036- Christmas Weddings and The Holidays

We trade North Pole overload for calm, elegant winter style and share how to turn holiday season pressures into a chic, guest‑friendly December wedding. From cocoa bars and snow send‑offs to travel pitfalls and family dynamics, we map the choices that keep the magic and ditch the stress.

• minimalist winter wedding design and color palettes
• hot cocoa bars, cookie stations, and ornament favors
• balancing Christmas music with a modern dance floor
• weather planning for cold regions and warm states
• travel costs, timeline buffers, and guest logistics
• mental health tips and non‑wedding days for sanity
• money saving via Black Friday and seasonal sales
• veil management and decor snag prevention
• handling mishaps like snowstorms or surprise Santa
• setting expectations for blended holiday traditions

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Transcript

Holiday Setup And Decor Timing

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Hey queens, welcome back to today's episode of the Wedding Hive Podcast. Today we are talking all things Christmas. It is the holiday season. So Merry Christmas from us. Yes, from the Wedding Hive Podcast. So, Grace, you wanna kick us off?

SPEAKER_00 0:18

Yes, yes. Obviously, Christmas is weeks away, but I feel like the big debacle is always are you a Christmas up before Thanksgiving? Yes or no?

SPEAKER_02 0:30

I am a no.

SPEAKER_00 0:31

You're a no. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 0:32

Yep. I think that fall deserves its own decorations.

SPEAKER_00 0:36

Okay, its own time.

SPEAKER_02 0:37

I love fall decorations. I love all of like the dark colors and the leaves and pumpkins and all of the things.

SPEAKER_00 0:44

And so you like to soak that up a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 0:47

I yes, until Thanksgiving. And then the day after Thanksgiving, all of the Christmas stuff comes out.

SPEAKER_00 0:52

Okay, so right after Thanksgiving.

SPEAKER_02 0:54

What about you?

SPEAKER_00 0:55

Um, I surprisingly, considering my birthday is in November, I like to do it before Thanksgiving. I don't do it like crazy. I would say maybe like a week before. I know some people start on like November 1st. I'm not that, not that crazy about it. I, you know, like to enjoy my own moment. But yeah, I feel like it's such a short time that we have it. So if I can enjoy it for like a few more weeks, I don't mind having it up early.

SPEAKER_02 1:21

Okay. But how long do you keep Christmas decorations up after Christmas?

SPEAKER_00 1:26

She gone right after she's I do like starting the new year if I'm not too hung over the next day and just get it done and start the new year clean, sweep, and just have like a fresh start for the new year.

SPEAKER_02 1:39

I'm with you.

SPEAKER_00 1:40

Are you same? Oh, yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:41

Um, Christmas decorations usually come down like the 26th. Uh-oh. In my house. Uh-oh.

SPEAKER_03 1:47

Like it's like, get this, the get this out of here. Yes. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:51

And I think it could be, I'm definitely more minimalist when it comes. I like nice things. Yes. We like to have nice things. A hundred percent. But very minimal in like decor. Like, I really love a lot of clean house and um Christmas sometimes is overstimulating. And it maybe it's because I have such a large family. True. I have so many kids and they have so much crap that you're like, and then there's extra crap on top of it. Because now they just opened a million gifts that I love to have everything cleaned up, organized. And like you said, having starting the new year with a fresh, clean house just starts the year off right.

When To Take Christmas Down

SPEAKER_00 2:29

It just starts it all nice.

SPEAKER_02 2:30

I love that. But for today, we are going to be talking about Christmas weddings, December weddings, um, the seasonal. We just saw this this past weekend um out at the venue. Yes. There were Christmas trees. There was. There were, I think, five, three large ones and then two small ones out at the venue. And it was giving such a vibe.

SPEAKER_00 2:54

It was. It was literally, I think I've seen, obviously, everyone's seen like a winter wonderland themed wedding on like TV shows and stuff like that. But like to actually see someone do that, I was like, oh, this is so cute, you know. Yes. And they had, I don't know what they're called. I wish I could think of what they're called, but they're like the um trees, but they're like not Christmas trees. Like, you know. Like pine trees? No, pine trees. I'm gonna have to figure out what they're called, but they're cute. They're like aesthetically like pleasing winter decorations, but they're like the trees that have like the white paint on them, and then they had like the little fur runner on the bottom.

