Thursday or Friday Wedding

Thursday after the long weekend? That would be really hard for people to do especially after a long weekend.

I think a Thursday may be hard especially for OOT guest, because not everyone has holidays off. IMO a Friday would be better.

I would go with Friday. It will be a lot easier on people who will be traveling and like you said, you will have the rest of the weekend to visit with family. It also really depends on how much you really want people to attend. I would think that it might be difficult for people to get the time off from work since the week before was a long weekend.

It can be really hard to get a day off right after a long weekend. Keep in mind that if guests are coming from out of town, they will probably need to take off on Thursday AND Friday. I think the Friday before the long weekend is the better option.

We are doing our wedding on a Thursday and most guests are coming from out of town. but we asked our family and friends whom we really wanted to be at the wedding if they would make it. and they said they would come despite the day of the week so we went with Thursday. and plus venues will do everything to get u great deals since its thursday. and lots of vendors will discount big time.
I loved my venue. the package me and FH got would cost $100pp on a regular Friday through sunday wedding but they worked with us and we got 75% off! you will be surprised how much you get for Thursday! :-)

So, you're looking at Fri., 10/5, (Mon., 10/8 is the holiday), and looking at Thurs., 10/11/12. Fri. would cost $2,000 more than Thurs. would. Would Thurs. be less expensive than Sun., 10/7?

Most people (including FH's guests who would have to travel) would have off on Sat., Sun., Mon. and have to work on Tues., travel on Wed. to be in your town Thurs. for the wedding and maybe Fri. and then travel home.

I think if you want to make it easier on FH's guests, go with the holiday weekend and aim for ceremony on Sat. or Sun., so they have Mon. to travel home.

If you go with the Thursday wedding, you'll have mostly local guests.

Last month, to attend my niece's wedding out of state, I had to fly on Wed., attend reh. dinner Thurs. evening, wedding Fri. afternoon, reception Fri. evening, brunch Sat. morning, family BBQ on Sun., and fly home on Monday.

Mines in a tuesday with ceremony starting at 5:30 so far we have 77 guests say yes out of 130 who were invited. If its important to them, and if you give them enough notice about the date they can usually make it work.

Doing a tuesday saved us TON

I agree with Anjuli. send STDs soon for many out of guests. 77 is pretty good so far!

I think either way you are really putting your guests out.

On Friday, you are taking up their whole holiday weekend. Maybe they like to go to the cabin on that weekend or have a traditional family camping trip. Now they can't use their holiday weekend and their day off to do that, they have to go to your wedding. Some people have precious few 3 day weekends to do such things. Also, with Friday, most people will have to take a half day to get to your wedding on time or the day off for travel. Since it's a holiday weekend, it can often be difficult to get that day off since people try to make it a 4 day weekend.

On Thursday, you are asking people from out of town to take 2 days off.

Im very happy about the number. our guest limit max is 100 but i sent out extras assuming not everyone would show

If you had all local a Thursday would be okay..however you stated that many of FH's guests are oot..sure you would save money, but more of them would not be able to come..now maybe if it was a thursday before the long weekend rather than after it may be different..

I do disagree with a common sentiment on here tho, that if it was important to guests they would make it happen (that's like saying "if they can't come on an universally inconvenient day, screw them!")...just because they can't make it doesn't mean it isn't important to them..

I think it boils down to, do you care more about saving $2000 than having it be easier on guests and more of them come and having some that come be a bit put off? Not saying which you should choose, you may be on a tight budget. Good luck deciding! :-)

Thats what we are doing too. our guest limit is 125 but we are sending 150 invites. and we have a waiting list the day of the week doesnt matter much as long as those who really care about you come and enjoy the day with you.

The friday would be better since the still have the rest of the weekend to enjoy the holiday/slash weeding. I picked Memorial Day weekend with a Saturday wedding so they would still have 2 day to travel home and relax.

