Friday vs Saturday Wedding [Which One Should You Have]

The day to hold your wedding. It can feel like an almost impossible decision. 

And there’s a lot to consider, particularly if you are considering a Friday vs. Saturday. 

You may have a personal preference, but what about your guests?

Then there are other vital factors to consider, like availability, cost, and travel! 

And the more you think about it, the more complex the decision gets!

But don’t worry.

Having been in this position myself, I would like to share with you exactly how my partner and I came to our decision.

So without further ado, let’s dive in. 

Is It Better to Get Married On A Friday or Saturday?

There is no answer to which one is better because they both suit different needs. Friday, of course, poses complications with work (for most guests) and scheduling but offers up additional benefits. Saturday allows for some more flexibility, but they are often booked up and cost considerably more, depending on your venue. 

In reality, both a Friday and a Saturday wedding have their pros and cons. 

Let’s dissect each of them. 

Benefits Of A Friday Wedding

Friday weddings have tons of benefits, so let’s not waste any time and get into the list.

• You are likely to have a lot better chances of booking your dream wedding venue based on availability. 
• The line will follow with vendor availability from DJs to bands, caterers, florists, and more will also likely be more available. If your someone who left the booking a little later, then you probably don’t have to worry as much as you would if you are having a wedding on Saturday. 
• Take advantage of the full weekend. Starting on Friday could potentially mean more time with your guests. This is especially true if you are doing a destination wedding somewhere over the weekend. Why wait to get married till Sunday?! 

Benefits Of A Saturday Wedding

Saturday weddings are a lot different than Friday weddings. 

As we can imagine asking people to take off work on a Friday can be tough. 

Especially for those who need to travel a little further. 

This is usually not an issue for a Saturday wedding! 

• You don’t have to ask your loved ones to take time off work. And even if they still do, it is less time than if you were to have a Friday wedding. This is a big win in securing your guest lists a little earlier because there is no work conflict to debate. 
• You can have your wedding really at any time you want. Friday weddings typically fall into the afternoon night, whereas a Saturday wedding could be morning, middle of the day, or night. The day becomes a lot more open. 
• Saturday weddings still have the option to enjoy some of the weekend altogether. It can be a one-day and done deal, or it can still soak up some of Sunday as well, which is nice. 

What Time Should You Have a Friday Wedding?

The typical Friday wedding will take place during the late afternoon, early evening. But some Friday weddings will start much earlier. 

Either way, the timing of a wedding is really important. 

Ultimately it is up to the bride and groom, so if they want to have a sunrise wedding somewhere on the East Coast, then that is their prerogative. 

Their guests may be less than thrilled about waking up at 5 AM, but hey, it’s not their day!

There is a reason why weddings typically fall a little later in the day. 

This is because it takes time to prep, and you want to be considerate of your guests. 

With Friday weddings, in particular, it is extremely important to be thoughtful of your guest’s time.

That’s why the general time you want to host the wedding is sometime in the afternoon. 

Work

Likely if you are having a Friday wedding, many will have to take off work. 

This is especially true of the bride and groom’s parties. 

The preparation throughout the day takes some time, so the more time you can give yourself and your guests, the better. 

The typical best time is around 4:00-4:30 PM because it allows you to start the wedding in daylight, and by the time the ceremony is over and pictures, you can approach dinner with the guests. 

What Time Should You Have a Saturday Wedding?

Saturday is a little more flexible in terms of what time you can have your wedding. 

Weddings usually are centered around a meal. 

So if you plan to have a lunch wedding that is totally fine. 

You could start your ceremony between 11 AM-12 PM and look to serve food around 1 PM. 

This is a little less common because even on a Saturday wedding, most brides and their new boo opt to have the wedding in the afternoon. 

Why?

Well, work is not really an issue now, but prep and planning are. 

Afternoons tend to give those in the wedding enough time to really set up and get ready. 

There are also photos that are taken before the wedding during the prep phase, so you want to leave room for that. 

Weather-wise the afternoon usually is a good choice as well. 

This is when the weather is still warm but starting to cool off and still light but starting to approach the night. 

And night weddings are also so much fun. It feels more natural and party-like. 

How To Decide Between A Friday And A Saturday Wedding

Making a decision between a Friday and Saturday wedding can be difficult, but weighing your needs and wants will help you make a much easier decision. 

What are your needs and wants? 

These are things to consider like vendors and venue, travel concerns, and work. 

Let’s talk about each one a little more extensively. 

Work Considerations

Think about anyone that you want to come to your wedding that may have a more difficult time getting off from work. 

These are people that are going to need to travel to make it to your wedding. 

It could be your best friend who is a plane ride away. 

In that case, they may need to take even more time off from work. It could be out-of-state family members. 

People that are close to you that are going to have a hard time getting there on a Friday may make you want to consider having a wedding on a Saturday. 

Venue Options

The toughest this about Saturday weddings is trying to find a venue that isn’t already booked up. 

This is even more true when you have either a summer wedding in a seasonal area, or you have a destination wedding during the winter months for somewhere warm.

This is why choosing a Friday may be better in this case because your dream venue has a better chance of being open. 

Other Vendors

Getting everyone to magically fit on the same day is tough. 

You have a caterer, florist, wedding planner, and more to ask for help. 

Likely they are to be more available on a Friday than they will be on a Saturday. 

If this is the case, then you have to find the balance between getting your perfect wedding or having your perfect guest list. 

Other Friday verse Saturday Wedding Considerations

While the above are the main concerns when it comes to Friday and Saturday weddings, you may have already thought of a few other things that need to be considered when choosing between the two. 

We’ve got you with a list of more things to think about.

As if you needed more to think about!

But, here they are. 

• Are you inviting kids? This is one of the biggest things to consider because if many of your guests have kids or are bringing their kids, there will need to be nannies, babysitters, or appropriate bedtimes. 
• How big is your wedding? The more people you have to consider, the more likely it is you’ll need to vouch for a Saturday wedding.
• Is your wedding difficult to get to? The more time you allow people to get to the venue, the better, so consider where your guests are from and where you are having the wedding. 

Finally

There is really no right or wrong to having a Saturday or a Friday wedding. 

Saturday, unfortunately, maybe a little more costly to the bride and groom, but Friday may be more convenient for them. 

The downside is Friday may be less convenient for your guests. 

While weddings are fun in general, they are something that is planned for well in advance because of convenience.

If a Friday wedding really suits you better, then go for it! 

Those who matter will be able to get there, and it’s OK if some people have to make a little more effort. 

It is your big day after all! 

If you can squeeze the Saturday wedding and everything works out, then there is not much to worry about! 

All in all, do what works for you and your partner.

And regardless of which day you choose, it is better to plan early! 

Start calling venues and vendors now.

Trust me, the sooner you start, the better.

But if you were still wondering what we did, we went for the Friday. 

Besides, the finances can only stretch so far…

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