SPEAKER_02 3:32

Yeah, it was a vibe.

SPEAKER_00 3:33

I don't know what it's like honestly. I should just I shouldn't have brought it up because I really don't know what it's called. But it was giving winter wonderland.

SPEAKER_03 3:39

Frosted like frosted frosted pine trees. Yeah, not like a full, like with no leaves on it though.

SPEAKER_02 3:46

Okay, I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm so sorry. But okay, let's start. Um, Christmas weddings, are they cute or chaos? What is your initial thought when I asked that question?

SPEAKER_00 4:02

I think they're cute, but done right.

SPEAKER_02 4:05

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 4:06

Almost like we just talked about both of us kind of have like minimalist Christmas decorations. I think if you can tastefully incorporate it, I don't want to feel like I just walked into the North Pole at your wedding. And I'm sorry. Um, but I feel like a lot of times, though, people don't do it like super Christmas theme. It's more like a winter wonderland theme with like the whites and the silvers. I think that's a vibe. I think that's cute.

unknown 4:32

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 4:32

And if it's done properly, then I'm obsessed.

SPEAKER_02 4:35

So we are, I am celebrating my 13th wedding anniversary this weekend. And so I'm a December bride for her. Um, and love having a December wedding.

SPEAKER_00 4:48

Yeah.

December Weddings Trend And Aesthetic

SPEAKER_02 4:49

So love the spring, summer, fall, but I definitely in my heart am a December bride. So um statistics are showing that December weddings are becoming more popular. And like you said, keeping it um a vibe, the aesthetic. Um, the best parts are the twinkle lights, cozy vibes, and hot cocoa bars. Ooh, that's cute. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 5:15

I like that idea. Almost kind of like um like a late night snack, but instead have that because it's cold out.

SPEAKER_02 5:22

Yes. I think a hot cocoa bar would be so fun. Um, and then you could have like Bailey's and in all of the different pieces, like an espresso martini, but like a hot cocoa espresso thing.

SPEAKER_00 5:37

No, that would be yummy.

SPEAKER_02 5:39

I I don't know how to make it, but I'm sure there's someone out there who knows how to.

SPEAKER_00 5:44

Yes. Someone that could make it to perfection.

SPEAKER_02 5:46

Exactly. So some of the challenges that December couples do face are the weather, of course, here in Arizona. The only thing that we experience is 50-degree weather. We don't have the snow or the slush or the ice, but um, it does still get cool here. But in, you know, the uh east uh northeast coast or Midwest, those northern um states definitely do have some um weather to consider when looking at a winter wedding or a December wedding.

SPEAKER_00 6:15

I can't imagine someone having like an outdoor wedding like over there, like in December. Or do you think people still do it?

SPEAKER_02 6:23

Um, I'm trying to think.

SPEAKER_00 6:24

Like I get like even right now out at the venue when the sun sets, I'm like, ooh, it's cold. And it's just cold. We don't have snow, we don't have any of that, so I can't imagine.

SPEAKER_02 6:34

I attended, because I'm from the Midwest. Um, I attended one winter wedding. The ceremony was in the church, and the reception was in like a gorgeous like ballroom. Um, and they did the horse-drawn carriage from the church to the reception. Um, but I do vividly remember standing outside the church, like to cheer them to their horse-drawn carriage, um, being flipping cold. Yes. Like ugly big parka and like snow boots and just freezing like freezing outside the church. Like you can see your air, like your breath because it's so cold. Um, but yeah, I don't think people do outdoor weddings. I think a cool photo shoot in your white wedding gown, like in the mountains. I love when their brides have like the furry, like such a vibe.

SPEAKER_00 7:31

That'd be so cool. Like, not only you saying like them leaving in the like carriage, like as like an exit to like the reception, think that's cute, but like if the bride came in on like a horse drawn carriage.

unknown 7:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:42

Oh my gosh, like send her all a moment. Hello.

