Memorial Day Wedding May 2010

[angelinasmile]

Hi Ladies,

I''m planning on getting married next year in May but I haven''t been able to set a date yet due to a dilemma... I am starting graduate school in the fall and will graduate on may 29, 2010. My family from NY and Florida are flying down to celebrate my big accomplishment along with my family here in California. So FI and I decided to get married within that same weekend since everyone we want to be in our wedding will be in town anyway! My dilemma is that I cannot seem to pick out which would be the best date: May 30 (Sunday) or June 1 (Mon, & Memorial day). Nothing is set in stone yet until FI and I talk with our priest that we want to preside in our wedding... So, my question is:

WOuld it be better to do a Sunday wedding (starts around 2pm, have a reception from 4-6pm [ probably a casual BBQ, nothing too formal ]... or do a Monday Wedding (starts around 1pm, reception from 3-5pm?

One of my bestfriends pointed out that since I am helping my graduating class with our convocation planning, plus completing my thesis, that it would be better to wait a week before doing the wedding, so as to not burn myself out...

BUT!! I have NY and Florida family already here that weekend of my graduation, so why not hit two birds with one stone?(one more thing, I start internships right after my graduation, I have a week at most in between, plus my siblings are still in school... agghh! too many factors to consider).

I am doing a casual BBQ since I just want everything to be lighthearted, fun, and my reception is going to be at a family friend''s beautiful backyard -- which fits perfectly with my garden theme wedding...

SOrry, I am rambling and this post has gotten way too long... Let me know what you ladies think... I know I have almost a whole year to plan this out, but I just want to get as much stuff checked off before I start graduate school so as to prevent too much stress later on...

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Winslet]

I''d like to share some experience with you, and you can take it or leave it. I am finishing my graduate program next month, and getting married the next. Personally, my biggest regret has been that I feel as though I haven''t had the chance to really fully enjoy the wedding planning process. Whenever I take the time to work through some of the details, I feel guilty about neglecting my work. Or, I''ll get so caught up in work that I''ll forget to have fun with wedding planning. Just something to consider. Also, it might seem like having your wedding the same weekend as graduation is convenient because your family will already be in town, but it can also end up being double the amount of stress you''d expected. This doesn''t happen for everyone, and lots of girls do graduate work/law school and wedding planning all at once, but I hope you''ll at least think about putting a couple of months in between graduation and your wedding. Whatever you end up doing, congrats on getting engaged and happy planning!

 

[angelinasmile]

Thanks for the reply! I was hoping for that kind of break also, but since I am starting a 6 month internship (2 places, 3 months each) right after graduation, and after internships I start studying for my license exam (i dont know how long this will take)... FI would probably have to wait another year before we can get married... We''ve been together 5 years and counting, engaged for almost a year now (wedding date kept getting put off due to school)... We wanted a low key wedding at first, thought of eloping even, but we have such a big family on both sides we couldnt bear to not spend that day without them by our sides... the more I explain my situation, the more I find that I have additional other factors to consider...

I do appreciate your feedback! Thanks again!

 

[gwendolyn]

Hi, hon! I can understand why, for ease of travel because everyone''s already at your graduation you might want to get married the same weekend, but my first thought about that is that doesn''t that sort of make your wedding play second fiddle to your graduation? Or potentially, anyway. A graduation is a big deal, and everyone will be cheering you on, and taking your photo, and toasting you and saying how happy and proud they are of you.....and then the next day, they''d be doing exactly the same thing, except for your marriage instead of your degree? My concern would be that people would be partied out, and that since the wedding comes after the graduation, it might be not the same as what you imagine, even though you do want something rather casual and relaxed. Also, if the more you think about doing it that weekend, the more issues crop up, it might end up being really stressful having to figure all that stuff out while you''re finishing up school and getting ready for graduation.

Whatever you decide to do, listen to your gut feeling on if it''s the best choice for you or not. Hope it all works out the way you want it to!