Being engaged to your sweetheart was probably the happiest moment of your life, and now you can’t wait to take the next step: getting married. One of the most important aspects of your planning and to-do list for the big day will be choosing the wedding date itself.

Between the long list of factors you’ve to consider before setting the date and how the date can be a big influence on all the other aspects of the day, it’d be no wonder if you’re looking up a holiday as a day to host your wedding. For those who waited for a perfect celebration in the middle of the year, consider getting married on July 4th.

However, be warned – it’s either always okay or never okay to host holiday weddings. There’s no middle ground.

A Historical Union

There have been quite a few famous weddings on this day, including those of star soccer player David Beckham, Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts, and actor/comedian Bill Murray. Also known as Independence Day, the day has become synonymous with fireworks and sparklers.

Whether holding it in private backyards or putting up larger, more glorious spectacles and explosions for everyone to celebrate their freedom, the tradition has been followed since the American Revolution back in the 18^th century.

Being declared a federal holiday since 1941 in the US, the July 4th honors the birth of the country, honoring also the people who made that freedom possible. While the former 13 colonies fought against Great Britain, representatives from each of the 13 colonies signed the document declaring independence in June 1776. On July 2nd, it received the vote from the Continental Congress and on July 4th the Declaration was adopted.

The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are at the core of this free society. A wedding on the July 4th will be an exclusive affair, especially for a couple who believe in history and want their union to have a patriotic theme, to give a deeper significance to the white, red, and blue color palette and the singing of the national anthem.

Should You Plan to Get Married on July 4th?

Your wedding is about you and your significant other and while you are mulling over whether you want it to be associated (always) with the July 4th, there are advantages and disadvantages with regards to holding a wedding on this holiday.

The Pros

A holiday wedding seems like an awesome idea to you. There is a reasonable chance your immediate family will all be together at this point, having already travelled and gathered. So it’ll be a fun occasion to look forward to with your loved ones, particularly with those who’d have a hard time taking time off from work and travelling to the out-of-town wedding place.

In fact, your guests may appreciate it, noting that there’ll be an extra day for them to recover or make way for more merriment, thereby making your wedding perfect for family and friends.

Plan for meals and/or activities such as spa day, a holiday brunch, a movie night, a beach bonfire – anything that is not related to weddings so your guests have plenty of time to catch up and connect before or after the wedding celebration. It’s fun when you’re with ones you like and don’t get to meet often; this way, you’ll get to actually speak to every guest at your leisure, unlike what happens in a 4 hour reception.

From a financial perspective, you’d want to ask if a holiday weddings is less expensive, for example if your wedding venue has already been decorated lavishly, besides giving you great access to free and permitted splendid fireworks. A lot of venues give a discount if you choose a low-traffic day. Go with the theme and colors that have been set up and you’d have fewer things to worry about.

Add it to it that the weather’s generally warm in July, the days are longer, there are abundant choices of flowers available for you to select from and you’ve the ideal excuse to use sparklers. Sounds promising, right?

The Cons

If you’re a holiday wedding fan you are perhaps not bothered by these and would end up having a fabulous wedding! But, just in case, consider these potential problems.

It’s a theoretical assumption that all the people you’ve invited to your wedding will actually be able to make it. Many might already have made plans of their own, noting that you haven’t informed them in time. They might choose to spend the weekend at some other event, particularly if it means they can avoid the traffic than plan around it. Have empathy here because some do have long-standing family July 4th traditions they can’t miss.

It’s not just guests to whom you need to send out notices early, but the venues and vendors involved as well. July is a very busy month, from catering to people on vacations or hosting community fairs. Some of them even close down for wedding events over the holiday.

Also, where you were hoping to save a couple bucks on “cheaper” venue, food and festivities at your reception, you might have missed that your guests could pay costly airfare/car rentals in addition to hotel accommodations. If they can’t afford to attend it without flexing their budget, you’d have guests that aren’t as excited as had hoped.

Other disadvantages to hosting a wedding in July include fighting off bees and mosquitoes, especially if it’s an outdoor location near water. It’ll be hot outside and an inconvenience to attendees wearing heels. Last but not the least, the day is known for excessive drinking, so given it’s acceptable among your friends and family, you’d want to think of the mounting bar charges too!

There are some advantages and disadvantages to getting married on the July 4th . There are many factors to deciding the day for your wedding so this can never be a complete list but will hopefully serve to give you an idea of what the date can be like for a wedding.