The Pros and Cons of Renewing Your Vows on Thanksgiving

The idea of renewing your vows over Thanksgiving may seem like the perfect solution to picking a date for busy couples, particularly if you have adult children. Everyone’s already traveling to be together, so it will be perfect. Right? Well, maybe. There are a few things you might be overlooking in your excitement about the idea. There are definitely some benefits to having your vow renewal on Thanksgiving weekend. Still, there are also some drawbacks to selecting the second biggest holiday weekend of the year to renew your vows. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest pros and cons of renewing your vows on Thanksgiving weekend.

The Pros of a Thanksgiving Weekend Vow Renewal…

• If you want to have a destination vow renewal, and your guest list consists primarily of family, you can easily make it a four-day vacation with loved ones. This is a wonderful opportunity to spend the holiday together somewhere amazing and renew your vows at the same time.
• Having your vow renewal on Thanksgiving is an easy way to control your guest list size if you want a small celebration, but feel obligated to invite a lot of people to it. Those people who aren’t particularly close to you won’t even consider spending such an important family holiday away from theirs. You can send everyone an invitation that you feel socially obligated to invite, knowing most will decline the invite.
• If you wanted to have your vow renewal at your home, Thanksgiving could be the perfect time if your family typically comes to your home for the holiday. This is especially true if you live in a warmer climate and can make use of outdoor space as well.
• Your budget already includes the cost of a big meal if you typically host Thanksgiving dinner at your home for your family and other guests.
• Not cake lovers? Thanksgiving is the perfect time to serve pie instead! Let your guests take their pick for a dessert table filled with a selection of favorites like pumpkin, cherry, apple, blueberry, blackberry, pecan, lemon, and chocolate.
• Thanksgiving is the perfect time for a “thankful” theme. You can carry the concept through your vows, favors, signage, and music easily!
• Planning decor and food are easy if you allow the holiday to guide you. Plan your menu around a typical Thanksgiving meal. Make use of a beautiful fall color scheme and incorporate the natural beauty found in the leaves and branches outdoors. Incorporate your traditional Thanksgiving decor, but take it up a notch in honor of the occasion!

The Cons of a Thanksgiving Weekend Vow Renewal…

• Traditionally, the Thanksgiving holiday is a time reserved for family gatherings. Once your children get married, their family grows, as do their obligations. They may be expected to attend celebrations at multiple homes over the holiday. If you’re hoping to have a four-day celebration weekend, it can present some difficulties for your family.
• Getting time off of work tends to be easy. In addition to many people having Thanksgiving off as a company holiday, many companies plan on staff being off for the long weekend.
• If your guests would need to travel to a destination, costs and weather can make things difficult. Thanksgiving week brings with it heavy travel, high airfares, and unpredictable weather.
• If football is a big thing with your family and friends, you’re competing with one of the biggest game weekends of the year. Unless watching football is your idea of the perfect reception, this could be a big issue.
• Finding vendors can be a challenge and quite costly if you want to hold your vow renewal on Thanksgiving itself. Your vendors have families as well that they would like to be home with. Plan on paying caterers, service staff, and DJs or bands extra and tip generously. Even if you’re planning on a destination vow renewal somewhere that is supposed to be in “off-season,” don’t expect discounts. Plus, keep in mind that smaller vendors and shops will close early on Wednesday before Thanksgiving and don’t reopen until Monday. You’ll need to have all of your details, like dry cleaning and printing, handled ahead of time.