Friday vs Saturday

I don't mind Friday weddings that start around 6 or 6:30. Your logistics can make all the difference in people being able to attend. Here is something to share with you.

When my youngest step daughter got married the first time she was 18 and absolutely knew that a 5 pm Friday wedding would be great idea, no looking at logistics for her that time. She got married in May. Several of my sisters-in-law are teachers and contractually they get no PTO the last 30 days of the school year. Because she was so stuck on 5pm none of them or the cousins could attend because of the travel time. She took it quite personally but she created that situation herself because she didn't look at the broad picture.

It had nothing to do with "oh, those who love you will find a way to be there" crap. BTW, my pet peeve of wedding advice because it really is crap. She didn't look at her guest list and think about making her decisions so that as many as possible could attend.

Now... her sister got married several years later, again a Friday evening in May. Chose a 6:30 start time and EVERYONE that couldn't attend the other wedding was able to make it to hers. She looked at her guest list and made decisions that allowed for max attendance.

I realize not everyone marries into a family full of teachers like I did, but not everyone can take the day off or part of the day off. Starting later can really make all the difference in how many can attend a Friday wedding.

Our family has now had several Friday weddings and they have been starting in the 6:30 arena. Attendance has been awesome.

Good luck in your planning, and remember logistics is everything!

I am having my ceremony on a Friday. They only had Fridays and Sundays left for the time I wanted at my venue. Honestly no one cares that it is on a Friday and they say that if it saves you money too that it great. My venue is 2,000 cheaper on Friday than Saturday. We just decided to do our ceremony at 530 in the afternoon so people work some of the day if they wanted and not take as much time off. Also it seems more and more common for weddings to be on Fridays and Sundays.

Go for Friday. You may have a few people who won't be able to make it, but not necessarily. A few of the last few weddings I've gone to have been on Fridays and they had fantastic guest turnouts. My wedding is scheduled for a Friday because that was the only date we could get for the venue we wanted. I guess I'll find out in a few months how that works for everyone!

We have a friday wedding...acutally in 8 more Fridays!!! The cost is definitely cheaper and the guest minimum is lower. 100 for a Friday night and 150 minimum for Saturday at our venue. Thats a HUGE price difference at just about $115 pp. We sent STDs in September to give people ample time to plan, if they are attending. We are well aware that a Friday wedding means people taking off work. That is entirely their choice of course, if they choose to attend. If you are paying for your wedding on your own, your mom has no say. If she is paying something, then she has a say. Stand your ground- it's your wedding.

I would keep the Friday! If someone absolutely wants to be there, THEY WILL BE THERE, regardless of which day it is. When we were planning, we wanted a Friday wedding. Ours is only on Saturday now because our venue allows us full access to the space from Friday-Sunday for set up, rehearsal, wedding, and take down/clean up, if needed. Fridays are much cheaper so I would stick with it because it will definitely help your budget!

I would definitely go for a Friday wedding to save money. We're having a Friday wedding because it's cheaper and the minimum is much lower. Our ceremony is at 6pm and the reception is in the same place. My FH and his groomsmen are all cops and they're making it work by getting off work a little early. If they can do it, I'm sure others can!

We are having a Thursday wedding and no one has complained. I feel if they want to be there, they will, but I did take into consideration everyone's work schedule and the kids school schedule.

View Quoted Comment I think this is a good idea. You can give them a heads up and then they can see if they can get the time off. If You want Friday do Friday. Its yours and your FH day!!!! Congrats!!

Have the Friday wedding. I had a Friday wedding, my sister had a Friday wedding, and most of our friends have had Friday weddings. I had 150 people come to my Friday wedding, people will come to yours too! It's perfectly fine to do, and very, very common. And easier on the wallet! The Friday price at my venue was $45 per person less than the Saturday price for literally the same exact package. Our venue didn't even have any Saturdays available, but once I saw the price difference, I was very happy to be booking on a Friday lol. Plus, it gives your guests the whole weekend to recoup after, instead of just Sunday.

ETA our wedding started at 5pm and everyone was at the ceremony, not one empty seat.

Our wedding is on a Friday in September, starting at 6pm. Having our wedding on a Friday saved us $1600 on the venue alone!! Do what works for you.. no offense mom but it's my day! If people have advance notice, if they want to be there, they will be there! Most people will come and stay because a lot of people don't work Saturdays (I do work Saturdays but that wouldn't stop me from going to a Friday evening wedding). I say do what you want!

Its your wedding. Have it when you can afford to have it. People will come.

I've been to plenty of Friday weddings. There are downsides and upsides, but mostly I found myself grateful I had an extra day to recover before going back to work.

The biggest downside is totally dependent on your location and ceremony time, and that would be traffic. Definitely consider the traffic situation in your town on a Friday and plan accordingly.

Ours is in a Friday in June and the start time is 6 p.m. We chose a Friday for all the reasons mentioned - we didn't think we had enough to make the minimum number of guests for a Saturday in prime wedding season (100 on a Friday vs. 150 on a Saturday), and the price was $44 off the usual price per person. We even got the wedding ceremony added at about half-price, and discounts on upgrades too.

We just made sure to send save-the-dates to our VIPs. We sent them in November to beat the holiday mail and to give them plenty of notice. Our wedding is also the weekend before the Fourth of July, so we know that a lot of people might usually have travel plans then too.

Finally, we won't be upset if people can't make it or if they skip the ceremony but show up during cocktail hour or for the reception. We realize that not everyone can get off work, so we'll be happy with those who can make it.

We are going with a Friday wedding as well, mainly for the cost, but it does not tie up the weekend. Your guest would be able to get off work on Friday, attend the wedding and still have the weekend for other plans.

If you want a small wedding, just don't be apologetic about it! We have had some similar troubles with work friends, childhood friend, etc. expecting to be invited, but you can always just say that your venue can't accommodate that many people, you're having a small and intimate wedding, etc. I think you're right that having it on a Friday may help too. The day is about you and if you want to get married on a Tuesday, go for it! As long as the people that you NEED to be there can be there, I say do you.