So you've officially decided you're willing to break one of the biggest unwritten wedding rules:

Your wedding doesn't HAVE to be on a Saturday.

👏👏👏

Now you've got another decision.

Thursday or Friday?

Friday weddings have become a pretty natural alternative to Saturdays. Guests can turn them into a long weekend, vendors may have more availability and you still get that weekend-wedding feeling.

But Thursday?

Don't dismiss it yet.

A Thursday wedding can potentially give you even MORE flexibility with venues and vendors—and depending on your guest list, it could turn your wedding into an entire four-day experience.

So which one is actually better?

As with most things in wedding planning...

It depends on YOUR wedding.

Let's compare them.

ROUND 1: Venue Availability

Friday Wedding

Friday is probably the first alternative couples look at when their dream venue doesn't have a Saturday available.

Because of that, Fridays—especially during peak Minnesota wedding season—can still book pretty quickly.

But you'll generally have more options than if you're only considering Saturdays.

Thursday Wedding

Thursday is where things can get REALLY interesting.

A venue that has every Saturday and several Fridays booked may still have plenty of Thursdays available.

That means you may have a much easier time getting:

Your dream venue.

The month you want.

The season you want.

And potentially even the exact date you want.

WINNER: Thursday 🏆

If your #1 priority is getting your dream venue, Thursday will often give you more options.

ROUND 2: Guest Convenience

Here's where Friday has the obvious advantage.

Friday Wedding

For a Friday wedding, some local guests may only need to take part of the day off work.

If your ceremony doesn't begin until later in the afternoon or evening, they may even be able to work most of the day.

Guests traveling from out of town can arrive Thursday evening and potentially leave Sunday.

It feels pretty manageable.

Thursday Wedding

Thursday usually requires more planning.

Guests may need Thursday AND Friday off work, especially if they're traveling.

Parents may need to consider school schedules.

Your wedding party will likely need at least Thursday off and possibly Wednesday too if you're having a rehearsal.

That's not impossible.

But it does require more notice.

WINNER: Friday 🏆

If having as many guests as possible attend is your biggest concern, Friday is probably the safer choice.

ROUND 3: Potential Savings

Okay, here's the category everyone wants to know about. 😂

Can Thursday or Friday actually save you money?

Potentially.

Not every wedding venue or vendor offers weekday pricing, so you'll need to ask each business individually.

Friday Wedding

Some venues treat Friday as an off-peak or weekday date.

Others consider Friday part of their normal wedding weekend and may not discount it much.

Thursday Wedding

Because Thursday tends to have lower wedding demand, you may find more venues willing to offer different packages, lower minimums or weekday rates.

That doesn't mean Thursday will ALWAYS be cheaper.

But it's definitely worth comparing.

WINNER: Thursday 🏆

Thursday probably has the edge when it comes to potential savings.

And yes,T Hughes Weddings offers special discounts for Sunday–Friday wedding dates, so BOTH Thursday and Friday qualify with us.

ROUND 4: Vendor Availability

You've found the photographer.

You love their work.

You love their personality.

You can already picture them photographing your wedding.

And then...

"Sorry! We're already booked for your date."

😭

This is one of the biggest benefits of weekday weddings.

Friday Wedding

You'll usually have more vendor options than you would on Saturday.

However, wedding professionals sometimes book Friday-Saturday-Sunday weekends, particularly during peak season.

Thursday Wedding

Thursday is much less likely to be booked far in advance.

That can give you significantly more options for:

Photographers.

Videographers.

DJs.

Florists.

Hair and makeup.

Photo booths.

Officiants.

Planners.

Rental companies.

WINNER: Thursday 🏆

If getting your favorite vendors matters more than the specific day of the week, Thursday may give you the most flexibility.

ROUND 5: Turning Your Wedding Into a Long Weekend

This one is FUN.

Friday Wedding

Imagine:

Thursday:Rehearsal dinner

Friday:WEDDING 🎉

Saturday:Brunch, brewery, lake day, exploring, relaxing

Sunday:Everyone heads home

That's a pretty fantastic wedding weekend.

Thursday Wedding

Now imagine:

Wednesday:Rehearsal/welcome dinner

Thursday:WEDDING 🎉

Friday:Brunch + relaxing

Saturday:Group activities or free day

Sunday:Everyone heads home

That's practically a mini vacation. 😂

WINNER: TIE

Friday is easier for most people's schedules.