SPEAKER_02 7:45

Um, I'm here for it.

SPEAKER_00 7:46

I'm here for that. The only thing that I don't love about winter weddings and that I struggle with, and I think a lot of like women do when like dressing for a wedding, is like as we you wear your dress, obviously, to a wedding. So I'm just like, I hate covering up with like a jacket, and then like the shoes if I wear heels and my toes are cold. So that's the one thing that I've struggled with. Like going to winter weddings is like it's so hard for the women to uh make it cute. And the guys are just lucky, they just wear a pant and suit, and then they're fine.

SPEAKER_02 8:16

Yeah, and those are toasty.

SPEAKER_00 8:18

Yeah, exactly.

Weather, Travel, And Budget Realities

SPEAKER_02 8:20

So so um the other thing, another challenge would be travel because airline flights are very expensive around the holidays. So um, knowing that you have to travel for those destinations, and then um on top of wedding planning is the holiday stress. So we know this season is stressful with the holidays and the gobs and gobs of gift lists as well as holiday parties or holiday events, all of the things. Um, so if you are considering a December wedding, be mindful. It can be beautiful, it can be very well done, but it does come with a bit of stress. Yeah. But let's be honest, wedding planning can be stressful as it is.

SPEAKER_03 9:03

Yeah, no matter what.

SPEAKER_00 9:04

So yeah, I've been booked and busy just this past weekend with holiday parties, bar crawls, Christmas parties, you while birthdays. I know. I was I was booked and busy this weekend, and I'm like, I'm exhausted.

SPEAKER_02 9:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:18

So be mindful of that if you're planning a December wedding.

SPEAKER_02 9:21

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 9:22

Is it me now?

SPEAKER_02 9:23

Yep, here you go, girl.

SPEAKER_00 9:24

Um, so of course, if you're doing a holiday wedding or around Christmas time, we want to talk about some cute, fun touches you can add for your wedding. Um, one thing I saw was an ornament guest book. I'm not sure how that would go. I don't know if you know how like some people write on like a deck of cards or something, if they have the guests write on maybe like smaller ornaments or something. I think that would be really cute. Or even if it's a favor that they can take home. That's what I was gonna say.

SPEAKER_02 9:52

An ornament favor would be so cute.

SPEAKER_00 9:55

Yes, I would love that. Um, of course, signature cocktails are very popular, but making them Christmas themed. Cute. I think that could be cute. I don't even, I can't even think of something, but I know I've done um like the glitter and the drinks, and like I just think that would be super cute. Um, next you could do a cookie bar. Cute.

SPEAKER_02 10:18

So either perfect with your hot cocoa bar.

SPEAKER_00 10:20

Yes, perfect with your hot cocoa bar. So either, you know, I think I feel like you could tote make it either way. I don't know how much the adults would enjoy this, but if you have kids there who like, you know, give them something to do, I think that would be a really good idea. Um, of course, a lot of people do photo shoot or photo booths, so you can add like Santa hats, glitter snow, um, anything that can add a little fun Christmas touch. Um, and last but not least, I saw this a snow machine send-off. Cute. I think that would be kind of ideal.

SPEAKER_02 10:53

That would be fun.

SPEAKER_00 10:54

Yeah, I'm sure it depends like per se, like venues, if they would like allow that. But what do you think about that? I'm here for it. Right? I think that's like a fun little touch instead of like the sparklers or um, which I do love, but for a winter themed wedding, I think that'd be a vibe. Get a snow machine. I know that would be, or I saw like not saw when I was in Disneyland during Christmas time when they do the fireworks show at the end, they like blow out bubbles. So it looks like snow. So maybe we could do something like a bubble machine if maybe like your venue doesn't allow the snow and stuff like that. But it looks like it's snow too.

SPEAKER_02 11:31

So I've worked with a ton of snow machines here in Arizona where we don't get snow. Um, and they are not hazardous, and they're really not that much of a lie, like they're not a liability because they don't um they're not soapy or like create those suds on the floor that would be like a slipping slipping hazard.

