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Kayleigh
Just Said Yes July 2020

Friday wedding people!!

Kayleigh, on July 14, 2019 at 11:19 AM Posted in Etiquette and Advice 1 28
I’m soooo torn right now between a Friday and Saturday wedding. It’s a $1k savings between the fact that there is no food minimum and also the venue rental fee. I’m strict on staying to my budget so this will help me be in budget. However, if having a Friday wedding means that a significant number of people won’t go to the dinner/reception then it’s not worth it to me. Therefore, I’m wondering your experiences. Pros, cons?

Here's the guest list breakdown based on location (total guest list is around 185 now)Out of state: 13 (3 of them will not come no matter what date it is)
In state within 45 mins of venue: everybody else
In state 2 hours from venue: 4 (1 family)

28 Comments

Latest activity by Paula, on July 21, 2019 at 7:06 AM
  • Gen
    Champion June 2019
    Gen ·
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    Is there also a discount for Sunday?
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  • Kayleigh
    Just Said Yes July 2020
    Kayleigh ·
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    It’s the same deal for a Friday and Sunday but I for sure don’t want a Sunday wedding
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  • B
    Savvy August 2021
    Brittany ·
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    I am having a Friday wedding! I was a bit worried about not having as many people being able to attend, but after talking with people, realized that having it later on the day allows for more people to come. Some people will take the day off or work, some will leave work early that day, and some may not be able to come at all, and thats alright. Those people that mean the world to you will likely make accommodations in their schedule to be there for you on such an important day.

    Our reception will be at 5:30pm, with dinner at 7. A later ceremony may allow for more people to attend, and if they miss the ceremony, they'd likely be able to attend the reception.
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  • Tessa
    Devoted November 2019
    Tessa ·
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    If the wedding is late, start time 6 or 630, it should be fine. That way the local folks can still come after work. The traveling folks would be taking off work to get there anyways. We are doing Friday at 430. It's the latest marriage appointment at the courthouse. But our family can still work a half day and make it. In my opinion Friday is fine if it's not snack on the middle of a work day.
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  • Tessa
    Devoted November 2019
    Tessa ·
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    Smack* in the middle haha. I guess even my fingers are always thinking about snacks.
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  • CDickman
    VIP September 2019
    CDickman ·
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    Demands I don’t get off till 63, I would talk to your VIPs. See if they can do it.
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  • Rockie
    Devoted June 2019
    Rockie ·
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    I had a Friday wedding. The turn out I had was what I would have expected regardless of day (ie we knew uncle and aunt xyz would never come). We even had people we thought would never make it come! Our ceremony was at 6 pm so no one had to take a full day off and our cocktail hour started right after at 6:30. I was nervous no one would have energy to dance but I was so wrong. There was never a moment the dance floor was empty. In fact there was a point where atleast 75% of people were in the floor screaming along to a queen song. I think everyone was in happy it’s friday mode. I was told that it was nice to not feel like people lost a whole day in the weekend and had tons of time to recover before Monday. Additionally depending on the season a lot of weddings are on Saturday so you may be competing with other brides dates (ie family friend may have a niece getting married the same Saturday as you) but I feel like friday poses less of a risk. My rehearsal/ dinner was Thursday around 4:30 and all 16 members of the bridal party are able to come. Out of town guests can leave Thursday night and only have to take off Friday, and people can work half days if they really want. If people want to be at a wedding they probably won’t mind taking half a day off. And if they don’t want to come they prob won’t make an effort in a Saturday either. Saturday or Friday there will always be people who can’t come, heck a lot of people even work saturdays like first responders and medical staff, so pick a day that works best for you and your VIP guests (mom dad siblings).
    We had one couple arrive a little late and missed the ceremony due to work but it didn’t bother me at all.
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  • Kelly
    Super October 2019
    Kelly ·
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    I like Friday weddings as a guest. We are doing a Saturday lunch wedding. It’s significantly cheaper - over $5k, but we have a descent amount of ppl traveling. Another thing to keep in mind is the rehearsal dinner (if you are having one), will need to be on a Thursday - if your wedding party & VIP can attend.
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  • M
    Legend June 2019
    Melle ·
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    My friend did Sunday to save money for the same reason as the minimum needed was far lower. I can see why you wouldn't want Sunday because It is tiring. However Friday I actually think is not a bad idea if it's later like 6p or something. Even if it wasn't 6p though I'd still go because at that point everyone is on weekend mode anyway and I personally wouldn't mind leaving work early to start the weekend!
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  • Courtney
    Master December 2019
    Courtney ·
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    I was in a Friday wedding and it was great! Everyone with took the day off, or half day, from work and we had the whole day to prepare. Then we had all of Saturday and Sunday to unwind and hang out with out of owners. Some people had to travel but it wasn't a big deal.

