It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that with the huge volume of weddings currently being postponed, next year is going to be a seriously busy time for folk in the wedding industry. And if predictions are right, and we are going to see more outdoor weddings, then availability is reduced further, with just 17 Saturdays on the calendar from mid May to mid September…
So if you are yet to plan your 2021 wedding and are hoping to hold it on a Saturday, you are probably thinking YIKES!! Getting the venue of your dreams and all of your preferred suppliers is going to be much more of a challenge than it 'normally' would. But there is an alternative, and while it has advantages and disadvantages, it might be the best way forward in these strange times..
Supply and demand dictates that a Saturday wedding is going to cost a lot more than any other day of the week; it’s the day of preference for most couples and accordingly the industry prices it at a premium. Using the same principle, with less demand for weddings on a weekday, suppliers have more availability and are therefore keen to sell that space in the diary – giving you, the client, lots of manoeuvrability when it comes to price AND choice.
And while Monday might not be the preferred day to tie the knot, how does a Friday wedding sound? I mean, in my books, Friday IS the weekend! Many folk will happily curtail their working week by a day and enjoy a longer weekend - just look at the popularity of Bank Holiday weddings (and Recovery Mondays). It may be inconvenient for some of your guests, but the most important people will be there no matter what, and most people would rather be at your wedding than at their desk.
If friends can’t get the time off work for a weekday ceremony, then you might save a tad more money by keeping your guest list down but WITHOUT offending anyone in the process. And in my humble opinion, intimate weddings are less stressful, as well as less expensive, than large weddings. If an intimate ceremony with just your closest family and friends is what you're after, a weekday wedding is actually a no brainer – the perfect fit, at a reduced rate.
Another consideration is that yes, while weekday weddings admittedly do clash with the working week, what they rarely clash with is football, cricket or many other sporting events. I had clients this year who booked a Sunday wedding and were gutted to realise it was the same day as England were due to play in the Euros…. of course, we all know how that turned out… but when we were planning, we decided to keep the time of the ceremony flexible, because the last thing we wanted was everyone surreptitiously checking their phones while the match went into extra time.. And if there is a venue you are particularly keen on, it’s pretty likely that they will be booked out on summer Saturdays for a few years ahead. Again this was the case for one of my 2020 couples, who had waited TWO YEARS for the venue of their dreams :-( only to go back on the waiting list for a Saturday in May. But venues will gladly consider availability in the week AND it’s likely to be a lot cheaper, so your savings can go on your honeymoon, your home or back into your bank account.
If you are still doubtful about having a weekday wedding, just remember, your wedding is going to be a special day regardless of where it falls during the week. And to give you a bit of extra support, I’ve decided to discount my prices by 10% should you book a date for mid-week. Drop me a line and let’s chat!
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