I would say that around 15% of my weddings these days are on a weekday instead of the weekend. Go back ten years and I‘m pretty sure they were all on the weekend and 99% of them on Saturday. Things change. Trends start and these days I would estimate around 15% of weddings taking place on weekdays.

With some venues still backed up because of rescheduled weddings due to the pandemic, and with more couples traveling again for destination ceremonies, a rise in weekday weddings is continuing. Plus with some venues you could save up to $10,000 on their coveted Saturday wedding spot.

Thursdays are a popular weekday for both destination weddings and those closer to home. Holding the ceremony on a Thursday allows for a full weekend of wedding activities for guests. Some venues are finding around a 50% increase in enquiries for weekday weddings.

You’ll even find that other vendors other than the venue will do a cheaper rate as they are more likely to not have gigs on Monday to Thursday. So check your florist, dj, singers, musicians, suit hire, even the celebrant.

Here’s what I found online from McCrindle Research from ABS data on the 2015 census.

Saturdays are by far the most popular day to get married, on which 56% of all weddings take place. Sunday is also a popular day, with 15% of weddings taking place on a Sunday, a figure that is up from 13% in 2011.
Time and money challenges may be the factors influencing couples to get creative with their marriage date. Some interesting choices in 2013 included, 59 marriages on New Year’s Day.
Social Researcher Mark McCrindle said Australia is seeing a migration away from wedding in the hot Summer months ‘due to greater competition for venues, higher venue prices and the increased flexibility with taking leave from work outside these months, which influence couples as they choose a date. Like the travel industry, shoulder seasons are beginning to replace the summer months as a more desirable option when it comes to tying the knot’.
Close to 3 in 4 (73%) weddings are conducted by a civil celebrant, while the remaining 27% are religious.
“The trend to civil weddings is also driving the season. With church attendances declining, the one-time Australians were likely to pass through the church doors was for a wedding, but now just 27% of all weddings are conducted by ministers of religion. This has led to a trend of more varied locations for ceremonies, many of these with an outdoor aesthetic where the climate matters more than for the church wedding,” said Social Researcher Mark McCrindle.

Keep in mind this was seven years ago. So if 56% of weddings were Saturday and 15% were Sunday, that means an incredible 19% of weddings are weekdays (given that a lot of those 19% would be Friday weddings). If you’re looking to save some dollars on your epic day without compormising, this could be the answer.

So, what does Martha Stewart say?

According to marthastewart.com, here are 8 things to consider if you are looking to make your epic day, a weekday wedding.

Expect Low RSVP Rates

There's no way around it: Weekday weddings will have a lower RSVP rate than weekend weddings. That's because most guests work during the week, and not everyone will have available vacation days (especially those who must factor in time for travel). According to Marcy Blum, an event planner and owner of Marcy Blum Events & Weddings, younger couples will fare even worse in terms of attendance, since many of their friends may not be able to take time off school or new careers. But if an intimate ceremony with just your closest family and friends is what you're after, a weekday wedding might be a great fit.

Be Ready to Communicate with Guests

To get as many people as possible to attend your wedding, it's vital to alert guests far in advance-as a guideline, send the invitation at least three months before the wedding, and send the save-the-date eight months to a year beforehand. This will give guests plenty of time to secure vacation days, find babysitters, and arrange their busy schedules.

You Might Save Some Money

According to Blum, some vendors will have flexible pricing for weekdays weddings, and couples may be able to negotiate lower rates. Many vendors will jump at the chance to make money on their usual off days. In fact, Briana Bialk, sales and events manager of The Haight event space in Chicago, says her venue offers more than a $3,000 discount for many of their weekday weddings-"and that's not including all the other vendors you'll be working with!" she adds. Similarly, Jon Saphire, the owner of Saphire Event Group and two event spaces in Massachusetts, says that clients may receive up to 30% off for a weekday wedding. Keep in mind that you might also be able to save on airfare and lodging (important for those hosting a destination wedding!), catering, and floral services

Plan an Evening Ceremony

Almost as important as the date of the wedding is the start time of your ceremony. Bialk suggests having an evening ceremony that begins after 6:30 p.m. so that guests who live nearby won't have to take the full day off of work. Another solution is hosting the cocktail hour before the ceremony, which gives some wiggle room for guests coming straight from work who may encounter traffic.

Don't Expect the Reception to Go Late

Are you hoping for an epic dance party at your wedding? Then getting married on a weekday may not be the best idea. Most guests won't stay until the wee hours of the morning, since they likely have work the next day and won't want to nurse a hangover. Going along with that, Bialk says that weekday weddings work well for couples hosting dry weddings, or if many of the guests won't be drinking alcohol.

Consider Long Weekends

Bialk says that she sees most off-day weddings on holiday weekends, since many people don't work on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and other bank holidays. Consider booking a long-weekend wedding if you're worried about attendance rates.

Spend Extra Time with Your Guests

According to Saphire, weekday weddings allow extra time with guests. "If you have a wedding on a Thursday and are not leaving for your honeymoon until Sunday or Monday, you feel less rushed during the wedding because you know you have three more days with your guests. It is very similar to doing a destination wedding, but you are creating the destination at home," he says. If spending time with out-of-town guests is important to you, then a weekday wedding might be up your alley.

Think About Your Situation

Depending on the situation, some wedding lend themselves better to weekdays. For example, Blum says a non-peak ceremony times can be "the height of sophistication" for older couples or those getting married for a second time. Additionally, if you're planning a destination wedding, consider having it on a weekday for a few reasons: Guests will likely take off work anyways, airfare is cheaper, and popular venues may have weekday availability during popular seasons.

How about a weekday wedding?

So, what does Martha Stewart say?

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