Midweek wedding - yay or nay?

Photo by Kirsten Platt

Since 2020 (and the pandemic that shall not be named) the wedding industry has seen a rise in couples choosing to celebrate their wedding day midweek rather then on the traditional weekend. One of the first things you need to decide on when planning a wedding is the date, which then impacts the cost of your wedding, supplier availability, and of course, your guests availability. There are many great reasons why you should choose a midweek wedding, however there are a few things you should also be aware of.

Cost

A midweek wedding can sometimes be thousands of pounds cheaper than a weekend wedding. If you have a tight budget, or want to use your money wisely, a midweek wedding could be the most cost effective thing you could do whilst planning. Many venues will offer a reduced cost, as will some suppliers, however not all will offer reduced rates. If you want to make the most of these deals, it would also be worth booking early such as 3-4 years before you plan to get married, or alternatively booking with short notice, such as 4-6 months before you plan to married - this is where you'll find early bird offers, or last minute discounts.

The main risk with planning your wedding 3-4 years in advance is that things may change - your tastes, your suppliers ability to provide their service, costs of goods such as florals or food (equalling an upcharge for you!) Similarly the risk with planning your wedding 4-6 months in advance is that you may not get all the suppliers you want, and you're leaving yourself less time to get everything arranged.

Venue Availability & Exclusivity

If you choose to get married on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, particularly during peak season, your venue will more than likely to hosting weddings either side of yours. This means that on your wedding day you'll probably have access to the venue from 10am to give the previous wedding time to leave, and then will have to vacate the following day by 10am to give the following wedding time to get ready. This also goes for your guests, many of them will not be able to check in until mid-way through your wedding day, which is not ideal if they're traveling a distance, and need to get ready.

Whether this is an issue is down to you, some people prefer to have access to their venue and rooms the day before and after their wedding so they don't feel rushed, and also have time to clean up and collect their decor the following day. Choosing a midweek wedding means it is far more likely you'll have this freedom, meaning a more chilled wedding day for you!

Supplier Availability

Suppliers are the cornerstone of your wedding day, they will help bring your plans to life, whether that's through gorgeous florals, vibey live music, or caterers delivering the canapes of your dreams, it's so important to choose suppliers who align with your vision. Choosing a midweek wedding, as opposed to a weekend wedding means that your dream suppliers are far more likely to be available on your wedding date, however this is not a guarantee.

Most suppliers will limit the number of weddings they will take per year to ensure they can give each couple the care and attention they deserve, this means that even if they are not booked on your wedding date, they may have already booked in the max number of weddings for that month. It is always worth booking in suppliers as early as possible, especially the ones that are most important to you!

Guests Attendance

This is the one area you may run into difficulty when booking a midweek wedding. For many guests booking a day off work to attend your wedding (especially when they've been given plenty of notice) is no big deal, however if you have friends that work in education or the public sector, then that is not so straight forward (unless you've chosen a midweek half term wedding!). It is also worth noting that if you have guests that have travelled a fair distance to attend your wedding, have kids waiting at home, or have to work the following day, then they may leave the celebrations early to travel home.

Generally speaking though, midweek weddings are like a weekend wedding, and people are up to party any day of the week! The ones who love you will make the effort to be there to celebrate your day, and dance the night away with you. Don't be discouraged if people do go home early, all that matters is that you enjoy the day.

Sound Limits

Depending on your venue, its location, and licence, midweek weddings will have an earlier cut off point for music and the bar, and won't have the option to extend this, versus weekend weddings where the cut off point will be later, and there may be an option to keep the party going till 1am. One way to combat this to start the celebrations earlier - choose a ceremony time such as 12pm or 1pm, then you can get to your evening reception earlier, and really make the most of the day!

However, if you did decide to have a later ceremony, and therefore a shorter evening reception, this won't have too much of an impact on your day. It's such a full on day for you guys, that you'll be ready for bed when the DJ plays that final song.

Midweek wedding, yay or nay? There are pros and cons to each side, however if you're looking to save money, and potentially give yourselves more freedom to choose suppliers and time at your venue, it may be the way to go for you! Whatever day you choose to say I Do, it doesn't matter, all that matters is you're choosing to marry the person you love ❤️