Friday Wedding Versus a Sunday Wedding. HELP?

I would say Friday. A lot of people take half days that day anyway, and if they can't make the ceremony, they will be at the reception. Those who really want to be at the ceremony will be there...

The only advice I have is to have the wedding later on Friday, if you decide on Friday. Starting at 6:00 PM would allow people to work and still make the wedding. Starting at 4:30 would probably keep a lot of people away who would like to come. If you really can't do a later Friday wedding, I would go for the Sunday wedding. Good luck and congratulations!

We had a Friday wedding. First we got great deals on our reception location, and photographer because we booked on Friday opposed to Saturday. I think that for out of town guests this was more appealing so they didnt have to feel rushed to get home. Also A LOT of our friends thought that our friday wedding was great because if they were hung over on Saturday they didnt loose their whole weekend ;-). I think our reception started around 5ish, and ended around 11pm. Good Luck!

I held my wedding on Sunday over a holiday weekend and it worked wonderfully for us!
I managed to save alot of money by having our wedding over labor day weekend and best of all no one had to be at work the following Monday. I was initially concerned about people being away for the holiday weekend, but I sent out save the dates, around Christmas time so everyone had advance notice.
I also work in the catering business and have noticed that Friday night weddings tend to be shorter as guest simply eat and head home since they are tired from the work week. Just a thought.
Good luck with your decision!

I'm not quite sure what that response is you got there about BEFORE children but I don't think that helped you out at all and seemed rude.

I'm planning ours on a Sunday and yes I have children too. I'm remarrying.

Between the two I'd say Friday just because of the reception time. I don't think you can make everybody happy. Some may be able to take time off from work to attend the ceremony and if they can't then maybe they can be at the reception. I think some will be tired after work on Friday and then if you have it on a Sunday I think you'll have a mix of those who will be well rested but some who have to get up real early for work. Same goes for Saturday I guess as well.

Based on the later reception time and assuming most people have a M-F job I think you would be best off having it Friday.

We had a Friday wedding and it went well. We did pictures before the wedding and greeted our guests before the mass started at 4pm. Then we did our big group pictures after mass and skipped out of the reception line. We took pictures on the way to the reception hall and then enjoyed a wonderful dinner at 6pm. During the dinner we went around and greeted each guest at their table. Everyone had a great time and danced until 1am.
We had a lot of out of town folks who needed to fly to the wedding. They made it a vacation out of the wedding. Those who didn't show up were the ones who lived closer to the wedding site, but had other family obligations.
You won't be able to please everyone - just make the date where your most important guests can attend (ie parents, grandparents, kids, etc.) Everyone else can make their decision about how they would like to schedule their week around the wedding or not. Remember not everyone works M-F anyways - so good luck trying to get them all there.
You should save a lot of money on the wedding though for either day.
Congratulations.

Hi K.
I just wanted to say I am sorry some people are so judgmental and can't keep there comments to themselves but I had my wedding on friday but it was very small so everyone I wanted there was and then we had a reception on saturday. It worked great for us but know it would be easier to go to a sunday wedding then a friday wedding.

Hi, I had a friday night wedding. but it was later, 7:30. we just had the reception at church with food and goodies in the church hall. no dancing or partying then, but it worked fine for us. We had lots of time to visit with family and friends.

my wedding was on sunday afternoon and it worked out very well. we had a lot going against us (it was out-of-town for all guests and family and us, it was february, it's church day, we don't know that many people, etc.) but we had a great turnout and the weather cooperated. i agree friday might not work so well with people who have to work. depends on time, who and how many you're inviting, business hours of everyone else involved-like caterer, place of ceremony and reception, etc. this is an important event and people will do what they can to make it. just give them plenty of notice.
congrats!
S. m

what i think is that you should have it whatever day you feel like. people will either plan to come no matter what, or they will have other responsibilities preventing them no matter which day you choose. its nice to have a big party, but really, if people cant put your day number one on the day that you choose, then its not worth the time having them there right??

that being said, friday evening is possible for most people, and it leaves a whole weekend for relaxation and visiting after the wedding is out of the way.
a sunday wedding people are going to want to start for home usually.
thats just my thought on it.

Hi K.,

Boy, someone said something to get people riled up!

My husband and I got married on a Friday evening. We had a wonderful turnout. Our wedding started at 7pm and then on to dinner/dancing afterwards. We had our pictures done right after the wedding (very few) but that is something you could do beforehand so that once the ceremony is over, you can get right to the dinner/reception.

Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials! Brides are the most beautiful women in the world!

C.

Ugh. I read your post and the previous responses and I wanted to say I myself have not married yet [and I have one child]. I usually try not to comment on other people's responses but I am so outraged I have to say something. It's YOUR life and it does not matter what ANYONE says about how you have lived it. It's your business and yours alone. How many people have had babies before marriage? How many married people have gotten pregnant on accident, too? If you are in a committed relationship with a partner who plans to be there for the kids I don't think it matters if you have tied the knot or not. That does not make you a bad person or a bad mother. There are plenty of people who married before having kids and were still bad people and bad mothers. And there will always be people out there who need to criticize others to make themselves feel superior in some way. Take the good advice you can get and remember that not everyone has been taught how to be respectful, empathetic, and considerate.
As for your question, I vote for Sunday. I think you are right that a lot of people would have trouble getting a Friday off. There may be some people who work on Sundays that would have to take the day off but there would be far less than those who work Fridays. And they wont be too tired- they will be excited to go! Everyone will have it marked on their calendars and be scrambling for clothes to wear and gifts to bring. It will be fine. Good luck and congratulations!

