Usually we are encouraged to celebrate on the Intermediate Festival Days. However, we are not permitted to mix one joyous occasion with another joyous occasion. We have learned that people are not to marry during the Moed, even though a wedding is a happy event. The Gemara helps us understand some of the possible origins of this halacha.
King Solomon ruled that the completed Temple was to be consecrated over a two week period. The celebration was required to end by the start of Sukkot. Thus some rabbis believe that two celebrations should not be combined.
But if the celebrations lasted for two weeks, they interrupted Yom Kippur. We learn that the Jewish people may have eaten and drunk on Yom Kippur, for they were taking part in a consecration of the Temple which must have involved animal sacrifice. Somehow they are forgiven for this transgression, and they even go home happy - in accordance with the halacha to be joyful on celebrations.
The rabbis wonder whether we should be permitted to delay a celebration at all. They consider whether a part of a beit hamikdash might be left incomplete. However, that too is discouraged - we are to run to perform mitzvot and thus we should never delay the completion of such a building.
We are reminded that the only celebration that should be delayed for the sake of joy during a Festival is a wedding. Ritva suggests that this is due to the inordinate amount of work that it takes to serve food at a wedding celebration. Certainly some people are not able to joyfully celebrate the day.
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