Friday v. Sunday Reception

CuomsJ2 · September 2010

Hi everyone,

We are in the process of booking a venue and have began to really consider a Friday or Sunday evening reception. It's a big savings, and we know everyone who means anything to us will make sure they are there regardless. Just want to take a kind of informal poll here.... The wedding will be in July of 2012. Would you prefer to attend a Friday or Sunday night wedding?

As a wedding guest I have found Friday evening weddings difficult as Friday is a work day. On the other hand, Sunday's aren't a work day but I'm always thinking about having to wake up early for work the next day.

What do you guys think??

lyndausvi · September 2010

I picked Friday, but honestly I would attend either day.

ehathewa · September 2010

I would try my best to attend either one.

psuxray07 · September 2010

I think Friday would be easier if you have a decent amount of time after the normal work day ends so people could get ready and be there on time. I wouldn't prefer the Sunday one because of getting up for work the next day...I would probably leave early. Mine is on a Friday (but it's NYE so basically a holiday and a lot of people are off lol).

jagore08 · September 2010

I voted for Friday because I would rather try to get off work a little early and enjoy the evening rather than have to leave a reception early.

mysticl · September 2010

I would go with Friday. If it was local I would take a half day (maybe a whole) off work. But wouldn't go in late on a Monday. I've worked places where you have to give a reason for your time off. In those cases I'd be more likely to get the time off if I said I had a wedding the day I wanted off rather than one the day before I wanted off.

If I had to travel I'd end up taking time off it was Friday or Sunday.

lalap69 · September 2010

I voted Friday, with the understanding that the ceremony wouldn't be until 5:30 at the earliest. Not everyone can get off work early.

VRL · September 2010

As a wedding guest, I would much prefer a Friday evening wedding. That way I know I can go, enjoy myself and stay as long as I like without having to worry about work/school the next day.

For me, Fridays - by their own inherent nature - have a much better vibe. Almost everyone looks forward to Friday because they then have the whole weekend ahead of them to do whatever they please. That's a lot of great karma to have on your wedding day (if you're into that sort of thinking).

If you're concerned about people being able to make it due to work constrictions (which is justified), hold your ceremony at 7 pm, followed immediately by a half hour of cocktails that lead into dinner.

Hope this helps!

SaraAndrew2010 · September 2010

I voted for Friday. I feel like people are more lively on a Friday night than on a Sunday. And since you are having a July wedding, the days are really long and it will still be light late into the evening.

Either one would be difficult for OOT guests, but I think a Friday night reception would be more fun.

Ashes_3 · September 2010

I agree with Friday. That way you have all weekend and you don't have to worry about getting up early the next day for work!

jcbender0 · September 2010

We are having ours Sunday during the day to avoid people having to leave early. The ceremony is at 11:30, cocktail hour at 12, and ends at 5. A lot of my friends are teachers (most of my guest list), so they will all be off Monday anyways.

fallbride1109 · September 2010

I picked Friday. For Sunday, I would prefer an early ceremony/brunch reception (which we considered ourselves) rather than the evening.

kristinanddan · September 2010

Friday. We went to a Sunday evening wedding once and didn't take off the next day. We left around 11 or 11:30 with a lot of other guests, but I think the reception wasn't supposed to end until 12 or 1.

aerinpegadrak · September 2010

For a night wedding, definitely Friday. On a Sunday, we'd probably be in bed before the party even started.

JenO24 · September 2010

I voted for a Sunday wedding.
I had a Sunday wedding and there were NO issues! We had a 4 pm ceremony and the reception ended by 9:30ish.

OP - if the majority of your guests will be from OOT then most likely they'd have to take time off from work either way even if it was a Saturday wedding. If most of your guests are locals then it really wouldn't matter I dont think if you did a late Friday wedding or a Sunday wedding since they're close to home.

I don't think anything was wrong w/ the OP statement of "we know everyone who means anything to us will make sure they are there regardless" because it's true! That how DH and I felt and everyone who we truely wanted to be there was regarless of the location and time.

mica178 · September 2010

I chose Sunday (and am having a Sunday wedding). My job is busiest Friday afternoons, so I can't really take them off without asking for vacation time. Also, as someone who's been in the wedding party for a Friday destination wedding, that meant I had to take off both Thursday and Friday so I could attend the rehearsal.

If you choose Friday, do it later in the evening, start time at 7pm or so, and if you do Sunday, see if it can be an afternoon/early evening reception.

smariex18 · September 2010

I agree with VRL - Fridays just have a better "vibe" to me. We couldnt afford the venue we wanted on a Saturday, so our wedding is Friday, June 17th

sjersey86 · September 2010

I'd prefer to go to a Friday wedding because it's a great way to kick off the weekend but at the same time ours in on a Sunday because FI just had to have our wedding on our anniversary. Our wedding is from 3 - 8 p.m. so there shouldn't be an issue with people wanting to leave early.

gottahavashorti · September 2010

[QUOTE]I don't think anything was wrong w/ the OP statement of " we know everyone who means anything to us will make sure they are there regardless " because it's true! That how DH and I felt and everyone who we truely wanted to be there was regarless of the location and time.
Posted by JenO24[/QUOTE]
Does that mean our step-niece doesn't love us because she got sick the day before the wedding and SSIL and her H realized that driving 10 hours with a sick pre-schooler was a bad idea? Or that our friend who drove an hour to our ceremony only because he had to be at his cousin's wedding 3 hours away on the same day didn't care about us as much as we thought, even though he was really, really upset about having to miss our reception but knew he should go to the family wedding that would probably be the last major event on his grandparents' property?

Sometimes stuff comes up or people aren't able to shift their schedules. It doesn't mean they don't care about the B&G.

gottahavashorti · September 2010

OP, if most of your guests are in Monday through Friday, 9 to 5 jobs I'd go with Friday evening since your Sunday option is evening and not lunchtime or afternoon. On my current schedule, Sunday evening is what would work best for me, but that is probably not how it is for the majority of people.

MyNameIsNot · September 2010

If you want to do evening, do Friday. But don't start until 7 or so. Some people can leave work early, but it's rude to force people to do so.

If you are open to an afternoon event, Sunday can be great. But if you want an evening party feel, you probably aren't going to get it on a Sunday night.

And please do lose the "everyone who loves us will be there no matter what" way of thinking. Things happen, and not everyone will be able to make it. You're inviting them, not subpoenaing them. Declining doesn't mean they don't love you. It just means life gets in the way. This way of thinking is just setting yourself up to get your feelings hurt every time you get an RSVP back.

justdreaminaway · September 2010

Friday Friday Friday.

annie6672 · September 2010

We're doing it on Sunday and it works better all around! Some people raised eyebrows as they had never heard of a Sunday wedding before but we're getting great discounts all around. It was hard to find a Catholic Church though that would allow a Sunday ceremony!

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