Benefits of a Friday Wedding

I’m not sure if you have ever considered having your wedding on a Friday, but I would imagine you have gone back ‘n forth with the idea. Let’s start with some of the positive things that you could benefit from by having your wedding on a Friday!

1) Venues have more availability

The wedding industry and all vendors only have 2 (maybe 3) days per week that they can work. Think about it…weddings tend to be on weekends, whether that be a Friday, Saturday or Sunday unless you decide to Elope, which can be done at any time during the week/day. Weddings are typically booked on Saturdays, so venues could have more flexibility for Friday weddings.

Also see: Top 10 reasons to Elope

2) It’s more affordable

Well, who doesn’t like that? Sometimes venues and vendors might offer discounts for booking on a Friday. You might have better luck negotiating with venues for lower rates if there aren’t several other couples lined up behind you ready to book at full price.

3) Guests will have an extra day

I would assume your guests might thank you for this, especially if you’re having an open bar haha They can have a “hangover” day before going back to the grind on Monday morning. Trust me, they might need that extra day on the couch while they think about all the fun they had at your wedding! Not only will your guests have an extra day, but you will have an extra day to relax before you jet off to your honeymoon. Hungover on a plane is no fun!

4) Ceremony/Reception starts later in the day

From a photographer’s perspective, anything closer to the end of the day is the best lighting. If you plan on having an outdoor ceremony for Spring and Summer weddings you can schedule your ceremony time around 5 pm and that should give people some time to make it coming from work. For Fall and Winter weddings, keep in mind sunset time if you want outdoor photos. For Winter weddings and outdoor photos, I would recommend doing a first look so all portraits can be done before the early 5pm sunset times.

5) Host a Saturday Brunch for your Guests

Please include Mimosas!! Think about it, what if you rented out some space for the whole weekend. Not only is it safer for your family members and no one is drinking and driving, but you get to spend time with your friends and family for more than one day!! Wake up together and have some brunch ready for your guests. Spend the whole day soaking in the night before and relaxing! Want this day photographed as well, add it to your package!

6) Party on a Friday, Just like a Saturday

What date are you going to remember more, your anniversary or the fact that it was on a Friday? I can bet you will remember your anniversary date and I don’t even think that because it was on a “Friday” it won’t even matter anymore. Don’t believe me? Press play ^^ on a Friday, are you dancing?? I bet you’re reading this on a Wednesday and you still pressed play and I’ve got you like “Awww…shit that’s my jam!”

7) Restaurants will have more availability for Thursday night Rehearsals

Coming from experience and the server life industry, Friday and Saturday nights were poppin’ those nights were ALWAYS busy and had 45 min wait times. Try adding a big group to the mix and then waiting for tables to clear up. It’s easier not only for you but for your guests and the restaurant to have something on a Thursday evening and everything can feel so fresh for your Friday wedding!

8) Vendors will also have more availability on Friday’s

Speaking from a photographer’s perspective, I book my Saturday’s up and fast! They usually go about a 1-1.5 years in advance and trust me when I say…the good ones always go fast! There’s a reason for that, but if you were flexible and wanting a Friday wedding, photographers and other vendors tend to have more availability. You might also get the month/season you want on shorter notice.

BONUS: Banks are open on Saturday’s to deposit any gift money you may have received before leaving for your honeymoon!!

Read what some of my past couples have to say about the

Pros and Cons of having a Friday Wedding

Jessica says:

Pros - A weekend to recuperate. Friday’s are cheaper. Like Saturday had a guest minimum of 200 so you had to pay for that many even if you weren’t inviting that many. But Friday’s minimum was 150. More people have the next day off.

Cons - Many people have to take the day off to attend the wedding. Hard for out of town guests.”

Kristin says:

Pros: Cheaper, more venues were available, people didn’t have to work the next day.

Cons: Some people had to work and missed the ceremony.”

Raven says:

Pros - Significantly cheaper for the venue and maybe other vendors and have the whole weekend to celebrate with friends and family before you leave Monday for a honeymoon! I’m very happy I chose a Friday wedding! Overall, great experience!!

Cons - Some people may have to take a half-day at work or leave early to make ceremony although, with enough notice, the majority of guests still made it (start time was 6:30pm)”

Jessica says:

Pros - It was cheaper than having it on Saturday (cheaper minimums for food and drink, venue) You have a whole weekend to recover after you and your guests’ party hard on Friday! Haha Our venue gave us some incentives i.e. late-night snack was comped and so was the ceremony space. The Saturday we wanted was booked so we just moved it up a day, no big deal! It definitely helps to have the ceremony and reception at the same place, makes it easier on guests to just arrive at one place if they are coming from work. All of our vendors were open and very accommodating for our Friday wedding

Cons - In my personal opinion NONE! The only con I can really see is it may be harder for people to get to the ceremony if they are working (if the ceremony is earlier in the day) so they may just show up to the reception”

Have any other tips/advice/thoughts? Drop them in the comments below

Catchfly Photography is a traditional wedding and adventurous elopement photographer based in Highland, MI. Julie Believes in the little details and in between moments. Nature completely inspires Julie and she incorporates nature into almost every photo she takes. Julie travels to photograph traditional weddings and intimate elopements in Michigan’s Upper + Lower Peninsula and Colorado.