Midweek Weddings Are On The Rise, Especially For Young Couples. Here's Why
In 2019, The Atlantic reported that weekday weddings had been steadily increasing in popularity over the previous 10 years. It was becoming more socially acceptable to hold a weekday wedding even in a pre-Covid world, when lockdowns, canceled events, and social distancing had not yet emerged to leave their mark. The arrival of the pandemic led to thousands of couples needing to cancel their planned wedding days, and businesses throughout the wedding industry being forced to close down. And now in its wake, the intense demand for rescheduling means affianced couples are having to wait years, in some cases, to have the weddings of their dreams. The need for flexibility and an open mind has never been more relevant.
One answer that many would-be spouses are turning to is the midweek wedding, with the Westmount Country Club stating that the concept is on the rise among younger couples in particular. But beyond the pandemic backlog, the same advantages that made these less traditional weddings appealing before Covid are still attracting couples today.
It's usually less expensive
Perhaps the most obvious advantage of having a wedding on a weekday is the money you'll save, as The Drexelbrook Event Center points out. Thanks to the basic rules of supply and demand, weddings are often cheaper when they take place midweek (they may even be cheaper than eloping!). There's far less competition, so suppliers and venues can't get away with charging as much as they usually would. Some offer significant discounts to guarantee making a sale on these less-than-popular days. This can affect just about anything, from the celebrant to catering to hair and makeup professionals for the bridal party.
Naturally, younger couples typically don't have as much money behind them as more established couples in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. So being able to save on wedding costs is a hugely alluring point.
Note that Friday weddings are becoming increasingly popular, so you might find that you don't get as much of a discount (or any at all) for a Friday wedding compared to a weekend ceremony. It's always best to enquire about the different price points for different days of the week with your venue and vendors.
Additionally, midweek weddings tend to be cheaper for guests to attend if they are traveling from out of town or overseas. The costs of flights and accommodation are often more affordable on weekdays, unless they take place during busy times of the year like summer or the Christmas holidays.
It weeds out people who don't want to be there
Despite the fact that midweek weddings are often more affordable for everyone, they may actually be less convenient for guests than their weekend counterparts. For those who work or study during the week and don't have the luxury of flexible arrangements, attending a wedding on a weekday usually requires planning. Guests may have to ask for a day of personal leave months in advance, swap shifts with someone else, or plan to complete tasks during their free time to make up for missing work. Those who freelance or own businesses may have to accept losing income from taking a day off. For this reason, guests may decline to attend unless they are really close with the couple.
Though this may sound like a disadvantage at first, it does filter out the people who don't genuinely want to be there to celebrate your special day. When you get married on a standard Saturday or Sunday, you can expect that most people will come, even if they aren't very close with you, because it's a chance to attend a party on a weekend. Holding it during the week makes it more likely that a larger percentage of guests won't be able to attend, leaving you just with your nearest and dearest to celebrate this monumental day. Just be ready for the fact that a few who really would like to be there may not be able to make it either.
You'll have the exact wedding you want
In spite of the advantages of midweek weddings, weekends are still more popular in Western countries. Due to this high demand, you're more likely to have trouble securing the specific products, services, and suppliers you want if you have your wedding on a Saturday or Sunday.
For example, you may need to book months (if not a year or more) in advance to reserve your ideal makeup artist for your Saturday wedding day. And because of the extreme competition, you may still not be able to book them in on the day that your hairstylist and preferred wedding band are free. You may well end up having to go with your plan B when it comes to many services that are in high demand on weekends. But on weekdays, you're much more likely to be able to secure your top choices for everything, from your beauty professionals to your celebrant (via Wedding Ideas Magazine).
Along the same lines, midweek weddings may give you access to special advantages that you wouldn't get on a weekend. The florist themselves might come to your venue to make sure the flowers are set up to perfection, because they actually have time for that personal service on a weekday. Or if you had your wedding dress made locally, the designer or dressmaker may be able to come to you on your wedding day and help you get into your dress.
You can get married sooner
If you have your heart absolutely set on a particular venue, celebrant, or supplier for your wedding, you may be prepared to wait years in advance to get what you want. But with midweek weddings and their lower rates of demand, you can often get married much sooner while still getting all your top choices.
You might find that your dream venue has no Saturday availability until three years from now, but they can fit you in on a Wednesday in three months' time. Or your catering company could have no weekend availability for the foreseeable future, but they have endless open windows during the week.
There are lots of reasons why you might be in a hurry to marry, from the health of loved ones to work demands to simply being over pandemic-related delays. And if any of these reasons affect you, being able to get married sooner without having to compromise your choices is a huge advantage.
You can choose a date or tradition that means something to you
One of the biggest advantages of a midweek wedding is not being restricted as to the date you can set for your special day. If you are only open to getting married on a weekend, you are ruling out five out of seven dates every week that may be perfect for you.
It could be that you want to get married on the anniversary of the day you met your partner. Or maybe your lucky number is 15, and the 15th falls on a Tuesday that month. Some people want to get married on dates of significance to their families, or on holidays or historically important dates (think Valentine's Day).
Perhaps it's not the date itself that means a lot to you, but a day. Are Thursdays lucky for you? Or maybe your cultural background typically holds weddings on a Friday. It may even be that you want to align your wedding with the new moon.
Whatever the case may be, you'll have many more dates to play with if you allow for a midweek celebration. That will pave the way for you to truly bring your own beliefs and style to your wedding.
The honeymoon will be more flexible, too
If you have more flexibility with regards to your wedding day, then you also have more flexibility when it comes to your honeymoon. For those who'd like to leave for their honeymoon on the night of their wedding, or the day after, they'll often get the perks of traveling midweek if they tie the knot on a weekday.
As we know, that usually means cheaper flights and accommodation, but also more flexibility with seating choices and fewer crowds. Some times of the year will be busy regardless of if it's a weekend or weekday, but weekends are consistently significantly busier.
This is an important advantage to consider because not everyone can delay their honeymoon to the next weekday after their wedding. Many people can only get limited time away from work, while others are so exhausted after their big day that they want to get to their honeymoon straight away and start relaxing.
Factor in a long weekend
This perk applies exclusively to a Friday or Monday wedding (although you can create a four-day weekend with a Thursday, too). As long as you don't have to spend the Saturday or Sunday working to make up for taking the weekday off, then getting married on a Friday means you'll have a long weekend. Who wouldn't be happy with that?
If coming to your wedding means guests are getting a long weekend, you might find that the mood is generally a little happier and more relaxed. This is in direct contrast to a Sunday wedding, where most people will be working the next day and may be dealing with the Sunday night blues. Don't be surprised if most guests actually leave your Sunday wedding early!
For those who aren't going on a honeymoon right away, having the long weekend can give you the time you need to recuperate after the celebrations before getting back to your usual routine.
Your wedding will be more memorable
Ultimately, given that most people will opt for weekend weddings to keep with tradition, your midweek wedding will probably stand out in the memory. Of course, you'll never forget your special day, but having it during the week, with all your top choices of suppliers and services, can create just the type of meaningful event that all your guests will remember, too. This is especially true if you're in that stage of life where it seems like everyone around you is getting married, and you're looking for a way to avoid giving your wedding that run-of-the-mill feeling.
Of course, you should always plan your wedding according to what you and your partner want, rather than trying to impress your guests. But at the same time, when you go to all that effort and spend all that money planning, it's nice to hold an event that people will never forget. And the odd Wednesday or Friday wedding will definitely stand out amidst a sea of Saturdays and Sundays.