Choosing to have a wedding on an ‘off day’, can also be a great pick for brides who don’t have a lot of time to plan. You’re much more likely to get the vendors you want (and possibly a special rate) for a Friday or Sunday wedding, as opposed to the traditional Saturday. This is great if you’re a bride with your heart set on getting married soon, but can't find who and what you want for your wedding. You're more likely to get your first choice on a Friday or a Sunday.

 

Fridays: the good, the bad...

A DJ said, "Friday weddings mean starting a bit later to allow guests to arrive after work, but that doesn't usually cause a problem. The only people who would need to take the day off of work, is the wedding party. A good idea is to have the ceremony and reception at the same location. Hors d'oeuvres and cocktails are a great idea, but there is still time for a sit-down dinner." After polling all of The Ring's vendors, Friday wedding ceremonies usually begin between 6pm and 7pm.

 

One hotel's General Manager told The Ring, "Lots of couples are opting for Fridays so they can have a candlelight service and cocktail party instead of a big sit down dinner. Then they have the rest of the weekend to visit with their friends and family."

 

"You get to start your Honeymoon sooner!!!", says Rory Butson and Diane Tolton, authors of The Wedding Timer.

 

One local decorator said, "I have often heard of couples opting for the Friday evening wedding because the hall they wanted was booked for Saturday. It can be a very romantic candlelight ceremony setting in the evening." She suggested holding the ceremony between 6:30 and 7:30pm.

 

"Guests could take advantage of this by treating it like a mini vacation...", says one wedding planner, "If the Wedding is out of town, guests could and may spend the weekend away from home, incorporating a vacation with the festivities of the wedding."

 

Sundays: the good, the bad...

The most popular Sunday choices are on long weekends. In this case, you're likely to face the usual availability issues as a regular season wedding.

 

Not only that, prices may be higher due to employers needing to pay their staff time and a half for the holiday.

 

Other Sundays that fall outside holiday weekends are slowly growing in popularity, depending on who you talk to. One disc jockey told us, "I think Sunday weddings a great idea!" If you hold your wedding on a regular Sunday, he suggests simply starting earlier. Instead of partying until 1am, move the schedule up by two hours and have everyone head home at 11pm.

 

Hotels sometimes find that Sundays are one of the slowest days of the week, all year round, and suggest that they may be able to offer better availability and pricing on Sundays."

 

Note: Florists are often not open on Sundays, and therefore wouldn't normally be able to deliver on your wedding day without special planning. Plan ahead for your flowers.