Should I have a weekday wedding? An honest answer

Let’s face it, the primary reason for having a weekday wedding is to save some money. You get the odd couple who work weekends who might find it logistically better to get married in the week but I think for most people choosing a weekday wedding really comes down to the fact it’s often cheaper.

But is it wise? Most people only get the weekends off work and you’re asking people to use their precious holiday to come to your wedding. Will people even turn up if it’s a weekday?!

Honestly, it’s a lot to consider and I will start this by saying my fundamental believe is it’s YOUR wedding so do whatever you want to!! I certainly don’t believe there’s a rule that says you must get married on a Saturday and like most people we’re all well aware of how insane prices have got. So I’ve broken down what I really think about weekday weddings based on 10 years of photoraphing them!!

Money Saving

This is normally your starting point. Weekday weddings are normally cheaper when it comes to wedding venues, which is often your biggest outlay. Look around and you’ll find lots that offer a cheaper deal Monday-Thursday. You can often get extras included such s free canapes or some sort of other ‘freebie’. However, I know I for one don’t offer discounts for weekdays as it makes no difference to my workload and I’d imagine it’s the same for a lot of other suppliers.

Bigger choice of suppliers

This is definitely a plus, you’re far more likely to find suppliers you like straight away as weekdays are normally a less popular time to get married.

More choice for a smaller wedding

If you’re planning a smaller wedding then weekdays are definitely a win. Often suppliers and venues will rule out a smaller weekend wedding as you need to leave space for larger weddings. However, as weekdays are less in demand suppliers will often be more flexible. I know I offer photography for just a couple of hours on a weekday which I wouldn’t do for an advance booking on peak Saturday.

More choice for a last minute wedding

If you’ve decided to do your wedding in a hurry then weekdays really are a great option, a lot more availability means you’re more likely to be organise everything last minute without too much stress.

Know your guests

I think this one is key to making the decision. If nearly all your guests work during the week and if you’re inviting guests you will have to travel a long way then having a wedding on a Wednesday might not be the one. However if you’re a teacher for instance, with lots of friends who have time off in school holidays, or family who are retired then a weekday wedding can be a no-brainer.

Don’t expect the mad party

A little caveat with this, as I think this ties in with knowing your guests!, but in the main weekday weddings tend to have less of a mad evening vibe, on the whole if people have to be at work the next day they will generally hold back on going too nuts. Obviously you know your guests so you would be able to judge this better. And of course, not everyone wants a crazy party, in which case this could be a great option!!

Limiting your guest list

This can be a positive or a negative depending on what you really want but I think a weekday wedding is naturally limiting, it requires more of a commitment from your guests and that can mean you’ll get less people accept the invite….which could be a blessing if you’re kind of hoping for a smaller wedding!!

So should you book that weekday wedding?

Personally I really think it comes down to who you’re inviting and the sort of day you’re planning – for small or last minute they’re perfect. For other weddings I really think a lot of it comes down to how much of a party you want and your guests. If I was planning a large wedding and I was undecided I’d probably throw the question out to my most important people who I’d 100% want at my wedding and see what their response is. There are other ways to keep costs down rather than a weekday so it doesn’t have to be the only option to save money but like everything there will always be compromises so sometimes it’s just deciding which one is right for you.