SPEAKER_00 11:49

So I would stick to the snow send off stick to the snow send off. Because what is it?

SPEAKER_02 11:54

Like, is it like um it's like a liquid? It's a liquid out. It's a liquid, but it's really not. I mean, don't eat it. Yeah, it might be toxic.

SPEAKER_00 12:03

Don't don't eat it.

SPEAKER_02 12:04

It's not like you know, licking real snow, but other than that, okay. It's pretty safe.

SPEAKER_00 12:11

I'm here for that.

SPEAKER_02 12:12

Um I did a wedding once here in Arizona in December, and they did ornaments as their um like their guest favors, and they were ornament cactus. Oh, cute. And it actually is hanging in my car on my rear view.

SPEAKER_00 12:27

We've talked about this. Yes, I love that.

SPEAKER_02 12:29

That was originally an ornament. Oh. And it's so cute.

SPEAKER_00 12:33

That is cute. I really think that's a fun, like, Christmas like idea for a favor. And then it's something that not only that the bride and groom could have, but just remember that they went to their wedding.

SPEAKER_02 12:44

Yeah, I love it. Um, do you want to play a game with me?

SPEAKER_00 12:46

I would love that. A Christmas game?

SPEAKER_02 12:48

Yes, a Christmas game. So this is naughty or nice. Okay. So I'm gonna wrap it fire. Are you naughty or nice, Kelsey? Oh, I'm definitely nice. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_03 13:01

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 13:02

I'm nice.

Festive Touches: Cocoa, Ornaments, And Snow

SPEAKER_03 13:02

Yeah. Ooh. Yes, you are. I'm on the nice list. You are on the nice list. You've been good this year. Jeez. Silly question. I know.

SPEAKER_02 13:12

Okay, naughty or nice. Mistletoe over the sweetheart table.

SPEAKER_00 13:17

That's nice. I think that's cute.

SPEAKER_02 13:20

So cute, huh?

SPEAKER_00 13:21

I love that. I think that would be a cute. Instead of like doing like the glass tapping, you could be like, you're out of the mistletoe.

SPEAKER_02 13:27

Or you could have like your like each table has like a mistletoe and they can like with like a bell on it, and they can like ring the bell with a mistletoe instead of tapping glasses. Ooh, good idea. Cute. Cute cute. Okay, we're here for it. Okay, naughty or nice. Mariah Carey on the reception playlist.

SPEAKER_00 13:47

It's um, I mean, yeah, I think I think if you are doing a December wedding and the theme is Christmas, winter, one, you're gonna have to incorporate some Christmas songs. I think you have to. So Mariah Carey, yes, I do love. I mean, I think a little nice little Michael Blue Blay, Justin Bieber, obviously his Christmas album is the most Chris like elite Christmas album. So I'm here for it.

SPEAKER_02 14:12

Because you're a believer.

SPEAKER_00 14:13

Because I am a believer till I die. I've gone to his concert twice. And if he ever goes on tour, my life savings will be going to that. So noted. Noted okay. But no, I think, yeah, I wouldn't say the whole time on the like playlist and reception to have Christmas music playing, but I think it would get everyone like on the dance floor. Cause who doesn't love a good Christmas song?

SPEAKER_02 14:33

Right.

SPEAKER_00 14:34

So I I say nice.

SPEAKER_02 14:36

Um, okay, next one. Holiday-themed bridesmaids dresses.

SPEAKER_00 14:44

Um, are we going like what are we thinking? If it's like you're doing like red or green colors, like I'm down, but if you're doing I'm like imagining like your sweater and it's giving you mashy. No, that's naughty. Naughty, naughty, naughty. Absolutely not.

SPEAKER_02 15:00

That's a no.

SPEAKER_00 15:01

Yeah. If it was, yeah, if they're keeping to like doing red or like green, or I'm even kind of liking like a sparkly, like silver or white moment, I think that could be cute too.

SPEAKER_03 15:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 15:12

But definitely if they're doing like Christmas. Ugly Christmas sweater. Yeah, that's gonna be not saying your sweater's ugly.

SPEAKER_03 15:19

No, it's okay.

