Our Top 10 Favorite Wedding Expert Tips for March (and St. Patrick's Day) Weddings

March is one of the least popular months to get married, while St. Patrick’s Day is one of the least popular holidays to celebrate at a wedding. These are both good and bad things! Having a St. Patrick’s Day wedding in March gives you the chance to plan a truly unique celebration, but the process of planning can be difficult because it can be hard to find advice for this uncommon wedding date.

We’re here to rectify that! Here are some expert wedding tips and advice to help you plan a beautiful and meaningful St. Patrick’s Day wedding.

Large, Airy Wedding Venue: Arkansas Bride

      1.  Start Planning Early

According to a study done by The Knot, 73 percent of all weddings take place between May and October. That gives you a real advantage when planning your St. Patrick’s Day wedding because you can get the venue and vendors you want, but if you want to plan your wedding day on St. Patrick’s Day, you have to start planning early. Other organizations, businesses, and groups planning St. Patrick’s celebrations will be competing for venues and vendors that day, as well as the weekend before and after. Lock down your venue and vendors early so you have the first pick.

Wedding Invite Suite: Red Oak Weddings

      2.  Send Out Save the Dates as Soon as You Can

As soon as you have your venue locked down for the date you want, the experts at Martha Stewart recommend sending out save the dates as soon as possible. Although it’s not a major holiday, many of your guests may want to make plans for St. Patrick’s Day that can conflict with your wedding. The earlier you notify them, the less likely it is that your guests will make other plans.

Bejeweled Wedding Dress With Cape: Love My Dress

       3.  Choose a Unique Wedding Dress

Every bride wants to choose a unique wedding dress, but if you’re planning a St. Patrick’s Day wedding, you have the chance to do something truly special. Irish lace has been used to decorate ceremonial outfits, including wedding dresses, since the 1700's, while bell sleeves, green details, and even hoods will make your wedding outfit uniquely Irish.

Gold, Blush, and Green Table Setting: The Celebration Society

      4.  Don't Get Stuck on Kelly Green

When searching for St. Patrick’s Day wedding inspiration, you are most certainly going to come across the color Kelly green. This hue can be incorporated into your big day, but don’t get stuck on this hue.

A St. Patrick’s Day wedding can look just as festive if you use a lighter color of green, or if you incorporate other colors as well, like blush and gold. Not to mention, being a little more creative with your color scheme is a great way to honor spring without going overboard on the St. Patrick’s Day theme.

Mini Cauldron Filled With Clover: Chica and Jo

      5.  Stay Away From Cheesy Decorations

There are some really cheesy wedding decorations out there. Unfortunately, many of the most common St. Patrick’s Day decorations are on the list of cheesiest wedding décor. If you want to plan an elegant St. Patrick’s Day wedding, stay away from green balloon arches, paper chains, and foil party decorations from your local party store. Instead, adorn tables with metal charger plates, decorate with green eucalyptus garland, and pass out lucky clover as favors.

Formal Wedding Guests: Style Me Pretty

      6.  Tell Guests What to Wear

The experts at Martha Stewart recommend considering guest attire very carefully, as guests can sometimes think spring weddings are more informal than you want yours to be. That’s especially the case when it comes to St. Patrick’s Day. Your guests may make the mistake of thinking you’re planning more of a party than a wedding. Make the attire clear on your invites so your uncle doesn’t show up wearing jeans if you’re planning a formal affair.

Corned Beef and Vegetables: Spend With Pennies

      7.  Serve Whatever Food You Want

Marje Ednie, wedding coordinator at five star Luton Hoo Hotel, says “Many future brides and grooms worry about the wedding menu, and get caught up in the details of others’ preferences and dietary requirements. I always advise couples to choose a menu they would like to eat and pick out their own favorite dishes."

Serve corned beef and cabbage without worrying about your vegetarian guests, and serve Bailey’s cheesecake in lieu of a St. Patrick’s Day wedding cake, if that’s what you want.

Combined Ceremony and Reception Space: Northern Rockies Heritage Center

      8.  Have a Plan B

Bad weather can easily strike in March, which is why it's so important to work with your venue and vendors on contingency plans. To make things easier, wedding coordinator Clara Earp recommends keeping your ceremony and reception in one place to minimize travel when the roads can get slick fast.

Wedding Harpist: French Wedding Style

      9.  Include Irish Traditions

The Irish have some of the best blessings. Use them in your wedding! There are many other Irish wedding traditions you can incorporate into your big day. Decorate with Celtic knots, have your husband-to-be wear a traditional Irish kilt tartan, and hire a Celtic harpist to play before and after your ceremony.

Bar Sign With Limited Selections: Junebug Weddings

      10.  Serve Alcohol Wisely

Most weddings have alcohol, but you can bet guests will expect it if they’re attending a St. Patrick’s Day wedding. Just make sure you serve alcohol wisely.

Belle Muse of Campbell Station Wine & Spirits recommends limiting the alcohol selection, ensuring water and snacks are available all night long, and consider limiting bar hours during your reception. Giving your bartender the ability to cut off overly drunken guests is a good idea too.