I have worked as an event/wedding planner and my advice would be to consider the type of event you're planning (including dinner/dancing, casual or fancy) and what will work best. The most important thing when hosting an event is to keep your guests in mind. I personally think starting at 4:30 on a Friday is too much of an imposition for many people. I would recommend starting later (at least 6pm, depending on how many guests have to travel from out of town and your relationship with those people) or having a Sunday wedding earlier in the afternoon. However, my SIL recently went to a Fri evening wedding and she said the ceremony went from 7 to 8 and they didn't start dinner until about 9pm. That's not very considerate to guests, and not many people stayed late at that reception. It cleared out quickly after dinner.
If you plan a Sunday afternoon ceremony, keep in mind the timing of the reception, so that you're not seating people for dinner at 3:30 or another awkward time. Afternoon receptions can be very nice with hors d'oeuvres and cake, or just a slightly earlier dinner, around 5:30 or so, and will still allow you to wrap up early enough for people to get home for work in the morning if they need to. I wouldn't worry about people being too tired. If they know your wedding is coming up they will plan accordingly.
Another idea that I saw recently that could work well on either a Friday night or Sunday is to have a combination ceremony/reception (assuming the ceremony is not in a church). The guests arrived at a reception hall, had drinks and then found their tables at the appointed time. Then the bride and groom entered in an area at the front with a Justice of the Peace, who performed the ceremony, which was very short. Then everyone had dinner, the couple greeted the guests at each table throughout the evening, followed by dancing. I thought this was an interesting and nice idea, which worked well for this couple who wanted to have more of a celebration rather than a formal church wedding.
Whatever you decide, best wishes for your wedding planning and marriage.

Just wanted to share my story...

My husband and I got married on a Friday evening at 6:00 in a church. We did pictures before the wedding so we could go straight to the reception hall after the ceremony. THe priest announced that my husband and I would greet guests at the ceremony (this allowed us to have more time at the reception hall and didn't keep people waiting while we were completing the receiving line). We did understand that some people were not able to attend a Friday evening wedding, but totally understoos. ALl in all, everything went very smoothly and would not have changed anything for thw world! Another thing, I think it helped us in getting some of the things booked that we watned...most people have them booked for a Saturday wedding vs. a Friday wedding).

I wish you the best!!!

Congratulations on your wedding. I had my wedding on a Friday night. The wedding started at 6:00. We had a very short ceremony and did some pictures before and finished the rest up afterwards. We had appetizers and open bar until dinner started - so people were hungry - but not starving. I LOVED it. If you started a Friday wedding a little earlier - just don't have hurt feelings if people can't make it for the acutal ceremony.

My mom got remarried and her wedding was on a Sunday. It was very nice. Just a small ceremony and a brunch afterwards.

I think you should do what you want - it is yours and your fiance's day. You will never be able to please everyone.

Congrats on the wedding!!! I would say it would depend on your guest. My family likes to celebrate, so a Sunday night reception wouldn't have worked out well. But, I think more people would attend the ceromony on Sunday instead of Friday.

Hi K.,

I have to say, I think every wedding I've ever been to has actually been on a Saturday. That includes one with a Justice of the Peace. In my church, I'm not sure if they even do Sunday weddings because they have masses held on Sunday. You didn't say if you were going to be using a church of any kind, but if so you may want to check that out.
Good Luck and enjoy your day,
V.

So do a Saturday wedding. My husband and I got married on a Saturday and we had lots of people. If you arec worried about Friday not being able to get off work and Sunday people being to tired. Have it Saturday and I would suggest doing it somewhat a little earlier as that way if people want to saty for the whole reception there is time. I know that was not probably what you wanted to hear but trust me I think a Saturday wedding is much better.

My husband and I had a Friday wedding and things worked out GREAT! We were able to get the reception hall, church, and DJ we wanted on the date we wanted (for a good price even) because their weren't all kinds of people lined up. We started our ceremony at 6pm with the reception following and had a pretty good turn out. I think we invited about 270 and had about 200 show up. It was also nice because my husband was in graduate school and I was working full time .. so we had a few days to rest up before getting back to normal life events.

Congrats on the upcoming wedding and good luck to you!

I've never been to a Sunday wedding but my cousin got married on a Friday night. They had a great turnout. And with a supper time at 6:30 even if people couldn't get off work an hour early for the mass, they could still make the meal and dance...... I'd say it's really personal preferance.

So I went to my 1st friday wedding this past spring, I really didn't know what to expect. I thought it was going to be low key and small.. Instead it was huge and there were alot of people. I think Friday is better than Sunday. Especially for the people who have to get their kid ready for school the next day.

This is why I hate that you can delete people commets, I would really like to see what someone wrote that was so rude. I don't think there is anything with kids being born outta marrage, both my husband and I were pre-wedding consieved and our parents are still together... while my husband and i Have been married 3 years, have a 6 year old, and have been dating for 10 years!!! And I am 27.

Good Luck on your weddiing.

'

I had a Sunday wedding, bc there were people that couldn't get Saturday off. Everyone showed up to mine and they were all every happy with the day and time. I also had mine at the same time as yours.

Hi K.~

I am not married but I do work for a DJ Company. In my experience I have seen that Friday weddings are more successful as long as your not dealing with winter driving conditions. We think the reason is that on Sundays guests are preoccupied with the thought that they have to work the next day. Whereas on Friday weddings the guests may be a little late arriving but it is the end of the work week and are ready to let loose!

Hopefully you have been offered discounts with all of your vendors since you are planning a Fri or Sun wedding. Best of luck to you!