Sports fans and weddings.......

[AppleDumpling]

If the game is that important, DVR it and watch after the wedding.

I thought about this too. The diehard football fans could’ve recorded the game, enjoyed the wedding, being present in the moment (while intentionally avoiding spoilers), and then all gotten together (or on their own) to watch it later.

We all make choices in life, many that impact others besides ourselves. IMO, there’s an appropriate time and place for everything, and sometimes you need to make sacrifices for people you care about. What if instead of a wedding, it was a funeral? Or the birth of a child, or a medical emergency of a family member? Sorry, but I really think some need to reconsider their priorities. I’ll never understand how certain factions of American society are so sports-obsessed above all else.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

I will say this, my brother and sister in law chose a Sunday for their son's baptism that was the bye week for their football team. No one in either of our friend groups would get married on Sunday during football season but honestly now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever been to a Sunday wedding. Around here people care more about the NFL for the most part as opposed to college.

Back to the OPs post- you should know your guests and if you have a wedding during the SEC championship in that area then you kind of know what to expect. It sounds like it was a little excessive of the guests, but honestly I'm not really surprised. At least they came to the wedding. If I were the bride, I probably would have just leaned into it a bit and had fun with it. But yes, I am a big football fan and I am a woman and I never would have scheduled my wedding during this time.

 

[LilyWDW]

If these were my friends and family, I would be thinking how close I actually am to them.

I don't care how big sports culture is in the south (I lived in the south for quite awhile). It is RUDE and inconsiderate to do what they did. I would be telling them to quiet down or leave. Period.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

If someone can't put football aside for a friend or family member's wedding, that doesn't speak well of them.

You get tons of chances to watch football. You get very few to share what should be your friend's or family member's most special day with them. And when they are gone, they are gone.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

Apparently, there was some big fight happening during our wedding. I even had people ask me a couple weeks before the wedding if I could change the date/time? A lot of people left after the ceremony and didn't even attend the reception. Needless to say I am not super close with those people anymore.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

But yes, I am a big football fan and I am a woman and I never would have scheduled my wedding during this time.

Where I live we have college basketball, NFL, MLB and soccer with all sports pulling a lot of people into them. On my mom's side of the family there's some NBA people as well but it's not super big here because we don't have a team. If someone attempted to schedule something without having any of those be in conflict there would be very few dates. My sister-in-law has skipped vacations because she goes to our alma mater's basketball games (of which she's seen many over the years) but she still wouldn't do what was described in the OP because of what the event was.

The only tit for tat situation I can give is with the World Cup coming and it's not really necessarily about the following of people who watch that but rather with having the World Cup come here June-July is going to be a nightmare on transportation, venue availability, hotel or bnb accommodation and just overall traffic to the area. That would be a reason to really warn away someone who wants to do a wedding during that time period even if no one in their family are soccer fans especially if you're having out of town guests.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

Where I live we have college basketball, NFL, MLB and soccer with all sports pulling a lot of people into them. On my mom's side of the family there's some NBA people as well but it's not super big here because we don't have a team. If someone attempted to schedule something without having any of those be in conflict there would be very few dates. My sister-in-law has skipped vacations because she goes to our alma mater's basketball games (of which she's seen many over the years) but she still wouldn't do what was described in the OP because of what the event was.

The only tit for tat situation I can give is with the World Cup coming and it's not really necessarily about the following of people who watch that but rather with having the World Cup come here June-July is going to be a nightmare on transportation, venue availability, hotel or bnb accommodation and just overall traffic to the area. That would be a reason to really warn away someone who wants to do a wedding during that time period even if no one in their family are soccer fans especially if you're having out of town guests.

Not sure why you quoted my post, but I said for ME, I wouldn't schedule my wedding on a Sunday during football season and if I lived in the south where the SEC rules I certainly wouldn't schedule it during the championships. For some groups of people neither of those things would matter which is also fine. But here, in this case, it appears that if the bride and groom knew their guests remotely well they would know in advance this could be a pretty big deal/conflict. Would the couple prefer if no one showed up at the wedding?

ETA- The only reason I pointed out I was a woman is that typically men get "blamed" alone for this and it is not always the case.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Not sure why you quoted my post, but I said for ME, I wouldn't schedule my wedding on a Sunday during football season and if I lived in the south where the SEC rules I certainly wouldn't schedule it during the championships. For some groups of people neither of those things would matter which is also fine. But here, in this case, it appears that if the bride and groom knew their guests remotely well they would know in advance this could be a pretty big deal/conflict. Would the couple prefer if no one showed up at the wedding?

ETA- The only reason I pointed out I was a woman is that typically men get "blamed" alone for this and it is not always the case.

I quoted you because you said "I never would have scheduled my wedding during this time." If you're trying to work around sports schedules you'll be harder and harder pressed to find a time where there isn't a time without some sport interfering throughout the year, that's a general comment regarding the premise of working with sports schedules regardless of whether you personally wouldn't it's bouncing off the idea of not scheduling during a sports season. Maybe in the south it's primarily football (approximately blocks out 3+ months) but translate that to other areas that have multiple sports that pull a lot of people and it would become messy.

