The Pros and Cons of a Weekday Wedding

Story time: Back in 2020, before all the lockdowns, I was invited to a close friend’s wedding which was set on a Friday, and it also happened to be Valentine’s Day. It was even out of town. According to my friend, only people who were willing to take time off work, and brave Friday payday traffic on a holiday when couples flock to date spots in the South, would be sure to come. It was honestly a pretty clever idea to limit the number of guests.

Now that intimate weddings are on the rise, and work-from-home as well as hybrid work arrangements are in existence for more companies, weekday weddings are becoming almost as convenient as weekend events. Almost. There are still quite a few reasons why a wedding on, let’s say, a Monday might not be right for you either. So, before you make a pencil booking, consider the pros and cons of having your wedding on a weekday. We made a list for you! Take a look below.

The Pros and Cons of a Weekday Wedding

Pros

You Can Save Some Money
If you’ve started inquiring about rates for reception venues and accommodations, you’ll notice that there’s a difference between weekends and weekdays. The latter is the cheaper option. So, if you want to take advantage of significant discounts (which could be around P4,000 to P5,000 less, per night for accommodations), then a weekday wedding allows you to have more budget wiggle room. It could also mean being able to book your dream venue at a friendlier price point.

You Can Trim the Guest List
Just like my friend who held her wedding on a Valentine’s Day Friday, a weekday wedding can be a tactic to lessen your guest count. It’s a way to make sure that only people you’re close to will be present. Of course not everyone will be willing to drive for more than one hour, especially if the venue is out of town. Also, since it’s a work day, only close friends and relatives who are happy to spend their limited, paid vacation days for your wedding will RSVP with a Yes. That means they really love you!

You Have Less Competition
Saturdays are the coveted days of the week for weddings, which means more competition when it comes to booking your favorite suppliers. A weekday wedding, however, could gain you higher chances to seal the deal with the vendors you truly want on your team. Venues will have more open dates as well, so you’re likely to book your first choice even if it’s a highly sought after hotel or restaurant.

Your Guests Can Make a Vacation Out of It
Since your guests will be taking time off from their work schedule anyway, your wedding can be a day where they can relax, and have fun. If you’re having a destination wedding, you can make an itinerary of activities which also allows them to have free time to explore the locale. Turn your wedding into a whole experience you can all make a core memory out of!


Your Guests May Have Schedule Conflicts
A weekday wedding could be convenient for friends who work remotely.  On the other hand, do expect that a weekday event might not work into others’ schedules as easily. There could be a face-to-face meeting they can’t miss or, for parents, a school event where they are required to attend.  If you also want your nieces, nephews, or godchildren as part of your wedding, you’ll have to remember that weekdays are school days and exam days. Just be sure to make arrangements in advance if you want kids at your wedding. If it really isn’t possible for the kids to attend, then there’s no need to force it.

Your Program May Need to End Early
An after-party might not be possible if your wedding is scheduled in the middle of a work week. Your guests will be thinking about waking up early the next day to clock-in on time. That means no late night drinking or dancing. Your program might need to end strategically around 10PM.

You Have to Deal with Weekday Traffic
We know how much of a struggle the rush hour traffic is, so of course you’ll need to watch out for this when you’re having a weekday wedding. If your venue is located within business districts, anticipate heavy traffic and some delays for your guests coming from farther areas. A solution is to give your entourage and suppliers an early call time to escape from the peak of traffic. Give yourself allowance as well because you wouldn’t want to be late for your own wedding.

Having these pros and cons laid out, what do you think of weekday weddings? Do the pros outweigh the cons? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

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