Opinions on Friday Night Wedding?

I think it's asking a lot from people to take a day or 1/2 day off work to attend your wedding, but it's their choice. Some will choose not for to that very reason.

By Friday night I am beat. The last thing I feel like doing is getting dolled up for a wedding.

If it's what works for you, then it's what works. Lots of people do it. It just wouldn't be for me, and I'd be selective about whose wedding I attend on a Friday as well. You'd really have to mean something to me :-)

We are having our wedding on a Thursday in June of 2014. At first I thought the idea was ridiculous and was convinced that no one would show up. FH's entire family lives out of state. However, we found our dream venue, which offers half pricing on Thursdays. So it was have our dream venue on a Thursday and inconvenience a few people, or settle for something we weren't happy with on a Saturday. We discussed it with FH's family before booking and they all agreed that we should save money. They understand that we are saving for a house at the same time and none of them objected to us saving money. We have booked our photographer, who took 20% off for having it on a Thursday as well so when you look at the big picture, we've saved a ton.

edit: Friday night weddings are more common than you think. I have been to a couple. If you think about it, Friday night after work begins their weekend and most of them are going out anyway. So why not go to a wedding?

Friday weddings I have attended seem to be just as crowded and lively as Saturday weddings. Most of them have started after 6pm. Since you are in a rural area major rush hour traffic won't be a concern say somewhere like DC.

We are having our wedding on a Friday night and majority of our guests will be there. It's a Friday and a good start to the weekend. On top of that I agree with you about saving money not having it on a Saturday or Sunday becuase we are saving alot!! Go for it if that's what you really want.

Thanks for the thoughts - I hadn't really thought about people being tired after a long week. That's a good point. I actually live about 2 hours south of DC and traffic is pretty much a non-issue, so hopefully guests shouldn't need to leave work more than 1-2 hrs early at the most. Our rough timeline now is a 6PM ceremony, 6:30-7:15 photos (any remaining poses which weren't captured eariler in the day), reception until 10PM, then anyone who would still like to celebrate is welcome to join us at our favorite nearby beach bar. The reception is actually required to end at 10PM due to noise ordnances, so the grandparents don't have to be up too late if they don't want to be!

We're having our wedding on a Friday night as well. About 2/3 of the guests will be flying in from across the country and with the time zone change will have to take a minimum of one day off work either way. Those who aren't coming probably wouldn't come either way. We're starting our ceremony at 5:30. My only concern is the rush hour traffic in Philadelphia, so I'm hoping that people will take that into consideration and allow plenty of time. Those who live there know to do so. And those who are coming in will be taking a shuttle that we provide, which will come plenty early. Most of our guests are in professions in which taking a day or two off isn't an issue, especially with advance notice. Either way, as long as you give people enough advance notice, those who want to be there and are able to be there will be there. But regardless of who is there, you'll still be married. :-)

People go out on Friday all the tie. This is no different. Do it. I officiate on Friday almost every week.

My wedding will also be on a friday night, and so far no complaints from any guests. most of them are dying to get a day off of work anyways!

I'm having a Friday night wedding and so far no complaints. Most of them are coming the day before or coming Friday.

I would choose a Sunday over a Friday if it is just as cheap. To me that would be easier to travel on a Sunday rather than rush hour on a Friday or taking a day off of work. Friday should be fine though, the important people will make the effort to be there!

Thanks Aimee! We considered the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend (25 May 2014), but that date will happen to be two of our closest friends' 1-year wedding anniversary. And since they will be asked to be in our wedding party, we didn't think it'd be fair to ask so much of them on their special day. For us, the nighttime "party" feel is pretty important, and I think it'd be difficult to do that on a Sunday. But like you said, the important people will be there! We're very fortunate in that the vast majority of our guests live nearby. Gotta love small town life.

I'm also having a Friday wedding, although Saturday was my first option. For us it wasn't about saving money, it was the venue of our dreams and the only date that had available for the time period we wanted was a Friday date. By choosing it we also saved $10,000.

No one seems to mind. As We'llAlwaysHaveParis alluded, you have to be someone special to attend a Friday wedding, we are only inviting those that are special to us so no one has an issue. If they are traveling from out of state they'd have to take off work anyway. If they are local and indeed special to you, they won't mind leaving work early. As you mentioned rush hour is a non-issue. It sounds like your wedding is ending early enough that no one will be too tired.

We've heard from everyone that they were looking forward to the Friday wedding because they will still have the weekend to enjoy. I personally am not a fan of the Sunday wedding, because of those who have work the next day. Just my two cents, good luck!!

We're having a Thursday evening wedding and everyone seemed perfectly happy with it. We have maybe 10 family members who would have to travel but half of those wouldn't come even if it was on a Saturday. Happy planning

Thanks all, I think we'll go for the Friday date for sure now! I honestly think it will be no huge stress for the majority of our guests. And it'll be a great way to kick off a summer weekend! June 13th, 2014 ... a Friday the 13th at that!

A Friday wedding is no problem. The people who make it a priority to be at your wedding will come on Friday, Sat, Sun or any other day you choose. Who will be there will be there.

As an aside, my parents married on a Tuesday evening, did not send ANY invitations and my mom said the church was packed! LOL. They have been married 48 years and are ridiculously in love STILL.

My wedding is on a Friday. I really don't see what the problem is most people don't mind taking a 1/2 or even a full day on a Friday if they have enough time to do so. They can party hard and still have the rest of the weekend to recuperate.

You are totally fine with a Friday, go for it! There is plenty of time for folks to request a vacation/holiday day (just one day) to attend your wedding if they need to take the day of to travel or gt ready.

I am a planner and have done more Thursday and Friday weddings in 2012 (120+ guests) than ever before. We have at least 4 Friday weddings booked so far for 2013. If they want to be there, they will.

Personally I hate them. It's hard for me to get anywhere on a Friday night in the area I live in, I get little vacation time to begin with, so I dont want to take off for someones wedding unless its immediate family. But it is becoming more common. I think just be aware that you may get more nos than you might on a Saturday. Also, some people will skip the ceremony and come to the reception- that infuriates me so another reason why i didnt want to do that.

I have been to a few Friday weddings and its always been a little rushed getting out of work and getting changed and ready, but it is totally doable! It is YOUR wedding so dont worry so much about other people's schedules, just worry about doing what makes you happy. The people that mean the most to you will make it work with their schedule If certain guests do not want to take the afternoon off, then its probably not a huge loss for them not to attend! Unfortunatley there are always schedule conflicts with some guests even on Saturdays, there is just not alot you can do about that!

I would definitly recommend sending save the dates well in advance and make sure to note that it is a Friday wedding so your guests will have plenty of time to plan accordingly and request some time off if needed.

Good luck and congrats!

I think Friday is great, much better than Sunday. As you said pretty much everyone is close by. They will have lots of notice, just be sure to put Friday June... instead of ust June ... or youmight have some people show up a day late.

I mean you'll save a bundle the people who need to will come early and take time off work, but not a whole week like a destination wedding. Everyone has their entire wknd to recover. You might get a few more no's from people who you really don't want there anyways which is an added bonus IMO.

Go for it! But send STD's 6 mths ahead some people have to request summer time off REAL early if they do need a fri off work.