According to Jaquelyn Aleece, founder of The Wedding Plan & Company, “Instead of waiting months and fighting for the ideal weekend date at your venue of choice, you might opt to hold your wedding during the week instead.”
This idea gained momentum right after Covid restrictions lifted, and has stayed despite venues’ availability easing. Why? Because, just about everything you want will be less pricey and more available. (Plus you get a better chance of getting the venue and the caterer you really want.)
Considering that there are only 52 weekends in any given year, venues, florists, caterers, and rental companies can (and do) charge a premium for Friday and Saturday weddings. That's why a weekday wedding can be a lot more practical.
Here’s what wedding planners say about weekday weddings:
The pros
"If you get married during the week, it's a big cost saver," reports Christine Figliuolo, founder of Creations By Christine Events. “If you go with a less popular day, you'll likely save on everything from the venue to the photographer.”
If your venue is booked one, two, even three years out, you probably don't want to wait that long to get married.
Sarah Trotter, owner and lead planner of Lasting Impressions Weddings suggests, “A weekday wedding might make sense if you have a special calendar date in mind.”
Weekday weddings are more commonplace in destination weddings, where couples and their guests are building vacations around their nuptials. Guests are more likely to be flexible since they're already at the location.
The cons
There's a high likelihood that your guests will have conflicts around jobs, children, sports, and other obligations.
A lot depends on the timing of the ceremony, and how many people are local versus flying in from out of town.
Those guests who can come may not be able to stay for a late evening if they have to work the next day.
Cost savings may not be huge. The truth is that the work of a photographer, a wedding planner, florist, bartender, or cost of food and drink is exactly the same no matter the day. It’s the convenience of a less busy time that saves you money.
How to finagle your weekday event
Let guests know the date and location (even if it's not the specific venue) at least 6 months before the wedding.
· Ensure that the most important guests can attend. Clear the day and date with them prior to signing venue or vendor contracts.
· Manage your expectations. Choose the day and time with your guests in mind. Be considerate of everyone else who has a life.
The best week day for weddings? Experts agree that Thursday evenings work well as many folks can take the following day, Friday, off work.
Another ideal day is the Monday of any three-day weekend such as Labor Day or frankly, any holiday (like the 4th of July, for instance) that includes an extra day off. Bonus – you can plan the wedding around that holiday, weaving the theme into your colors, music, decor and food. Plus with a three day span to work around, more family and friends are likely to come to your event!
No matter what day you choose for your wedding, Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering team will work with you to make sure your wedding reception goes smoothly and tastes amazing. Let’s talk about what you want.