MLB-end of March to close to the end of September (excluding World Series opportunities)
NFL-early September to early January (excluding playoffs and Super Bowls)
MLS-close to the end of February to mid to close to the end of October (excludes Cup matches), in 2026 because we have World Cup here they won't have any matches from May to mid July but World Cup is June through mid July) and their season will end early November (excludes Cup matches)
College basketball-mid October to early April (March Madness plus the Big 12 tournament is held here)
College football-late August to late November (excludes any bowl games)

For my particular area we technically have 3 different colleges people have a high enough fan base for but the seasons I mentioned are for my alma mater, one of the colleges people have a high enough fan base for is now in the SEC. College basketball has a higher fanbase than football for my alma mater in particular.

Outside of my husband and I we really don't know many Formula 1 fans but that season runs March-early December with presently 24 races and because it's worldwide the timing of the races is all over the place.

And to give an example of scheduling this past Sunday we had the last race of the F1 season which ended up being the deciding race for the driver's championship, we could have gone to our alma mater's basketball game though we didn't because of the other plans, and we went to our NFL team's game. All of those in one day.

All of that may be personally irrelevant to you but is used as a general point about working around sport schedules.

As far as the bride and groom knowing their guests that part wasn't made clear and the OP (being the cousin of the couple) may not know that answer either. We don't even know if the bride and groom had an issue with it so it's unfair IMO for anyone to make comments about the bride and groom negatively. At the moment this is just a guest who saw behaviors they didn't like and we are talking about it.

 

[Magical2017]

All nice thoughts. And I do feel for the bride and groom.
But, booking a Saturday event during college football season in GEORGIA has big risks.
We can tut-tut if we like, it's not going to change the completely obsessed following (with huge numbers of fans) the SEC enjoys.
For many of them it's a lifestyle, not a hobby.

We learned the hard way. One of our sons has a January birthday. When he was little, we used a venue for the party. The Ravens made the playoffs, so no one showed (it was a school friend's party, not one with our family). I should have switched it to our house so the adults could watch the game and the kids could play in a different area. Win-win, right? The home parties were my boys' favorites, anyway. Ah, hindsight.

 

[Marrila]

I quoted you because you said "I never would have scheduled my wedding during this time." If you're trying to work around sports schedules you'll be harder and harder pressed to find a time where there isn't a time without some sport interfering throughout the year, that's a general comment regarding the premise of working with sports schedules regardless of whether you personally wouldn't it's bouncing off the idea of not scheduling during a sports season. Maybe in the south it's primarily football (approximately blocks out 3+ months) but translate that to other areas that have multiple sports that pull a lot of people and it would become messy.

MLB-end of March to close to the end of September (excluding World Series opportunities)
NFL-early September to early January (excluding playoffs and Super Bowls)
MLS-close to the end of February to mid to close to the end of October (excludes Cup matches), in 2026 because we have World Cup here they won't have any matches from May to mid July but World Cup is June through mid July) and their season will end early November (excludes Cup matches)
College basketball-mid October to early April (March Madness plus the Big 12 tournament is held here)
College football-late August to late November (excludes any bowl games)

For my particular area we technically have 3 different colleges people have a high enough fan base for but the seasons I mentioned are for my alma mater, one of the colleges people have a high enough fan base for is now in the SEC. College basketball has a higher fanbase than football for my alma mater in particular.

Outside of my husband and I we really don't know many Formula 1 fans but that season runs March-early December with presently 24 races and because it's worldwide the timing of the races is all over the place.

And to give an example of scheduling this past Sunday we had the last race of the F1 season which ended up being the deciding race for the driver's championship, we could have gone to our alma mater's basketball game though we didn't because of the other plans, and we went to our NFL team's game. All of those in one day.

All of that may be personally irrelevant to you but is used as a general point about working around sport schedules.

As far as the bride and groom knowing their guests that part wasn't made clear and the OP (being the cousin of the couple) may not know that answer either. We don't even know if the bride and groom had an issue with it so it's unfair IMO for anyone to make comments about the bride and groom negatively. At the moment this is just a guest who saw behaviors they didn't like and we are talking about it.

If you Google "schedule wedding SEC football" the risks of choosing Saturdays from Sept to Dec are pretty clearly outlined. It's been this way in the south for a very long time.
It's especially true in Georgia or Alabama. For folks who live in those states it's no surprise.
Many couples try to avoid the situation because it adds a big complication that is not present other times of the year.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If you Google "schedule wedding SEC football" the risks of choosing Saturdays from Sept to Dec are pretty clearly outlined. It's been this way in the south for a very long time.
It's especially true in Georgia or Alabama. For folks who live in those states it's no surprise.
Many couples try to avoid the situation because it adds a big complication that is not present other times of the year.