SPEAKER_00 15:19

You can call it ugly. That's the point. But um, naughty. I don't like that.

SPEAKER_02 15:24

Okay. Um, candy cane flavors.

SPEAKER_00 15:30

I honestly am not like the biggest like peppermint flavor, like candy cane person. So I would say naughty. If they have like two options, you know, like maybe like a gingerbread flavor, something, and then like peppermint candy cane, then I'm down for that. But I don't think I feel like it's universally not everyone loves the candy cane flavor, like peppermint.

SPEAKER_02 15:51

So I think it would be okay to do like a dessert bar and maybe have like some of the cupcakes be like candy cane flavored and decorated, and then maybe have like a s'mores one. Oh, yeah. Or like a um even like apple cinnamon type, I think would be okay. But if your whole cake is peppermint flavored, barf.

SPEAKER_00 16:16

That's actually giving me the ick. Low-key. Yeah, like if someone was like, everyone have a slice of our peppermint cake, I'd be like, so I'm eating toothpaste?

SPEAKER_02 16:23

Yeah, exactly. It gives like I don't like the frosting.

SPEAKER_00 16:26

Oh, I don't like it. I don't like it.

SPEAKER_02 16:28

Yep. Okay, next one. All I want for Christmas is you for their recessional song.

SPEAKER_00 16:36

Nice.

SPEAKER_03 16:38

You like that?

SPEAKER_00 16:38

I think it's cute. Okay. Um I don't know though, but during the ceremony, I kind of like it more for like their end-of-night send-off. Like I think that would be a cute goodbye song. But I don't, yeah, the recessional, I don't know if I actually love that. What do you think?

SPEAKER_02 16:58

Uh it's uh it's giving me a no, but but I'm not a big Christmas song girl either. Okay, fair. Like I can handle it like maybe an hour, like, oh well, we're setting up the Christmas tree. Yeah, the vibes are there. Like, but after that, like, turn it off. I can only hear the same songs so many times by different artists before I'm like screwed.

SPEAKER_00 17:25

You're like cringing. You're like, oh.

SPEAKER_02 17:26

I turned into the Grinch. And I'm like, yeah, no.

SPEAKER_00 17:29

So no, I think, or like maybe if they did like an instrumental version of it, like I'm down for that. But yeah, it's gonna be a naughty for me.

SPEAKER_02 17:36

Okay, like it. Last one, have Santa deliver the rings.

SPEAKER_00 17:44

Honestly, I'm kind of here for it. I think it'd be iconic low key. Like Santa just pulls up like to your wedding. Like, um, I I'm gonna. Oh, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho. You're not a hoe anymore. Here's your ring. Here's your ring married.

SPEAKER_02 18:02

Here's your ball and chain.

SPEAKER_00 18:04

You are locked down. You were locked down, baby. Honestly, I'm here for it. And then if you like stayed during cocktail hour or something and like handed out the favors, wouldn't that be cute, Loki?

Naughty Or Nice: Christmas Wedding Hot Takes

SPEAKER_02 18:15

I don't know, because I asked the question and then I was like, what if the Grinch delivered the rings?

SPEAKER_00 18:20

Like, no, that's giving no.

SPEAKER_02 18:22

No, like I wouldn't let the Grinch deliver like Grumpy and have him like walk down the aisle and like judge a guest and be like, You look ridiculous. Yeah. And then like look at the flowers and like throw ugh get these out of my way type thing.

SPEAKER_03 18:35

Like, okay. Here's your here's your rings. Here's your rings.

SPEAKER_02 18:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:40

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 18:40

Because he says in his movie, like, one man's trash is another man's treasure. And he comes to me. And he'll be like, I don't want these.

SPEAKER_03 18:48

I don't know. I think you could make so either Santa or the Grinch, we're down for that. We're down for it. We're down for it.

SPEAKER_02 18:54

Yeah. All right. That was the end of my game.

SPEAKER_03 18:56

But oh, I loved that. I love that. I love that.

SPEAKER_00 18:59

Okay. So now we're gonna talk about some Christmas wedding merry mishaps.

