Photo from OffBeat Bride, Credits Below
Weddings were not always held only on weekends, but then again, weddings were not always big parties! If you’re trying to choose a wedding date, you may want to consider a weekday wedding.
A weekday wedding may become necessary if you wish to hold your wedding on a specific date for sentimental reasons, if you have limited time due to military deployment or health issues, or if you simply want to hit an unusual wedding date.
The main benefit of a weekday wedding is that there is less competition for venues and vendors, and therefore, prices may be a little lower. It’s not that it costs a band or photographer any less to work on Thursday night than it does on Saturday night. But, it’s hard for a vendor to commit to a lower price on a Saturday night, knowing that a full-price client could come along for the same night. On a Thursday night, a vendor may be more flexible.
Drink and food costs are also likely to be lower on a weekday since fewer people want to over-indulge and then go to work the next day. The main reason costs will be lower though is because you will have fewer guests.
If you are already planning a small wedding, and most of your guests are local, then a weekday wedding will not greatly effect attendance at your wedding. However, if many of your guests are from out of town then having a weekday wedding could mean many people important to you can’t make it. Even a Friday or Sunday night wedding can be difficult for those traveling, especially if they have school-age children, or jobs with difficult time-off policies.
If you choose to have a wedding on a Thursday, Friday, or Monday many of your guests may choose to turn the wedding in to a long weekend. Give some thought to whether you’re prepared to host guests for an entire weekend, or if you’ll feel left out if your guests continue the party without you.
As with all wedding planning the ultimate decision is yours, but you will need to weigh the feelings of others.
Would you consider a weekday wedding? Would you be hurt if a friend chose to hold a weekday wedding and you could not attend? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
For more advice on choosing a wedding date, and other planning advice, see our Weddings Event Page.
Photo of weekday wedding from OffBeat Bride, Gabriel Ryan Photographer