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A Friday Wedding?

All photos this page, Cameron Ingalls friday 1

We married on Friday, 12/30/1983. We couldn’t get a reception hall for the next night, New Year’s Eve. Still, a good time was had by all! (True story: Editor.)

Getting married on a Friday might solve some planning problems for you, too. Friday weddings do all of this:

It might be easier to get your first choices of location, services and vendors.

Rooms for guests will be easier to book for Thursday arrivals (for the rehearsal). Plane flights for long distance guests might also be cheaper and easier to book.

Your honeymoon will gain a day! Or, if you want, you can hang around for the weekend and visit with your out-of-town guests — since they’ll probably be staying until Sunday.

You might be able to save a penny or two on professional fees. Some pros will welcome the extra work and will offer a discount to get it.

Most local guests will get a babysitter. Only your relatives and out of towners might have the kids with them.

If your planning time is short — say, under six months — there's a chance your wedding weekend might be forced into a Friday night. But, as the list of benefits above shows, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

How will guests react? Most of them will not have a problem: It gives them a chance to get out “without the kids” on a Friday, and it leaves their weekend open.

A few tips if you’re planning Friday nuptials:

For out of town guests, send them a “save the date” card prior to the invitation so they can give adequate notice at work. Enclose a stamped response with it so they can tell you if it’s just not possible.

Almost everyone will assume your wedding date is a Saturday, so emphasize whenever you can that it's on Friday. Highlight it also to pros you call to interview.

When you talk with the reception site salespeople and other vendors, don’t be hesitant to ask for a discount. An extra reception booking, even at a 20% discount, will almost double the normal wedding weekend income for venues and vendor, and they are not likely to turn it down. If they say no, you can still book at full price.

(Notice, these photos from a Friday wedding in San Luis last year look just like any others!)