SPEAKER_03 19:03

Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_00 19:04

Few little horror stories. So obviously, as we just talked about past um wedding that we just had at the venue, a there was a bunch of Christmas trees, which we loved. Um, but Bride's veil gets caught on the Christmas tree. I just feel like that would be it was also making me think of I don't know why this popped in my head, Courtney Kardashian got married in Italy. And it's like so funny to me because they like spend like millions of dollars on these weddings, and she had a very steep walk down towards the aisle, and there was just so much like greenery and like plants everywhere, and like her veil, like as she's walking down, just gets caught like in it. I'm just like I just I can't.

SPEAKER_02 19:49

I will be honest, veils are veils are a liability, they're gorgeous. I love the long veils, the long tracks. That just lasts forever and ever and go feet beyond the bride. Veils are so heavy and they're so heavy on the head that I see veils get lost all the time to just like simply walking. Somebody steps on it, rips the bride's head. Yeah. Um always a fight with veils. Um, they've now created the veil weights. Have you messed with any of the those? Yeah. Yep, which are great, but they're magnet. And so I've seen the they need to be spread apart enough because I've also seen veil weights like magnet to each other and they've like all clip together. And so you have to sit there and pull them apart. I've pulled them apart so many times this season with um like prepping for their bridal processional because they just get clumped together. So that's sounds terrible to get caught in a Christmas tree at the same time. Like I feel like veils, I'm constantly stressing over nails.

SPEAKER_00 20:55

No, 100%. Like being at the venue so much, there's so many times where it's like the bride's just like, yeah, I'm over it. I don't want it. It's great for like those few pictures. The under the veil pictures are always gorgeous, but honestly, the veils are annoying. Like they just are like, and even not even the wedding dress is annoying, but it's like you're not used to wearing stuff like that on the daily. So when you're like have it all together, like it is a lot, it's a whole production. So um, I would suggest just like not spending a lot of money on the veil.

SPEAKER_02 21:25

I feel like my a veil, my like I didn't have a veil, but I think I'd get so overstimulated that too by my dream veil. Yeah. But I'd be like, get this off my head. Like I can't have one more thing weighing me down.

SPEAKER_00 21:40

And then when it's like windy, it just like blows. It's just that's like another wedding I just watched. I just I just finished Vanderpump Rules. Okay. All 11 seasons.

SPEAKER_02 21:50

I'm so sad that it's so nice to have so much time on your hands. I know what a fucking girl you are.

SPEAKER_00 21:56

I'm like, I'm like someone though, too, that like I can like throw it on, like even though I haven't seen it like in the background when I'm like cleaning or like doing stuff, because I'm just like, it's the same drama every week.

SPEAKER_02 22:05

Grace says she's booked and busy. She means watching Vanderphon of Vanderphon Rolls. Okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:12

Noted. I know. So when I say I'm busy, I'm actually just watching trash TV because it's my favorite and I eat it up. Um, but Sheena, who's on the show and her husband Brock got married in Mexico. Okay. And like literally, she's walking down the aisle, and then like it's just, you know, it's Mexico. You're by the beach, it's windy, and it's just like like, and she was just like, let's just take it out. Like before they even started the ceremony, she got up there. She's like, let's just take it out. Like it's just gonna be annoying the whole time. There's no point. So, um, and I don't even think I kept my veil on that long, like when I got married. So just don't spend a lot of money on the veil. It's my personal opinion.

SPEAKER_02 22:52

We love veils, we're not anti-veils.

SPEAKER_00 22:54

I love my veil. I still have it, it's all for scene in my and I loved it, but they're just you don't wear it as long as you think, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_02 23:02

Yeah, I can already hear the heat. We're gonna get on social media for talking about veils. That's not what we're saying. Yeah, you can have the veil, but veils come, veils come with a weight and a little bit of liability, and they have a mind of their own. So your veil will do whatever the hell your veil wants you to do.

SPEAKER_00 23:21

It has its mind of its own, honestly. It really does. Um, okay. Next, Merry Mishap Groom's uncle shows up in a full Santa suit.

SPEAKER_03 23:29

Hope he's ready to deliver rings.

