Holiday weekends give out-of-town guests an extra day to travel — genuinely useful — but venues often price them as peak regardless of season, and you're competing with vacations that were planned before your save-the-date arrived. The best use of a holiday weekend is the Sunday, which gets off-peak pricing at some venues with near-Saturday attendance.
The holiday weekends, ranked
| Weekend | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Memorial Day | Good. Unofficial start of summer, guests are in a celebratory mood. Often priced as peak. |
| Labor Day | Good. Same logic, and September weather in Bucks County is excellent. |
| Fourth of July | Mixed. Fireworks compete for attention and many guests have long-standing plans. |
| Thanksgiving | Difficult. Family obligations conflict directly, and travel is the worst of the year. |
| Christmas / New Year | Mixed. NYE is a genuine occasion; the days around Christmas are hard for guests. |
| Easter | Difficult. Religious and family conflicts, and the date moves. |
| Presidents' Day / MLK | Underrated. Off-season pricing with a three-day weekend attached. |
The Sunday play
The best holiday weekend strategy is a Sunday.
Normally Sunday weddings suffer because guests leave early for work. On a three-day weekend, Monday is free — so you get Sunday pricing with Saturday-level attendance.
Sunday of a three-day weekend typically runs 20–30% below a Saturday, if the venue prices it that way. Many do. Some price the whole weekend as peak, so ask specifically.
What you gain
Travel time. Out-of-town guests get a genuine extra day, which materially improves attendance for a geographically spread guest list.
A weekend-long feel. Welcome drinks Friday, wedding Saturday or Sunday, brunch Monday. Holiday weekends are the only time this works without asking people for time off.
Better mood. People arrive relaxed rather than straight from a work week.
What you lose
Price. Many venues charge peak rates for holiday weekends regardless of season. A February wedding is cheap; Presidents' Day weekend in February may not be.
Competing plans. Holiday weekends are booked months or years in advance for family traditions, annual trips, and standing plans. Some guests will already be committed.
Travel cost and chaos. Flights and hotels cost more, and airports are worse. If many guests are flying, this cuts against the extra day.
Vendor availability and pricing. Some vendors charge holiday premiums, and some simply don't work those weekends.
How to decide
Choose a holiday weekend if:
- Most guests are traveling from out of state
- You want a multi-day celebration
- You can use the Sunday and get off-peak pricing
- Your guest list skews younger and less locked into traditions
Skip it if:
- Most guests are local, since they gain nothing
- Your family has strong holiday traditions
- The venue prices it as peak and the surrounding season doesn't
- Many guests are flying, since cost and chaos offset the extra day
Send save-the-dates earlier
Ten to twelve months for a holiday weekend, versus six to eight for a normal date. People commit to holiday plans far in advance, and you want to be first.
Be explicit that it's a holiday weekend. Guests planning around it need to know immediately.
Frequently asked questions
Are holiday weekend weddings a good idea? They work well for out-of-town-heavy guest lists, giving people a genuine extra travel day. They work poorly if most guests are local, since those guests gain nothing and may have existing plans.
Do venues charge more for holiday weekends? Frequently yes, often at peak rates regardless of season. Always ask about your specific date rather than assuming the month's pricing tier applies.
What's the best holiday weekend for a wedding? Memorial Day or Labor Day, for weather and mood. The Sunday of either is the best value, since it may get off-peak pricing with near-Saturday attendance.
Is a Sunday holiday weekend wedding a good idea? It's often the smartest choice available — Sunday pricing, typically 20–30% below Saturday, with guests free on Monday so nobody leaves early.
How early should you send save-the-dates for a holiday weekend? Ten to twelve months, and state clearly that it falls on a holiday weekend. People commit to those plans well in advance.
Which holiday weekends should you avoid? Thanksgiving and the days around Christmas, where family obligations conflict directly and travel is at its worst.
Weddings at The Arbor
The Arbor at The Bucks Club is a wedding venue in Jamison, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Ask us about specific holiday weekend dates — pricing varies by weekend, not just by season.
Pricing patterns derived from published Pennsylvania and Philadelphia-metro market data, August 2026.
Last updated: August 2026