I banned political talk at my wedding — these are the extreme ways I’m making sure ugly fights won’t ruin my big day
Franki Priore will be all dressed in white at her wedding this November — and not hyper-focused on whoever just won the White House.
And the native Long Islander hopes the 200 guests to her “six-figure” ceremony will follow suit.
To mitigate an uncivil mess at their nuptials, brides-to-be from New York to California are placing a “no-politics” gag order on the folks coming to see them walk down the aisle.
Priore and hubby-to-be Mike, 34, are set to take the plunge at a luxe New Jersey estate on Nov. 22.
The twosome will become one just over two weeks after Nov. 5 Election Day, when the nation picks a new commander-in-chief between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris after months of mudslinging from supporters on both sides of the aisle — a face-off virtually dividing the country.
And no matter their guests’ political persuasions, Priore told The Post, they will be welcome at the fabulous fête — if they abide by the ground rules.
“Whether you’re the farthest-right Trump supporter or the farthest-left liberal, there’s a place for everybody at our wedding,” the 28-year-old said. “But political views don’t need to be discussed at our wedding.”
She hopes that tamping down on ideological topics will ensure that everyone’s attention remains locked on love.
“A wedding is all about uniting people,” said Priore, an entrepreneur now living in Jersey City.
Rather than causing a ruckus on her big day, she’d prefer attendees save their Oval Office opinions for a less romantic occasion, like Thanksgiving.
“Those are conversations for holidays,” she laughed. “That’s when people can [argue].
“A wedding is bigger than that.”
But fears that the presidential election will eclipse the happiness of holy matrimonies are big, too.
In fact, a staggering 35% of gals and grooms gearing up to tie the knot are worried that the vote will trigger tumult at their weddings, per The Knot’s 2025 Wedding Trends report.
“Similar to broader polling trends, couples [are] divided on whether each candidate’s presidency would have a positive or negative effect on their wedding plans,” said the experts.
“The election outcome may influence how couples manage their budgets, choose vendors and even curate their guest lists.”
Davis Bourgeois, a Nov. 9 bride, fits that bill.
The 29-year-old has been losing sleep for the past few months, fretting that the outcome of the election will ruin her $25,000 fête.
So, the outdoor occasion at a scenic West Coast venue — featuring lush grounds and an in-ground swimming pool — will also include several firmly stated, framed signs forewarning incomers: “You’re entering a politic-free zone,” and advising them to “Save your political talk for Thanksgiving. Today is all about love.”
It’s a message that the belle can’t seem to stress enough.
“I’m already stressed out from planning my own wedding — this is additional stress I don’t need,” Bourgeois, a marketing manager from Orange County, Calif., told The Post. “It’s never-wracking. I’ve seen how passionate people are about their political beliefs.”
“It gets so ugly.”
As even more of a safeguard, Bourgeois and fiancé Sam, 31, a cinematographer, recently made drastic changes to their seating arrangements.
“We broke up all of our tables and made them smaller based on how people are voting,” she confessed.
“We originally wanted long tables of 12 to create a cozy family feel,” added the nervous nearly-wed. “But now each table seats six to eight people.”
Yamila and Mark McGarry, soon-to-weds who say “I do” on Nov. 2, a mere three days before a candidate is crowned, told The Post they have a less obvious tact. The pair has tapped a top-notch DJ and stellar live band to distract their 135 well-wishers with a good time.
“We’re going to have a lot of dancing at our reception so there won’t be much time for political chatter,” said Yamila, 31, adding that McGarry, 29, plans to wow the crowd with his newly acquired Salsa moves.
The fiancés, both physical therapists in eastern Pennsylvania, even voted early in order to make a quick escape to Greece immediately after getting hitched Saturday — and to dodge the E-Day aftermath.
“We pretty much know where each of our guests stand [politically],” said McGarry. “We just want everyone to enjoy our day with us.”
Despite all precautions, for bride-to-be Bourgeois, if a contentious conversation erupts within the small groups, she and her honey have gone so far as to designate a specific person at each table to redirect the discourse.
“We’re even thinking about putting little fun facts on the backs of each table number,” said the brunette.
She hopes the buzzy prompts — which will mostly be about newly crowned World Series champs the L.A. Dodgers — serve as fun ice-breakers, giving guests something to talk about other than the new head of state.
But Bourgeois already warned guests that there will be watery repercussions should they break her cardinal rule.
“If we hear you talking politics,” she said with a chuckle, “we’ll push you in the pool.”