SPEAKER_00 23:31

I hope he's delivering those rings, baby Yoris. Out. I think it could be a good idea if you had that again, if you had like a very kid-heavy wedding, maybe something to do during cocktail hours so the kids can be distracted. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 23:46

It could be a I would be so pissed if somebody showed up at my wedding in a Santa outfit, not like permitted to be in that timeline.

SPEAKER_00 23:55

I feel like um wouldn't you feel like embarrassed showing up like in that?

SPEAKER_02 24:00

Would somebody be embarrassed? Yeah, like if they weren't supposed to be a little bit of silly things.

Merry Mishaps: Veils, Santa Uncles, Snowstorms

SPEAKER_00 24:03

People are crazy during weddings. Um, okay, our last merry mishap is snowstorm leads to a 20-minute candlelit only ceremony. Just like we talked about back in the Midwest. Those um those uh snowstorms and you have it outside or electrical issues. I might be pretty good.

SPEAKER_02 24:24

As much as that's like an issue, I think that would be gorgeous to have like a candlelit ceremony.

SPEAKER_00 24:31

Um the one wedding that we had, there was a mishap with the transportation. Ceremony was very late, so they got married under the stars. Gorgeous. And honestly, it was a vibe. Like I had posted some stuff and people were like, oh, this is like really pretty. They had um in the reception area, they had the drapery and then the lights. It was just it was a vibe.

SPEAKER_02 24:54

I it was pretty.

SPEAKER_00 24:55

I'm here for it.

SPEAKER_02 24:56

So let's talk about wedding wisdom around the holidays. So these are just some friendly reminders. Um, first one is the mindset. Um, we talk a lot about mental health on the podcast around the wedding. Holidays bring in some stresses with family dynamics. Maybe you've lost a loved one. Um, so this will be your first season without them. Um, just keep a healthy mindset. Make sure that you are taking care of yourself, putting yourself first mentally so you can be strong physically and in the moment of the wedding. Um, money saving, you can save so much money in some Black Friday deals. There's so many like uh Prime Day, Cyber Monday, things like that. You can save money for wedding. Um, and even with the holidays, if you are not planning a holiday wedding, maybe you got engaged around Thanksgiving and now you're prepping for your 2026 wedding, you can um maybe go minimal on holiday gifts this year to help save some money, you know, tell family and friends, or even to your significant other, your fiance, hey, let's let's maybe not do gifts this year, that money let's put towards our wedding fund. Um, I promise you in the years to come, you will not remember what you got Christmas of 2025.

SPEAKER_00 26:17

Oh, yeah. So I totally agree. I think that's and we've talked about it a little bit, but um, you know, asking family members, hey, instead of getting us a gift, you know, maybe a gift card or money towards, you know, stuff that we can buy for the wedding, and then that way you can kind of like rope those into money expenses, and then you don't have to spend as much money. Yeah, exactly. It's crazy expensive.

SPEAKER_02 26:40

Um, holiday season planning. Um, it's so funny. We were driving home from our company Christmas party this past weekend. My husband and I were talking and he said, you know, it's so fun, and I love doing these things. It's also one of those hard things where we love doing it. It's so much fun, but it's so stressful before it gets there because you have to figure figure out your outfit and if you're supposed to bring anything, and like you're like, oh, I can't wait for this season to be over, but then it's over. And you're like, that was so fun.

SPEAKER_00 27:09

That's so true.

SPEAKER_02 27:10

All of the emotions that go on both in positive and negative. So make sure that you are just really planning out your season well. Um, we've talked about it many times. Have a non-wedding day or a non-wedding day conversation. So, like one day a week, we don't talk about the wedding, we don't talk about planning for your own mental health. And the last piece of advice is um, now that you are blending two families into one, really start having those conversations leading up to the holidays. How do we wanna, how do we wanna divide family time for um Christmas and for Thanksgiving? And if you can set a very good um understanding in from the beginning, it will save you in the long run when it comes to every year of planning whose house you're supposed to be at, when and where, because it is no longer your family. You are sharing two families. Yes. So I love that. You and John have a pretty good understanding when it comes to how you do Christmas and Christmas Eve.