    Do what's best for you.

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  • Karina
    Dedicated June 2020
    Karina ·
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    We are having a Friday wedding at 5:30pm and I don’t think we’ll have any issues with majority of our guests attending. The price was way less for a Friday for our venue as well. We don’t have a lot of out of town guests, and it’s definitely more convenient than a Sunday wedding because people will have Saturday to recover.
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  • Jessica
    Beginner September 2019
    Jessica ·
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    Im doing a Friday and im super excited about it. Our ceremony is at 530 with dinner at 730. Thats leaving Saturday open to have all our out of towners which is basically all the groomsman at our house for a fun relaxed gathering/bonfire the next night. I mean the savings is incredible so that definitely pushed me in that direction. The extended party day is just a bonus
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  • Jessica
    Devoted November 2019
    Jessica ·
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    Everyone who wants to be there will be there, even on a Friday, given they get plenty of advance notice.
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  • J
    Master 0000
    Judith ·
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    As long as you set a time which allows them to not take off work, and travel, you should have great attendance . People do go places within an hour drive for an 8pm ( or 7:30) dinner start time. But plan to do as many pictures as possible, everything but you two together, before ceremony time. So you will be there for all but 20 minutes or so of cocktail hour. Otherwise, some may get antsy and leave without the hosts present, and stop for dinner on the way home, having seen the ceremony. Friday night end of work week, once they arrive, people want to keep going, not pause an hour or so ( which is too long a cocktail hour after a ceremony on a Friday night, after a day of work plus travel ). But if it looks like a half hour ceremony, no more than 15 min to start of a half hour cocktail time then in to sit at the reception, you won't list many people. It also cuts the liquor bill.
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  • R
    Super September 2018
    Rachel ·
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    How formal is your wedding? Do your local guests also work near where they live? If I were married where my family live many of them commute 30-60 minutes or more each way for work. If I’m local, I’m pretty tempted not to take any time off of work for a Friday wedding but it’s also a hustle to get home, get done up and get to the venue in time. For me $1,000 isn’t enough of a price break to do a Friday wedding, I’d be expecting a couple thousand dollar discount to pick Friday (or Sunday) over Saturday.
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  • Cheryl
    Expert November 2020
    Cheryl ·
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    I'd take an informal poll and see what people say.
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  • A
    Expert August 2019
    Aliciabilly2019 ·
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    If they really want to be at your special day they wont care if its a sat or a fri they will be there im doing mine on a fri people can sleep off there hangovers next day bc no work for most people lol do whats best for you thats still alot of people and it gets costly for food for that many ....fridays tend to be less expensive days to book venues thatd why i picked it to so i had more money for food and flowers etc GLSmiley smile
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  • F
    VIP August 2019
    Futuremrsk ·
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    We have a Friday wedding with a 5pm start time. We talked with all our family we wanted to invite and they said it would be fine. Most of them are fine with the 5pm start. It's the latest we could do our ceremony (we originally wanted 6 or 6:30pm). Our out of towners are making a weekend out of it, wedding Friday and staying Saturday to explore the city. It saves us a few thousands dollars, so it was 100% worth it to us.

    Those who want to be there will make it so they can be there. Do what's best for you!
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  • Rhiannon
    Savvy October 2020
    Rhiannon ·
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    Ours is a Friday afternoon ceremony, with our reception being on the same property. Ours is the Friday of Memorial weekend. We like that we can unwind and spend time with guests the rest of the weekend and people will still have Monday off to recover from traveling.
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  • A
    Expert August 2019
    Aliciabilly2019 ·
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    Exactly jessica if they love you guys and your that important to them it wont matter what day of the week it is!
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