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New Year's Eve Wedding Etiquette Couples Need to Know

This is how you kick off a new year and a new marriage all at once.

By Nancy Mattia of Martha Stewart Weddings

A fun way to usher in the new year is to get married on New Year's Eve. For guests who dread that holiday because they rarely do anything exciting, a wedding is the perfect event. People in a partying mood, and there's dance music, lots of food, and even more to drink. So, as a bride and groom, you'll want to get it all right. Here's what to keep in mind. 


REASONS TO HAVE A NEW YEAR'S EVE WEDDING 
Give guests a major heads up.
Send out save-the-dates as soon as you've got a lock on a date; all you need to tell is the date and location (city or town). "Flights and hotels are often more expensive around New Year's Eve, so giving them plenty of notice to make their reservations is key," says Morgan Miller, an event planner who owns Spreading Lovely in the San Francisco Bay area. Also, if parents have to hire babysitters, they need to book them early since it's such a popular date night.
Invite older kids.
Many families will want to celebrate New Year's Eve with their kids, so know that you may have fewer guests at your celebration if you opt for a no-kids policy. If you can swing it, invite the older ones who can stay up late.

Don't start too early.
If you are expecting most guests to stay at the wedding until midnight or later, it would be best to plan for a 5:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. ceremony start, says Miller
Provide rides home.
Make sure to have shuttles in place at multiple times throughout the night, so guests can drink without worrying about driving back to their hotels. You can also get codes through UberEvents or LyftEvents to help defray their cost of a driving service. "Set how much you want to budget for each guest, and they can use your event code to go toward the cost of their trip," says Miller. Since the cost of rides often gets jacked up on NYE, guests will appreciate the help. 

Make it feel like New Year's Eve.
"If you're going to have a wedding on New Year's, have fun décor elements like a balloon drop or confetti cannon," says Miller, who also suggests setting up food stations, which guests love. "Your guests will feel like they not only were at an incredibly fun wedding, but that they also got to enjoy an amazing New Year's Eve party!"

About the Author: Nancy Mattia Though Nancy has been writing about weddings for years, she admits that watching a bride walk down the aisle—even on TV—still makes her tear up. The New York-area writer's other favorite wedding moments are when the groom sees the bride for the first time, hearing the toasts, and when she sees a waiter with a tray full of hors d'oeuvres walking towards her. 
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