Weekday Wedding

Tara599

I have a Q and need your input: My fiancee and I want to get married on our anniversary date which happens to be a weekday, but its important to us to get married on that date.  This would also save us over $3000 on the ceremony/reception venue that we are looking into.  How do you feel about weekday weddings?

danieliza1127

What day of the week?  If it's a Friday, it's doable.  If it's a Monday - Thursday, you'll have a harder time getting people in from out of town.  You'll just have to decide what's more important - the date or having all of the people you love be there.

ootmother2

Unless you live in NYC where Thursday weddings are chic these days (no clue why), keep it to a weekend.

laurenclaire1386

As a guest, I find it irritating. But it also depends on what kind of wedding you're having. Do you want a longer reception with dancing and a bar and whatnot? I don't like partying on week nights. How many guests? How many guests are OOT? Even for weekend weddings, some OOT guests still have to take time off work, so having it during the week would compound that. Having it during the week might mean a lot of people won't be able to make it. But I get wanting to save 3 grand. That's a lot.

loop0406

I have never been to a weekday wedding, only Friday and that was okay, alot of guests were rushing after work to make ceremony at 6:30 though.

You have to be mindful of the guests, they would need time off their job if it's early ceremony...they need to get dressed, hair done, nails, etc. and pick up their kids from daycare. Your reception  would probably end early and most guests would leave to put their kids and themselves to bed. If that seems okay with you, go for it

Brie2010

I think they're fine, so long as you are okay with the fact that a) people will probably either miss or be late to the ceremony, since they'll be coming from work; b) people will leave early because they have to work the next day, and c) out of town guests may not be able to come.

wadingmoose

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_weekday-wedding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:a072a29c-6f6e-4472-a62a-644cd9e41f41Post:00836611-fe34-4757-8ecd-4a90ee946400">Weekday Wedding</a>:
[QUOTE]I have a Q and need your input: My fiancee and I want to get married on our anniversary date which happens to be a weekday, but its important to us to get married on that date.  This would also save us over $3000 on the ceremony/reception venue that we are looking into.  How do you feel about weekday weddings?
Posted by Tara599[/QUOTE]

It'll probably save you more than $3000.  If you have a lot of out of town guests, you'll probably find a significant number of people do not attend.  Even with people living in town, it's often very inconvenient and even difficult to find the time to attend a wedding on a weeknight.

Simply Fated

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_weekday-wedding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:a072a29c-6f6e-4472-a62a-644cd9e41f41Post:99a1e5da-3260-4d3f-97c9-972a62b83091">Re: Weekday Wedding</a>:
[QUOTE]I think they're fine, so long as you are okay with the fact that a) people will probably either miss or be late to the ceremony, since they'll be coming from work; b) people will leave early because they have to work the next day, and c) out of town guests may not be able to come.
Posted by Brie2010[/QUOTE]
This.

It's fine if you want to save money on the venue but you could be saving a lot more than just the cost of the venue. You might be saving money you would have been spending on guests. :)

AdeleDazeem

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_weekday-wedding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:a072a29c-6f6e-4472-a62a-644cd9e41f41Post:c2146f1a-d8d6-40bb-b083-7b7e7b1f2673">Re: Weekday Wedding</a>:
[QUOTE]Unless you live in NYC where Thursday weddings are chic these days (no clue why), keep it to a weekend.
Posted by ootmother2[/QUOTE]

Oooh!  I'm chic and didn't even know it - we're getting married on a Thursday.  'Course, we're having a destination wedding/family vacation situation going on so Thursday is less odd.

OP - you have to be cool with  lots of people being annoyed and many people not being able to make it.  I'd push it to the weekend.

Simply Fated

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_weekday-wedding?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:a072a29c-6f6e-4472-a62a-644cd9e41f41Post:d7180fd9-fa6d-4f67-a8e0-e937e8d9885b">Re: Weekday Wedding</a>:
[QUOTE]I'm not a fan of them, as a guest. Looking at your profile, it appears that your plan is for the wedding to take place on a <strong>Monday</strong>. For most people, unless (and maybe even if) your guest list is local, that will be a major headache, and honestly, I would need to be really close to you to make that work. And we wouldn't stay probably much beyond supper, because we would have to go to work the next day. I think that you should just get married Saturday, May 12th instead. THAT day will then be special to you. 
Posted by mrs.jesse[/QUOTE]
Yikes, I happen to know that most families (couples, people in general) don't even go out to dinner on Mondays.

vtbm

It's your wedding, do as you please. However, as others have mentioned, be prepared for a lot of guests to say no. If I was a guest, you would have to be a very close friend or family member for me to make that work and I'd still be aggravated about it. I don't even like Friday weddings. Getting home from work and ready for a wedding on time is a hassle, not to mention the traffic during the week. The only time I can see this working is if it's a destination wedding and people are making a trip out of it.

melliott09

If I was a guest, I would be irratated to have to take time off from work to attend your wedding. I've never been to a weekday wedding. I know it's cheaper for you guys, but don't be surprised if less people attended then you wanted.

I'm doing a weekday wedding, but it's during a family vacation, and only my family who is on vacation with us are attending.

I wouldn't have a ceremony/reception where I was inviting friends and family during the week.

Manwaithiel

Do a Sunday wedding. We're doing that and saving about as much as you are so far and it's still easy for our guests to make it. We also picked Memorial Day Weekend, so people have Monday off as well. There are ways to have your cake and eat it too.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

A few people here have had Monday weddings, but they didn't even need to ask if it was okay - that's what worked best because they had friends and family who were mostly freelancers or worked in retail/restaurant business. If you have to ask, probably not. Float the idea around with your families, but I bet you get some less-than-stellar responses.

If you go with a Sunday or Friday, that would be much easier on your guests and you might be able to save money too. The date will be special because it will be your wedding date.

Lisa8888

Not a good idea. Very inconvenient for your guests.

jemmini6

I have been toying with that idea myself, but i think a friday or sunday wedding can save just as much money and would be more convenient to your guests.  however, it depends a lot on the type of wedding you are having, your guest list, etc.  if just about everyone is local, and you are doing it somewhere easily accessible, then it might be ok.  keep in mind though, there are a lot of venues that are closed certain days during the workweek (since they are always open on weekends) and even certain vendors that do the same thing.  something to think about before you do a weekday wedding...

srkropf

I think that it's cool for you especially if it's an important date for you. However, just as posted above, a majority of your guest may not be able to come/may be late. However, if you're having a short ceremony and not a huge reception, then it probably wouldn't be a problem.

fangsiting

Wanting to have your wedding on your anniversary is a ridiculous reason to inconvenience people.  Why is this date so special?  Everyone has a dating anniversary (whether they remember it or celebrate it) and most people don't even take that into consideration when picking a date.  What makes your dating anniversary so special?

If a Monday wedding works for your crowd, then go ahead and do it.  However, if most of people work M-F 9 to 5 and/or are OOT, then its inconsiderate to do a week day wedding. 

marisah83

If that date is important to you, go for it.  Just expect that you will probably have fewer guests since a lot of people are unable to get off of work during the week.