Holiday Wedding Wisdom And Mental Health

SPEAKER_00 28:13

Yeah, I've been lucky since my siblings are so much older than me. We've always done like Christmas Eve with our family, and it's worked out with their significance other sides too. So it's Christmas has always been easy for us. We do that with my family and then Christmas Day with his. So it's always been um easy. Thanksgiving's been a little bit trickier in the past, but um we've hosted the past two years, so that's been kind of nice. Um, and we'll see. I'm excited to like in the next phase of life, you know, when we have our own kids and stuff and see kind of how it shifts and if we're gonna start like our own traditions and things like that. But right now, what we have works for us.

SPEAKER_02 28:51

So I love it. Good. Do you have anything else?

SPEAKER_00 28:55

I do. I want to just ask you a few Christmas questions and then we'll be we'll be all done. Okay. Um, what is your favorite Christmas tradition? Whether that's with your family, whether friends, what what's like your favorite thing?

SPEAKER_02 29:08

Oh, um, looking at Chris, driving around looking at Christmas lights with hot cocoa. I love that. We we love doing it and it's so cheap.

SPEAKER_00 29:18

Oh, yeah. It's well, some of these places are like crazy expensive just to like go, you know, and just like we talked about, like it's fun to like go do the stuff and prep, but sometimes it's nice just to do something as easy and not as cheap, but you know, cheap as just going looking at Christmas lights. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:35

Turning on that hour of Christmas music. Yes, your one hour. My one hour hot chocolate and driving around and just looking at all of the pretty lights that all of the communities and neighbors put up.

SPEAKER_00 29:46

I know.

SPEAKER_02 29:47

What's your favorite tradition?

SPEAKER_00 29:48

That's mine too. Yeah, we've always done that, and then we always make homemade enchiladas with my family on Christmas Eve. Yeah. So we always do our little assembly line. The girls, we get on our aprons, and then the guy just watched football and whatever, and then we just um get it prepped, and we've just always done that. So it's been like really fun.

SPEAKER_02 30:09

And I love that.

SPEAKER_00 30:10

Um, okay, what's your favorite Christmas movie?

SPEAKER_02 30:14

I would probably say the um uh National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.

SPEAKER_00 30:23

Oh, okay. I don't know if I've ever seen that one.

SPEAKER_02 30:26

Christmas Vacation is the uh it's just it's just the OG of movies. We love The Grinch, we love Elf uh for Christmas. Like there's so many good Christmas movies, but that one just hits the spot. Is it like a comedy? It is, yes. I haven't seen it, but right, it's oh my gosh, you what rock are you living under? I know. Apparently a big one.

SPEAKER_00 30:51

Okay, I'll have to watch that because I've never seen that one.

SPEAKER_02 30:54

Christmas Vacation is hilarious.

SPEAKER_00 30:57

I do love a good comedy. What about you? What's yours? Um, I'm just like an OG, like Santa Claus, Santa Claus one with Tim Allen. Yes. Like, and I love all the Santa Claus movies, those are always my favorite. Um one that's like not our traditional one is Die Hart. What is it? Die Hart. No.

SPEAKER_03 31:18

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 31:19

It's an I think it's a Netflix original and it has Anakendrick in it, and it's called Noelle.

SPEAKER_02 31:24

Okay.

Family Traditions, Movies, And Wrap‑Up

SPEAKER_00 31:24

And it's basically, we love that one. I don't know why. It's I guess it's kind of like a comedy, but it's about just the sip, the um kids of Santa Claus. They're like two siblings, and then you know, a whole array happens, and then she has to go find her brother and stuff. And it's really good. It's like a kind of a comedy, but we've always loved that one, and we always watch it every year. So that one's my my uh second favorite, but yeah.

SPEAKER_02 31:50

So that was the only two questions I had really. I love it. All righty. Well, again, Merry Christmas from the Wedding Hive podcast. Um, if you are looking for us, you can find us on Instagram and TikTok. Be sure to check out the episodes, Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. And we will see you next week for our New Year's episode. Bye.