Top 10 Weekday Wedding Planning Tips

Weekend weddings are overwhelmingly popular, but COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in many couples’ plans. Brides and grooms are faced with rescheduling their wedding on a weekend a year or more in the future, or choosing a weekday wedding in the near future instead.

As more and more couples hop on the weekday wedding trend, more and more future brides and grooms are catching on to the fact that it’s actually a great idea. Today, one in every five weddings takes place Monday through Friday!

Although weekday weddings can be cheaper than weekend weddings, they are easier to reschedule, and you’re more likely to book your dream venue, they do pose some unique challenges.

Here are our tips for planning the perfect weekday wedding.

Father Seeing the Bride for the First Time: Wedding Forward

Consider Your Guests

Weekday weddings are more difficult for guests to attend. If you just can’t see yourself celebrating without certain friends and family members, consider their schedules when deciding which day to choose.

For example, you might choose to have your wedding on a Monday if your dad has that day off, or a day that you know your best friend can take off easily.

Wedding Invite Surrounded by Flowers and Jewelry: Bree Woolliscroft

Notify Guests as Soon as Possible

No matter which weekday you choose, it’s important to notify guests of your wedding date as early as possible. That means sending out save the dates as soon as you secure your date, and contacting everyone as quickly as possible if you have to reschedule. It gives everyone plenty of time to request the time off at work.

Small Wedding Ceremony In Front of Towering Windows: Plan It Event Design and Management

Don’t Skimp on Details

Just because you’re hosting your wedding during the week doesn’t mean you have to wear a simple dress or choose sparse flower arrangements. Weekday weddings can be just as magnificent as weekend weddings!

Wear a dress you love, even if it features a big ball gown, rent out a beautiful garden for your ceremony, and fill your reception space with flowers. Your wedding can be as formal or laid back as you want, no matter what your wedding date.

Bride and Groom on a Dock at Sunset: Martha Stewart

Start Your Ceremony in the Evening

Not everyone will be able to take work off to attend your wedding. You can increase the RSVPs on your guest list if you have your ceremony in the evening.

For example, if your ceremony starts at 6:30pm, most guests will have time to go home, get ready, and make it to your wedding on time.

Bride and Groom Kissing Down an Aisle of Guests Holding Sparklers: Style Me Pretty

Wrap Things Up Early

Not only should you consider starting your ceremony later, you should also consider wrapping up your reception earlier. Guests are more likely to stay and enjoy your reception if they know it will end by 10:00pm. That way they can still get enough sleep before work the next day.

Don’t want to wrap things up early? Try and secure a Friday wedding so your guests can party the night away and sleep in on Saturday morning!

Wedding Guests Mingling While a Photographer Takes Pictures: The Knot

Simplify Your Itinerary

If your wedding is starting late and/or ending early, you’ll want to simplify your weekend wedding itinerary.

You may want to trim down your ceremony, take pictures while mingling with guests, and forgo certain traditions, like cutting the cake, to help save time. That way, you and your guests have plenty of time to enjoy each other’s company without the stress of doing wedding traditions that might not matter to you anyway.

Outdoor Lounge Area With Yard Games: Every Last Detail

Plan an Alternative to Drinking and Dancing

Drinking and dancing the night away are standard activities at most weekend weddings, but they aren’t good activities for weekday weddings when guests may have to get up and go to work in the morning.

Our favorite weekday wedding reception ideas don’t involve alcohol or dancing. A few alternatives include:

• Schedule a live entertainer
• Play yard or board games
• Book an acoustic musical performance
• Play a movie
• Play bingo
• Sing karaoke

Brunch Table Setting With Fruit and Mimosas: Town and Country

Plan Pre-Wedding Events

It can sometimes feel like you don’t get to do what you want or spend as much time as you want with friends and family when you host a weekday wedding. That may be true the day of, but weekday wedding activities can take place before and after your wedding.

Other wedding related events you can host on the weekend leading up to or after your wedding include:

• Welcome dinner
• Bridal luncheon
• Post-wedding brunch

Small Destination Wedding Overlooking the Beach: Junebug Weddings

Consider a Destination Wedding

Destination weddings have less of an impact on weekday vs. weekend weddings because most people have traveled and are on vacation to attend your nuptials. You can schedule your ceremony earlier in the day and party the night away any day of the week because your guests don’t have to get up and go to work in the morning.

Bride Feeling Emotional and Being Comforted: Your Perfect Wedding Photographer

Manage Your Expectations

Weekday weddings often look different than weekend weddings. Whether you have to shorten your ceremony, forgo dancing until the sun comes up, or find ways to be at peace with a smaller guest list, there are things about your wedding that you will have to let go. If you work towards letting them go ahead of your big day, they won’t ruin your mood the day of.

A weekday wedding can be just as meaningful and spectacular as a weekend wedding. Just make sure you follow our tips so it’s a day you and your guests will enjoy, whether everyone has to go back to work the next day or not.