – December 26 to January 1
