This is a thread that was started in our old BlissWeddings.com forums by smll on 4/16/03. Feel free to add your comments by pressing Post Reply.
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posted by smll
I was wondering what you thought of a friday evening wedding? Are there any etiquette rules about it?
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posted by purity1076
Hi smll, we're having a Friday night wedding also, the ceremony starts at 7pm with cocktails served right after the group pictures are taking and my FH and I are off to our pictures. We are not having a sit down meal, but we are having a midnight buffet with cake. I think it's a great idea having it on a Friday evening. It's really romantic. Best of luck
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posted by feb-bride
I've never heard of any etiquette rules for Friday evening weddings. I think it sounds like a nice idea, but the only thing I'd take into consideration before making a decision to do this is where your guests are coming from. For example, if most (or all) guests are local, then it's easier for them to make a Friday evening wedding than if many of the guests have to travel from out of town.
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posted by Holly
One of my friends is having a Friday night wedding. I think that what feb-bride said about the guests is particularly true. My friends' families both live in that area, but all of the attendants are from out of town. Right now my friend is scrambling to figure out when she can have a rehearsal: most people can't make it Thurs. night and the minister (who hasn't been helpful at all) refuses to do it the weekend before. She's right now considering having no rehearsal.
Otherwise, though, I like the idea of a Friday evening wedding. Besides being a romantic, candle-lit ceremony or reception, it's also less expensive. Many vendors will be more willing to negotiate their prices: photographers & caterers especially.
Best of luck!
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posted by nurciuoli
My FH and I just attended a Friday evening wedding and it was beautiful. The ceremony was at 5pm, with a sit-down dinner afterwards. (A cocktail hour was in-between, while the photos were being taken). One thing tho, if there are going to be small children in your wedding party, or attending the wedding, you may want to keep them in mind when scheduling the times. As the evening went on, the younger children became quite tired and difficult to keep amused.
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posted by anniversary10
Hi Smll,
I am having a Friday Evening ceremony for our 10 year anniversary at Disney. The ceremony starts at 7pm, appetizer (it would be cocktail hour, but we are not serving alcohol)hour while watching Illuminations at Epcot, then dinner at 8:30. Since we are hosting a complete weekend, our out-of-town guest will be arriving on Thursday so we do not foresee a problem. I think it is very romantic and easy.
As for our small children, they are having a reception type event of their own in a separate room where if they get tired they can rest. Best of Luck to you!!!
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posted by anniemac
Hi Smll,
I am having a Friday Evening ceremony for our 10 year anniversary at Disney. The ceremony starts at 7pm, appetizer (it would be cocktail hour, but we are not serving alcohol)hour while watching Illuminations at Epcot, then dinner at 8:30. Since we are hosting a complete weekend, our out-of-town guest will be arriving on Thursday so we do not foresee a problem. I think it is very romantic and easy.
As for our small children, they are having a reception type event of their own in a separate room where if they get tired they can rest. Best of Luck to you!!!
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posted by anniemac
Friday evening weddings can be a great choice for brides on a budget. As I'm calling around town and visiting places to have my ceremony and reception, I'm finding that Saturday evenings can run almost twice the cost of a Friday! It's something to consider...
~Annie
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posted by Pchefstasy
I think friday is great 4 wedding, you can really save that way, I wanted a friday night also well, but f.h. wants sat. Not everyone can take off work on fridays, but sat most people are off. Suday is good do, if you want to save some $$
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posted by sweetmonkey
i recently went to a friday wedding however the bride and groom had it at 3pm and many of the guest could not make it because of work or children. i think if you plan to have a friday wedding you would want to have it in the evening when most ppl are done with work.
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posted by Amanda
hi...i think wedding season has offically started because i'm like the 3rd or 4th person here who just recently attended a friday wedding.
and it's not just the hall it self that is cheaper. the wedding we attended the bride told us the the photographer was cheaper beucase it wasn't on a saturday, the limo was also cheaper beucase it wasn't on a peak night also the d.j was less beucase of the same reason. friday weddings are more popular than ever you just have to worry about work schedules and out of town guests that can sometimes be a down fall. but for our of town guests who are flying in...it's alot cheaper to fly in on a weekday than a weekend. so they'll save some money too.
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posted by crystallynne
I also think a friday evening wedding is fine (and potentially a money saver). Someone mentioned earlier that not every can get Fri. off from work, but that most people are off on Sat. I think this really depends on the type of work people do (i.e. anyone in the service industries--grocery stores, malls, restaurants etc., are unlikely to have a Mon-Fri schedule). Point being, I think no matter what day you have your wedding some of your guests will have to take time off work(school), particularly if they are traveling to the wedding. I think the best way to address this is send your invitations out a little sooner (or use save the date cards) to give people more time to make arrangements. You might also discuss the days/times with the people who you absolutely want to be there (those without whose presence your day would feel incomplete) and see what works for them. Bottom line, pick the day that works best for you.
Friday night wedding
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