@ab. The statement about if its important they can make I believe has an exception to it. Even though I say it- and still agree I also know there is an exception. My sister will not be able to make it to our wedding due to her work (michales crafts) having a blackout date for stocking and them not allowing her to take it off. They told her if she didnt show up that day she would be fired. So of course I dont want her fired so i understand she cant make it. I dont shop at that store anymore, and returned everything i bought for the wedding from them!

However- this will not be the case with everyone on the list. Yes money is tight- but it can be saved for, and planned out- other relatives who are better off can assist a family in getting there etc. It may also be "known" that you shouldnt take the day off before a long weekend but if you talk to the boss about the situation you would be surprised at how much just a little talk can do. especially if you have been a good employee. cont-

For us it really boiled down to our budget- we chose something cheaper over a date. You know yourself and your family best- do what you think would be the best solution. Keep your guests in mind but please dont break your budget because you think more people will come on a friday. Thats a silly reason to spend an extra 2000.

I think either day is really inconveniencing your guests, but of those two choices- Friday for sure!

You have guests coming from out of town- so they will incur expenses and have to take time off work. A 3 day weekend often has a premium for hotels- and potentially even your venue. I'd verify that you will actually save money doing that Friday. I'd also check into that Sunday. Then, you can have time BEFORE the wedding with friends and family and can have time after the wedding to actually just be a couple and not obligated to spend time with people besides each other.

Personally I think both Thursday and Friday weddings make it very difficult for your guests. They will have to take off a day from work, and if they are coming from out of town probably more than just 1 day off. And what holiday is in October that makes it a long weekend>? The only one I can think of is Columbus day and people around here do not get off for that.

Thank you for the responses! This is really helpful. In response to Nancy T, The Sunday would actually be nearly twice as expensive as having it on Friday, and we have a very tight budget, so that is out. Both of us decided on that fact.

I kind of feel that if we nail this date thing down, and decide on the Thursday (which would be 10/11/12, and I really enjoy that number), then I would be sending out the save-the-dates within the next 6 weeks. That would give everyone over a year to figure out arrangements and to talk with us so that we could help them out in any way we can. I have spoken with a few of my "must have" people and they have not been adverse to the idea of a Thursday. My FH has talked with a few of his as well and only one had an if-f reaction. Again though, I have no idea, hence the forum question.

Keep the responses coming though, they are really very helpful!!

Anjuli i swear its like you are reading my thoughts! LOL scary..but seriously Cloie its your day and if your family and friends can make it then thats all that counts. if they cant welp sorry they wont be there but dang u just saved even more money with one less plate! :-) Like Anjuli said, dont get broke over pleasing pple. if that day excites you, go for it! at the end of the day you will have a fabulous wedding despite the day of the week and you will spend it with your family and friends. my advice on wedding decisions, you cant try to make everyone happy otherwise you will stress yourself out. but instead, do what makes you and FH happy! there will always be those people who wont be happy. its part of it.

I get reactions about Thursday from pple and you know what I tell em " if you cant make it, it will be unfortunate, we understand" and move on. party doesnt stop cuz one or a couple persons are not coming! more food moredrinks LOL

As a recent guest at a Thursday wedding, PLEASE don't do it! It was for one of my closest friends in the world (she's in my BP) and so I had to go, but it was really tough. The wedding was about 3.5 hrs away and I'd just started a new job (so had my FH) so we both immediately requested Thurs afternoon and Fri morning off. (We worked Thurs morning and Fri afternoon!) The whole thing felt really rushed. We barely made it on time to the ceremony - fortunately, she was a few minutes late, but we made it with only 2 minutes to spare since we had to change and we couldn't find our resort. Then, we couldn't drink much, stay out late, or truly enjoy ourselves since we had to leave by 9am the next morning. I thought the wedding was beautiful, but it was really tough having it on a Thursday.

Also, my FH and I are having a Sat. morning ceremony and an afternoon wedding to save money and I have some family who are only a 4 hr plane ride away and a lot of them say because of the time (cont)