2026 public holidays to plan your epic destination wedding

If you’re planning a destination wedding, guests will probably make it a holiday. We’ve looked at how to plan around the 2026 public holidays so the guests can get the most bang for their buck.

What days are the 2026 public holidays?

New Years Eve

Starting the year with a bang? Well, what about a marriage? If you plan your wedding for 31 December 2025, your guests can have a real party, as it’s a Thursday! New Years’ Eve is followed by a public holiday and then the weekend – the party has landed!

April for Easter and Anzac Day

Looking for the most bang for your guests’ holiday buck? April could be your calling! A wedding in April will coincide with both Easter in the early weeks and Anzac Day on the 25 April 2026. That’s a triple win for 2026 public holidays in April.

For those that are travelling with children, April also means school holidays! If guests are travelling without children this might mean a more costly flight, but for those with school-aged companions, it’ll be a relief – giving parents the option of a holiday, a wedding and not having to miss out because of the school year. Everyone wins!

European summer calling? 

Planning a Euro wedding? European trips can be a big commitment from guests, but can also mean that epic holiday of a lifetime they were planning! There’s never a bad time of year to explore Greece and Italy. And if you have a wedding in June you’ll also land a King’s Birthday Australian public holiday on 6 June, landing on a Monday in 2026. 

For the families with kids, the big mid-year break is the optimal time to take a holiday. Not only does it break up the year, it gives everyone some reprieve from the Australian winter. 

Although it varies from state to state, the June and July holidays in 2026 will take place 27 June through to 21 July.

2026 public holidays: sports

If you’re a Victorian, you’ll find yourself getting a couple of extra public holidays for beloved sporting events. For AFL Grand Final Friday, 25 September, will be a day off. If you are looking for nine days in a row that isn’t in peak travel season, taking off the four days before that will give Victorians over a week off, an ideal time period to whisk away to Thailand or Fiji!

The other Victorian-only sports public holiday is the Melbourne Cup. The first Tuesday of November is a day off. This rogue Tuesday means that if you take the Monday off the day before, you’ll be treated with four days off in exchange for one leave day – we love to see it! 

Four days sounds like it would be entirely feasible for jump on a plane an enjoy an extra long weekend in Bali – sign us up!

Looking to have a destination wedding?

More and more Australians are looking overseas to plan their wedding. Two percent of Australian couples in total will share their vows at an international destination. This might not seem like a lot, but the numbers definitely add up. 

The main contributing factor is that it ties in with the much-wanted holiday or honeymoon. Another reason that more Australians are looking abroad is that they have family and friends over there, and perhaps they’re finding a half-way point to help those needing to get on long-distance flights. 

Where’s the most popular spots to get hitched? For Australians couples often consider places like New Zealand, the USA, Bali, Fiji, and Italy. 

If you’re considering a destination wedding, Easy Wedding’s Destination Wedding will take the stress out of the planning for you. For those using this service, you’ll be able to enjoy exclusive deals, seamless coordination and, of course, your big day in a truly unique paradise that one only dreams of.