When women fantasize about their dream weddings, they often conjure up images of summertime bliss. Flowers, sunshine, warm weather, family and friends are the most popular icons where weddings are concerned. But ask any June bride, and she’ll tell you that summer weddings can present all sorts of unforeseen obstacles. Any time of year will be a special time for the bride and groom. But there are some definite benefits to planning your wedding around Thanksgiving.

Off Season Romance

Spring and summer are the most popular times for wedding for obvious reasons. And though plenty of couples choose the winter months (which can be equally beautiful) for their weddings, Thanksgiving is often a great time to plan your big event. People are generally home spending time with family during the holidays, instead of traveling to exotic locations. Thus, some honeymoon packages, and other all-inclusive trips are cheaper during the off-season. Some popular destinations known to offer cheaper vacation packages are Hawaii, Mexico, and even some European locations.

Catering

As many brides and grooms know, wedding reception catering services can shoot through the roof. But very few people think to offer a fabulous Thanksgiving feast as part of their wedding reception. Because there are so many different catering options during the holidays, you may find better deals for “Thanksgiving” meals as opposed to wedding feasts. This is also a great time to experiment with traditional holiday fare, offering more creative dishes.

Cool, Calm, and Collected

Spring and summer weddings are no doubt beautiful to behold. But weddings during these seasons bring along with them, extreme heat and an unpredictable climate. Thus, having a wedding during cooler months is fast becoming a popular option. In many parts of the country, November still yields relatively pleasant temperatures. This can make wedding rehearsals, ceremonies, and receptions much more tolerable for all parties involved.

Your Guests

One frustrating thing about planning a wedding is assembling the guest list. This is because both the bride and groom typically have out-of-town family members whom they’d like to invite. Synchronizing vacation times for visiting relatives can be quite a tricky endeavor. This is why Thanksgiving is a terrific time of year to have a wedding. Since many people already plan to take time off for the holidays, planning a wedding during this time saves a lot of extra effort. Additionally, you and your significant other may discover that planning a wedding around Thanksgiving will prevent you from having to absorb more paid time off from work than necessary.

Your Anniversary

Another thing to consider when planning your wedding date is your anniversary. First and foremost, having a wedding anniversary on, or around Thanksgiving will remind you to be thankful for your partner. Additionally, celebrating an anniversary around this time gives married couples a wonderful reason to temporarily excuse themselves from [often hectic] family activities for a private celebration.