I'm laying it out there as a general comment about scheduling. It's more the concept of scheduling a big life event around a sport. That is not an issue IMO if all of those who would be attending that event are into that sport and the invitees are also like that, chances are they wouldn't schedule it in the first place or they would incorporate it into part of their event. These are why I mentioned firstly who were these big fans at this wedding because if it was as great as it had been presented either the wedding would have been sparsely attended or the suggestion of another room would have meant that would have been filled with people and the reception still would have been sparsely attended. The OP clarified at the wedding they were at only the men pulled out their phones to watch on the tables (perceived as the more egregious act). If the bride and groom knew the group of attendees as a whole would be unable to really focus on their event because of their passion for the sport they would hopefully try to avoid that, if it's not the whole group then you've got something else at play (no pun intended).

Yes there's a risk and that's precisely my point about talking about scheduling, inevitably you'll remove much of one's calendar depending on where you live.

I know the focus is on SEC football but this isn't really about that, there are places around the country that are just as much into a sport in an area as others, families that have superfans that wouldn't miss a game/match/whatever for anything. Different regions have different sports they hold near and dear to (Texas has high school football stadiums that cost more than entire high schools around here for example and tend to seat far more than many high schools on average). You have Yankees fans elsewhere, etc.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

I quoted you because you said "I never would have scheduled my wedding during this time." If you're trying to work around sports schedules you'll be harder and harder pressed to find a time where there isn't a time without some sport interfering throughout the year, that's a general comment regarding the premise of working with sports schedules regardless of whether you personally wouldn't it's bouncing off the idea of not scheduling during a sports season. Maybe in the south it's primarily football (approximately blocks out 3+ months) but translate that to other areas that have multiple sports that pull a lot of people and it would become messy.

MLB-end of March to close to the end of September (excluding World Series opportunities)
NFL-early September to early January (excluding playoffs and Super Bowls)
MLS-close to the end of February to mid to close to the end of October (excludes Cup matches), in 2026 because we have World Cup here they won't have any matches from May to mid July but World Cup is June through mid July) and their season will end early November (excludes Cup matches)
College basketball-mid October to early April (March Madness plus the Big 12 tournament is held here)
College football-late August to late November (excludes any bowl games)

For my particular area we technically have 3 different colleges people have a high enough fan base for but the seasons I mentioned are for my alma mater, one of the colleges people have a high enough fan base for is now in the SEC. College basketball has a higher fanbase than football for my alma mater in particular.

Outside of my husband and I we really don't know many Formula 1 fans but that season runs March-early December with presently 24 races and because it's worldwide the timing of the races is all over the place.

And to give an example of scheduling this past Sunday we had the last race of the F1 season which ended up being the deciding race for the driver's championship, we could have gone to our alma mater's basketball game though we didn't because of the other plans, and we went to our NFL team's game. All of those in one day.

All of that may be personally irrelevant to you but is used as a general point about working around sport schedules.

As far as the bride and groom knowing their guests that part wasn't made clear and the OP (being the cousin of the couple) may not know that answer either. We don't even know if the bride and groom had an issue with it so it's unfair IMO for anyone to make comments about the bride and groom negatively. At the moment this is just a guest who saw behaviors they didn't like and we are talking about it.

I know you like to write long responses over and over insisting you are right but your post is irrelevant to mine. Again, I said for ME I wouldn't have a wedding during football season on a Sunday and if I did I wouldn't be bothered by people watching the game. I live in Philly with rabid football fans and my entire family are rabid Giants fans. I know the vast majority of my guests do not care that much about baseball regular season, basketball, etc. And no one cares about NASCAR or Formula 1 (in my group). I'm not working around all sports schedules and wasn't suggesting anyone should. I'm working around what I know is important to MY guests. I don't know how to be any more clear.

I also didn't say anything negative about the bride and groom. I just think, in MY opinion, if they were upset or disappointed (and who knows if they were) it would be pretty unrealistic assuming they knew at least something about the people they invited.

 

[Skippy918]

I am sure when this couple booked their wedding (most likely a year or 2 out), they weren’t thinking there was going to be a football game on the same day. Who knows what availability the venue had when they booked it. Was this game a regular game or was it like a playoff/Super Bowl type event where you don’t know who is playing ahead of time?
Anyway, the guests were rude. They could have recorded the game to watch later.

 

[sam_gordon]

I am sure when this couple booked their wedding (most likely a year or 2 out), they weren’t thinking there was going to be a football game on the same day. Who knows what availability the venue had when they booked it. Was this game a regular game or was it like a playoff/Super Bowl type event where you don’t know who is playing ahead of time?
Anyway, the guests were rude. They could have recorded the game to watch later.

The teams found out the week before (maybe two).

 

[NC Belle]

I got to remember if I have a second marriage---note no Iron Bowl game times... Roll Tide.... definitely not on certain NASCAR race days.