My honey and I are getting married next year (Oct. of 07) and he wants to have it on a Saturday.... now you know that’s going to cost more than a Sunday wedding or a Friday wedding. (I am trying to find ways to cut the cost down a little)
I want to know if you were invited to a wedding for Friday would you be willing to taking a day off, or leave early from work. Would that make you less willing to come? (Wedding is at 4:00 or 5:00 lets say) what are some pros and cons of a Friday wedding.
>> do you think guests would arrive late?
How about Sunday? What are some pros and cons for that? (Same time 4 or 5)
>> would guest leave early?
He wants Saturday so that everyone has more time to get there and there is less stress about. Is he right?
any pros and cons would help tremendously, thanks!
2006-10-03 08:03:49 · 30 answers · asked by girl_in707 3 in Family & Relationships ➔ Weddings
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!!! Planning is so much fun!
I would have loved to have saved some money with having the wedding on a Friday or Sunday but I decided a Saturday really was the most considerate thing to do. Although the wedding day is my day, I am hosting a party for my guests and I thought it best to be as convenient as possible for my guests.
My pros and cons list?
Pros:
- Each day was less expensive (really, that was the only "pro" I could come up with)
- A Sunday wedding would give you the opportunity to have a rehearsal on a Saturday (convenient) and you'd have all day Saturday to get ready and prepare (which is also nice... but could almost be acheived by having a Sat. evening wedding).
Cons to a Friday:
- Out of towners won't be too happy. This definitely means at least one day off for travel which may not be easily negotiated with their respective employers.
- People will have to take time off, particularly with a 4-5pm wedding. Not always possible for some guests. Plus, if folks have to take time off without pay then the wedding is costing them even more (above and beyond the gift!).
- Guests with children may have a tough time finding babysitters for a 4 or 5pm wedding. Some teens don't get home from sports/school until then or later and adults that may babysit (family, etc) probably won't be home from work at that time either.
- TRAFFIC! Oh my... traffic around here at that time of day can be a nightmare and that is likely to lead to MANY late-comers (including your wedding party & officiant - yikes!). As a bride, I don't want to worry about that.
- Exhausting! Many guests are exhausted after a long day at work and may not really enjoy themselves as much as possible at a wedding on a Friday night.
- Bridal party really has no other choice but to take a 1/2 day or full day off from work to prepare. That could be tough for some of the attendants and family members.
Cons to a Sunday:
- Again, out of towners won't be too happy. They would probably have to take Monday off to travel and that's another expense.
- Some folks do not attend parties and such on Sundays. My family is not terribly religious but I did not want to offend anyone by having a celebration on a Sunday.
- People will likely leave early. You really need to have a noon-time wedding to prevent this. Many people have things to do on Sunday evenings to prepare for the week ahead.
- People will not likely "let loose" like they would on a Saturday (or even a Friday).
In my area of the US, October is an expensive time of year for a wedding (due to the foliage/weather). However, remember that you can negotiate with vendors and there are so many ways to cut costs in a wedding that you may not need to sacrifice a Saturday wedding.
2006-10-03 09:28:33 · answer #1 · answered by PT&L 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Saturdays are more pricey because people do not know how to plan around obstacles.
Convenient? VERY
Other options? DEFINITELY
Depending on number of out of town guests you might consider:
Have a Friday wedding at 7pm (reception would then run approx 8 - Midnight, still fun and still acceptably early) You would then save on the venue AS WELL as the food because you wouldn't be required to serve a full meal, only finger sandwiches and such.
Sunday weddings are nice also but present a few problems... not all places will allow a wedding on a Sunday (might interfere with mass or some other function) but you should still have it earlier in the day to allow people to get home before it is too late (noon - 1, reception running 1-5, this would again lighten the load on the food budget too.)
Average reception time is 4 hrs. If you plan around a 5 hr block you should have no trouble getting the timing right.
Good Luck
2006-10-03 08:24:19 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think having a friday or a sunday wedding would not be that big of a deal if it coincided with a holiday weekend. that way guests would have time to make it there and enjoy themselves.
However, if it were at any other time i would have to say do it on a saturday. More people would be able to come and enjoy themselves vs a Friday night, where they are tired from working all day, or sunday where they have to go to bed early so they can make it to work or school the next day.
Sunday would work if it were earlier in the day, and you had a brunch reception vs a dinner reception. That way you would also save because you wouldnt need alcoholic beverages, which can eat up a substantial amount of your budget itself. That and brunches are cheaper than dinners.
2006-10-03 10:42:56 · answer #3 · answered by glorymomof3 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've been to both Friday and Sunday weddings.
Friday weddings are a pain in the butt. I think plenty of your guests will arrive late either bc they cannot or do not want to take time off work or they underestimated rush hour traffic to get to your site. A Friday wedding should not start any earlier than 6. I also might be more likely to leave early bc I'm tired from working all day. If it is out of town, well I worked four days and then got up and took a flight on Friday morning. Not such a big deal other than the vacation day, but then what am I going to do all weekend? Very few people live in places where I'm excited to "vacation" for a weekend.
