Holiday weddings sparkle, need some extra planning

There’s something about the holidays that make this time of year special for weddings. From Thanksgiving to New Years, this festive time of year is perfect for all celebrations. But planning a winter holiday wedding can add extra layers of planning for you.

I got married over a Thanksgiving weekend because my family that’s scattered along the northeast always comes home for Thanksgiving. That way, I knew people were already making the trip and wouldn’t have to change any plans. But the flip side of that can also be true. If your family has strong traditions for a particular holiday, it might be difficult to make them change them for your wedding day.

Champagne toast for New Year's, or to celebrate your wedding? Why not both?

New Year’s Eve weddings are always popular. It’s already a festive night, and the party atmosphere just adds to your happiness. Work with your venue, however, if you plan to keep the party going to midnight. We recommend starting the reception later, which means you’re not breaking the bank with extra time on your reception.

Whatever you do, make sure you’re making those plans early, and letting your family and friends know ahead of time, too. The holiday season can be very stressful, and adding wedding planning to it can get overwhelming. You also want to give your family and friends enough time to make any changes to their holiday traditions.

Happy Holidays from all of us at the Heritage!

Helpful tips if you’re thinking of proposing this holiday season

While we love proposals any time of year, the holiday season seems to be a favorite for many couples to get engaged. You’ve found your perfect match, but how do you pop the question?

Make it meaningful. Proposals are unique to each couple. What is meaningful to the two of you may not be special to another couple. Think about places that are important to you. Perhaps the location of a first date or a favorite restaurant is the perfect spot. Or perhaps there’s a funny joke the two of you share. Meaningful will always be memorable.

Know your audience. Not every proposal has to be a flash mob that gets a million likes on YouTube. While those are fun, that might not be what your sweetheart is looking for. You don’t have to live up to anyone else’s expectations of a proposal – just yours as a couple. Again, you’re looking for what’s important to the two of you!

Practice! No, you don’t want to be reciting a speech or reading off note cards, but it’s a good idea to have a plan for what you want to say and how you want to say it.

Are you planning a proposal? Tell us about it in the comments (preferably AFTER you pop the question, if it’s a surprise!).