Should You Have a 4th of July Wedding?

Thinking about planning a holiday destination wedding? What we learned on a mountaintop with Lauren + Bryce.

Everyone’s got an opinion about holiday weddings: some people swear they’d never attend one while others say it’s the perfect way to make a long weekend even more memorable. Personally, I always said that I never wanted to be in the United States again for the 4th of July, much less Tahoe, after spending the summer holiday before in Barcelona. The Other Lauren (confusing, I know), however, had other plans and absolutely wouldn’t take no for an answer from me. So, I stuck around a very crowded tourist town for the holiday and you know what? I quite enjoyed myself!

If you’re thinking about planning a holiday destination wedding, we’ve got some thoughts for you. While their wedding wasn’t about fireworks or flag-themed decor (I assure you, there WAS plenty though), what it was about was bringing their people together, raging the dance floor, and letting the day unfold without much of a script. Shooting that kind of celebration, especially over a holiday weekend, gave me a front-row seat to what works, what’s worth thinking twice about, and how to pull off a destination wedding that actually feels like you.

Destination holiday wedding in Lake Tahoe

Is a 4th of July wedding a good idea?

If you’re even asking the question, you’re already thinking beyond Pinterest boards. A holiday weekend wedding, especially one built around a big date like the Fourth of July, sounds like a bold move. In some ways, it is: flights are expensive, lodging is booked out early and expensive, vendors book out faster than usual, or simply aren’t available because they don’t want to work on a holiday, and if your guest list includes anyone who values their annual lake trip or family BBQ, there’s a chance they might not come.

But here’s the other side of it: if you’re planning a destination wedding, a holiday weekend can make it easier for guests to commit. They don’t have to squeeze travel into two days. They’ve already got time off work. Not to mention, there’s a really wonderful built-in energy when everyone’s showing up ready to relax and celebrate.

Lauren and Bryce knew what they wanted from the start and that list included some big dreams. They wanted a mountain venue that felt like a getaway. Heavenly resort was the ideal choice because they’ve spent most of their relationship bonding over Bryce attempting to teach Lauren to love snowsports (she does, but she’s self professedly hanging out on blues still). They also wanted a weekend that gave their people space to show up fully and full of the energy they have come to know and love from them. There were not a ton of expectations of perfect timelines or polished traditions, outside of letting lose and having a good time. It was a bit of a DIY affair and they leaned hard on their people to get everything organized, set up and decorated. In general, Bryce and Lauren leaned into the idea that their wedding wasn’t competing with the holiday. It was the holiday.

Destination Holiday Wedding Planning Tips

Planning a wedding over a holiday weekend in a destination like Lake Tahoe sounds ideal, but it comes with logistics that can sneak up on you if you’re not prepared. Here are all the considerations you need to account for regardless of your date. Whether you’re planning a 4th of July wedding, a Labor Day wedding, or a New Years Eve wedding, any and all of these will come into play.

Inflated prices. There’s truth to the idea that demand drives up costs. Holiday weekends bring peak pricing on hotels, airfare, and rentals, especially in destination towns like Tahoe. Hotels, flights, and rental cars all spike during holiday weekends. Lauren and Bryce initially reached out to me in October the year before and sent out save-the-dates significantly far in advance. Early communication will give your guests time to plan and commit.
Vendors will book quickly or will choose not to book at all. You’re not just competing with other weddings. In a place like Tahoe, you’re also up against music festivals, tourists, the desire to literally be anywhere but our home, and local events. If you’re confused on why, let me break it down for you. Our year round population hovers between 18,000 and 22,000 people. Over 4th of July it swells to between 140,000 and 200,000, depending on the year. Sometimes (in the case of myself, often) we simply just want to avoid the traffic and the people. If you want a specific venue, planner, or photographer, the earlier you reach out, the better. At the end of the day, Lauren convinced me that not only was she awesome, but that I was the ONLY one for her and I decided to lean in.
Pay attention to the local calendar. The Fourth of July in Lake Tahoe brings heavy traffic and packed public spaces, but also, depending on where it lands in the calendar, it can also roll into another HUGE local event: The ACC Golf Championship. Vendors in Tahoe are not available during that event and venues will not hold concurrent events because most of their spaces are utilized for ACC. Holding your wedding at the ski resort? That comes with it’s own set of logistics. Since Lauren and Bryce’s ceremony was at the top of Heavenly, we planned for longer load-in times and extra time buffers. They chose to start a little later and kept the schedule relaxed, which helped everyone stay grounded.
Not everyone will come. Even with thoughtful planning, expect a few declined RSVPs. Some guests may not want to travel over a holiday weekend, especially with the added cost or if it overlaps with long-standing family traditions. Lauren and Bryce didn’t let that rattle them. They focused on the people who could be there, and built the day around that core group. It created a celebration that felt tight-knit and fully present.

These aren’t the most glamorous parts of planning a destination holiday wedding, but they’re the difference between a day that feels effortless and one that turns into a logistical headache.

What It Takes to Make a Holiday Destination Wedding Feel Like You

Lauren and Bryce are the kind of couple who made decisions with their heart and Lauren’s insane sense of creativity. Honestly, this girl is one step away from my friend Sophia. She bakes cakes, she makes blackboards written with cursive, she designed their tablescapes and their flowers. They also knew what their priorities were: a weekend showing Tahoe off to their closest people, a raging dance party, and a wedding that felt like a giant backyard bash, just relocated to the top of a mountain. The fire works were the icing on the cake but honestly, the Tahoe fireworks show goes on for so long the crew mostly abandoned it and went right back to the dance party! They weren’t looking for a formal affair or a polished production. They wanted to feel the day as it happened and have the photos reflect that.

For Lauren, photography wasn’t just about capturing pretty moments. Her family lost most of their photos in a house fire, and since then, she’s carried a deeper understanding of how powerful it is to preserve real memories. Being able to look back and see people as they truly were matters more than anything posed or curated (though we did those too because they are incredibly important). That shaped how I approached the wedding. We both wanted the photos to feel alive.

I focused on movement, emotion, the sometimes mundane and the exciting. The best images came from the in-between beats: funny moments during family formals, Uncle Sam flying through the air on the dance floor, people absolutely losing it. Letting go of the photo checklist and focusing on feeling instead of perfect posing. That’s always my mf-ing jam.

So… Should You Plan a Destination Holiday Wedding?

Honestly, it depends on what you care about most. If your people are the kind who will travel for you, who see a wedding as a chance to spend real time together instead of just checking a box, then a holiday weekend can be a great fit. If you want the celebration to feel more like a house party with a view than a production with a strict schedule, go for it. Or, if you don’t mind paying a premium for the added extra-ness of the date, then absolutely go for it.

But if your style leans more traditional, if you’re hoping for a calm venue with minimal foot traffic, or if you’re worried about the pressure a holiday weekend might put on your guest list, it might not be the best choice.

Also worth noting that summer isn’t the only time couples plan around holidays. Winter weddings over dates like Christmas or New Year’s come with their own challenges. Weather, travel delays, and venue closures can complicate things quickly. If that’s where your planning is headed, I’ve got a separate post with all the considerations you should think about before committing to a winter holiday wedding.

At the end of the day, I firmly believe that it’s not about the date on the calendar (tell that to my 2020 couples. Jokes on them). It’s about how the day feels when you’re in it and honestly, that lasts longer than the sparkler exit, the 30 minute fireworks display, or the sunset photos.

If you’re planning a holiday destination wedding, whether it’s in Lake Tahoe, Breckenridge, Hawaii, or somewhere in between, and you want a photographer who knows how to document the real moments and let the party lead the way, I’m your person.