Sunday weddings are fine. The party won't go into the wee hours of the night, but plenty of reception places close at 11 anyway. Your crowd will drink less which is a plus budget wise. It could still be a nice party, just not a rager. However, from the out of town guest perspective, that is awful. Basically you are demanding that your guests take time off work to accommodate your budget and generally mondays are a bigger pain to take off versus Fridays. If you only have a few out of town guests, then its ok. I would only do that for a very close friend.
Honestly, there are so many ways to budget a wedding. If you have a lot of out of towners, you should go with Saturday. If you don't, I'd lean toward Sunday.
One main piece of advice budget wise: don't be afraid to negotiate. Always ask if there are that is the best price they can give you. Don't be afraid to tell a photographer you don't like his package options or ask if you get a discount for ordering so much cheese or try to get one of your boutonnieres free.
The comfort of your guests is so much more important than saving a little money. And think about how much time they have to take off work and how much they would have earned (even if it is paid time off) and whether that is truly a good balance.
You have so much time -- so you'll be able to save for what is really important to you! Check out the book Bridal Bargains for more budget help.
2006-10-03 08:23:23 · answer #4 · answered by Katherine 6 · 4⤊ 2⤋
I would think a Sunday wedding would be more expensive than a Saturday wedding since a lot of businesses that you will be working with (florist, especially) are not open then. Also, for many people, Sunday is their one true day to relax so they may not want to get dressed up and go to a wedding, especially that late in the day. Truthfully, unless it was a close family member or very good friend, I don't see me taking off a day from work for a Friday wedding if I had to travel out of town. I don't know if you live in a big city or not, but if so, you also have to factor in traffic, etc for those trying to get there during rush hour (4-5 pm). Also, if you are having a rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, that would also be on a weekday, so you might be asking those in the wedding party to cut two work days short. Keep in mind that if you have it that early, you are encroaching on dinner time and that could lead to expectations of a dinner reception. I had a Saturday wedding - at 1 pm - and it was inexpensive and perfect. People had time to go to lunch before the wedding and we just had cake and punch at the reception. The other thing good about that time and it being a Saturday, I had plenty of time to get ready, get my hair done, etc., without having to get up extra early and it was early enough that I did not spend the whole day stressing over everything.
There are so many clever ways to plan a wedding without blowing the budget. Check out wedding websites and bridal magazines.
2006-10-03 08:16:50 · answer #5 · answered by c_n_s130 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Here are my thoughts:
Saturday would be the best day (obviously- you already stated most of the reasons).
Fridays *seems* like the lesser of the two evils for the guest's sake, but think about the headaches it is going to cost YOU. Just having rehearsals and planning and setting up, etc. is going to be a bigger chore if you do it on a Friday.
So, if I couldn't chose Saturday ( but in my opinion, the extra cost is worth it because it's really not all that much anyways) then I would say Sunday.
Hope my two cents helped!
2006-10-03 11:49:23 · answer #6 · answered by sxysparkler 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only pro to having a wedding on a Friday or Sunday is that it is cheaper.
Otherwise, he is right. More people will come to a Saturday wedding, and it is easier for them to get to.
You should not expect your guests to take a day off of work to go to your wedding, and the majority of them won't.
Bottom line is that if you want your guests to come and enjoy themselves the most, have your wedding on Saturday. It really doesn't cost much more, especially not in October.
2006-10-03 09:28:10 · answer #7 · answered by Pink Denial 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To honestly answer your questions here we go:
In my experience Friday weddings are good for small intimate affairs (neighter bride or groom has much family), or second marriages. If this is your first marriage you will run into many many problems.
Sunday weddings tend to have lower attendance and a harder time finding vendors (most photographers, caterers etc take sunday and monday off). Also you run into the problem of cutting off your reception early becuase most people will have work obligations and kids have school.
Saturday will be the best day if you have a large family, have a decent amount of out of town guests and wish to have a larger wedding.
If cutting costs are your main incentive for changing the day then you may want to consider other option in the actual planning. Chosing a different day will not save you thousands or even hundreds of dollars off your wedding costs. Your best bet will be to have at least one consultation with a certified wedding consultant who can help you find cost cutters in your area.
2006-10-03 09:14:01 · answer #8 · answered by Wedding Lady 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
My wedding was on a Saturday. I found other ways to keep costs down but I knew it was going to be a Saturday.
My BIL got married on a Friday and there were a lot of late arrivers, lots of no shows, and very few folks at the actual ceremony. I had to take the day off work to help my Husband, a groomsman, get ready. They got a smaller than normal gift from us because of our lost wages.
I have never attended a Sunday wedding, I would not want to stay out late on a Sunday.
I also think it is tacky and a terrible inconvenience to attend a wedding on a holiday weekend. People may have other plans.
2006-10-03 10:55:31 · answer #9 · answered by treday25 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well- obviously Saturday weddings are the best for all the reasons you just listed. Sunday weddings are my least favorite because I have work the next day- and I start early! So I would much rather go to a Friday night wedding- even if I had to take off a couple of hours to do it...it's something to look forward to all week- and you can sleep a little later the next day...
Whatever day it is on- your family and friends will be there- count on it. Do what you need to do..
Congratulations and good luck! October weddings are beautiful!
2006-10-03 08:10:58 · answer #10 · answered by verdes0j0s 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