Weddings During Football Season.

I can tell you that here in the heart of SEC country we planned our wedding around football season on purpose. It was Tennessee's off week so we went with it. My DW along with most of our nearest and dearest would have had heart palpitations if they couldn't watch the game OR I would have had a reception full of guests crowded around the tv all night. No thanks. We picked the off week and had a beautiful day with lots of happy guests!

We avoided fall so that we wouldn't interfere with football- we are die-hard KC Chiefs fans

We got married on a Sunday in September. We did get a few comments when we told people the date but I just shrugged it off. When the NFL schedule came out the Pats ended up getting the Thursday night game that week. My phone started blowing up with the announcements. Apparently it was a way bigger deal than I thought.

@Ambrok - the DJ wore a state U. t-shirt and announced every change of the score. Definitely one of the strangest weddings I've ever attended and one of the worst, too.

I did not read the other comments but it's a worry for me if the Eagles are playing the day I get married, not FH he wouldn't dare, but some of the bridal party may have their phones out watching....annoying as hell!

It is a big deal for just because of my profession. I'm an Athletic Trainer and our wedding day falls at the beginning of 2-a-days for high school football and other fall sports.

My MOH/sister actually told me that over Thanksgiving she asked my one cousin if he will be attending my DW in the beginning of January 2019. He has season tickets to the Eagles (we live in the Philly area). He had said that it is playoff season and he can't miss a game. She then tells him that the cruise is from Monday-Friday and he goes "Oh then I can come - I'll fly in Sunday after the game and then fly right after we get back from the cruise on Friday". The whole thing made me chuckle. I am not knocking him for loving football but I would have never thought someone would decline the wedding because of football.

Oh girl let me tell you, my wedding was not only on the same weekend as the Georgia/Florida game, the same weekend as the National FFA Convention (which one of my bridesmaids attended and drove back to GA from Indiana for the wedding that Friday), it was also our hometown's yearly Moonshine Festival (which is essentially our county fair). So many people were upset about it, and who cares?! It's your wedding day! My groomsmen were literally watching the game on their phones before they walked down the aisle, and they didn't miss a thing! Forget what anyone says, mine turned out just fine other than the rain!

The very next weekend (Oct 27) is Bama's BYE week-no game! If you aren't set on the 20th, just move it back a week and avoid the issue altogether. I feel your pain, but I'm also a huge college football fan. I changed my wedding date from November to May because I didn't want to deal with this issue. It's not that people wouldn't show up as much as people would be watching watchESPN on their phones (guilty). People down here in SEC country really do plan weddings around football season. If I was invited to a wedding during the Bama/LSU game, I'd probably be watching the game on my phone at the very least.

Honestly though, if you or FH aren't into football, then go with it and guests can deal however they will.

What's your venue? Maybe you could have a tv set up in another room? (At my venue, in the groom's room there was a tv, and since it was on the main floor, the groom's room was cleaned up of all the guys' stuff ahead of time, so that could have been set to the game if it had been football season)

Some of FH's friends said something to him about not planning the wedding during football season. That's part of the reason I wanted something intimate with people that I knew would be totally present and not wishing they were doing something else or not really paying attention. But FH did tell me that we should try our best to avoid hunting season because he knew I wouldn't choose to spend our anniversary on a hunting trip in the future.

Please don't set up a TV in another room as @Becky suggested.

I know that area - if the game is on, people will be watching. Literally the best time to go to the store in that area all year is during the Alabama/Auburn game. If it's not on, people will be watching on their phones, or they'll go home. OP can do what she wants - personally, I'd move the wedding, but that doesn't seem like her favorite idea, so giving people the option to watch may be her next best bet.

Listen I am a Vikings fan through and through but I wouldn't even JOKE about missing a wedding for a game. If someone made a comment about "I better decide what is more important...." I would look at them straight in the eye and ask: "Did you just tell me a game is more important than a family wedding? SERIOUSLY?"

I got married on a football Saturday and live in a SEC football town. We have season tickets and it was the weekend of a big game. I didn't want to miss a game but I wanted a fall wedding so I did. We had a tv with the game on in the space for cocktail hour and guests thought that was perfect! If people really want to be a part of your day they will get over it and be there. Congrats!!

I can totally relate! My FH refused to have the wedding on a Sunday because his team plays (Were in Texas but he's a Chicago Bears fan). I wanted to save myself a couple thousand dollars, but he just wouldn't budge. So we are having it on a Saturday. I could care less about football honestly. It's frustrating! But I deal with it every Sunday during the fall, so I guess I'm used to it lol

Dealing with the same for Clemson games (DATE TWINS THOUGH!!)

It's mostly just FH's dad/stepmom/siblings though.

We had the same issue. We actually picked October 20th originally because it was going to be a crap game for Auburn (war eagle!) or possibly a bye. We had to change because the venue had that day booked but if you think it'll affect that many people just pick a weekend of a lesser game. But in all reality, people get over it, I promise.

We’re having our wedding during football season (in Georgia). I told them we will be checking on the game periodically and make announcements, but only for Clemson. Go Tigers!

My FH is already worried that Green Bay will end up being scheduled to play the Pats on the night of our Rehearsal dinner.. I tell him, "Aaron Rodgers would tell you to RELAX"

I purposely chose a Saturday at the beginning of football season because I want to go to the GB/NE game just as bad as him..

GO PACK (also.. ROLL TIDE)