Thursday gives you MORE weekend afterward.

Which one wins depends on the experience you want.

ROUND 6: Out-of-Town Guests

Friday Wedding

Friday is much easier if you're inviting a lot of guests who need to travel.

They can arrive Thursday, attend the wedding Friday, enjoy Saturday and travel home Sunday.

That's basically a traditional weekend trip shifted one day earlier.

Thursday Wedding

A Thursday wedding could require guests to arrive Wednesday.

That means potentially taking Wednesday afternoon, Thursday AND Friday away from work.

For some guests, that's completely fine.

For others, it's a big ask.

WINNER: Friday 🏆

If a large percentage of your guest list is traveling, Friday is probably the better option.

ROUND 7: Smaller Weddings

This is where Thursday starts making a comeback.

If you're inviting 200 people, guest availability becomes a bigger concern.

If you're inviting 30?

That's completely different.

Thursday Wedding

With a smaller guest list, you can actually talk to the people who matter most BEFORE booking your date.

Ask your parents.

Ask your siblings.

Ask your closest friends.

"Would Thursday work for you?"

If your 20 VIP guests all say yes...

Who cares what day it is?

Friday Wedding

Friday still works beautifully for smaller weddings, of course.

But Thursday's additional venue/vendor availability can make it especially attractive.

WINNER: Thursday 🏆

For intimate weddings and elopements, Thursday can be fantastic.

ROUND 8: Kids and School Schedules

This one matters if you have children or expect lots of families at your wedding.

Friday Wedding

Children may need to miss Friday afternoon—or possibly the entire day.

But then they have the weekend.

Thursday Wedding

Children could potentially miss Thursday AND Friday depending on travel.

That can be harder for families.

This becomes especially important during the school year.

WINNER: Friday 🏆

If you're expecting lots of families with school-age kids, Friday is probably easier.

ROUND 9: Wedding Party Schedules

Your guests aren't the only people who need to consider PTO.

Your wedding party does too.

Friday Wedding

Your wedding party may need Friday off.

If you're rehearsing Thursday evening, some people may also need to leave work early Thursday.

Pretty manageable for many people.

Thursday Wedding

Your wedding party may need Thursday off.

And if you're rehearsing Wednesday, they may need part of Wednesday too.

If they're traveling?

Now you're potentially asking them to use several vacation days.

WINNER: Friday 🏆

Friday is generally easier on your wedding party.

ROUND 10: Photography

Okay, now we're in my territory. 😂

From a wedding photography perspective?

Either one can be amazing.

The DAY doesn't matter nearly as much as your:

Ceremony time.

Sunset time.

Venue.

Getting-ready locations.

Travel between locations.

First-look decision.

And photography timeline.

A Thursday at 2 PM and a Friday at 2 PM give us essentially the same daylight.

What DOES change is location traffic.

Depending on where you're getting married, weekday portrait locations may be less crowded than they are during a busy Saturday.

And I am absolutely not going to complain about that.

WINNER: TIE 🏆

Give me a good timeline and beautiful light and I don't care what day your calendar says. 😂

ROUND 11: Honeymoon Timing

This is something couples don't always think about.

Friday Wedding

Wedding Friday.

Relax Saturday.

Leave Sunday or Monday for your honeymoon.

That's a REALLY nice schedule.

You don't have to wake up at 4 AM the morning after your wedding to catch a flight.

Thursday Wedding

Wedding Thursday.

Recover Friday.

Enjoy Saturday.

Leave Sunday.

Also pretty fantastic.

Or leave Friday and get an even earlier start.

WINNER: TIE

Both give you more flexibility than a traditional Saturday wedding.

ROUND 12: The Party

I've heard couples worry:

"Will people actually dance at a Thursday wedding?"

Yes. 😂

Your DJ does not suddenly lose the ability to play music because it's Thursday.

The bigger question is whether guests need to wake up for work the next morning.

Friday Wedding

Most guests don't have to work Saturday.

That means they're more likely to stay later.

Thursday Wedding

Some guests may need to work Friday and leave the reception earlier.

If most of your guests are taking Friday off anyway?

Problem solved.

WINNER: Friday 🏆

If having a packed dance floor until the end of the night is one of your top priorities, Friday gets the advantage.

So...Which Is Actually Cheaper?

There's no universal answer.

But if your biggest goal is reducing costs, I'd price out THREE versions of your wedding:

Option A: Saturday

Option B: Friday

Option C: Thursday

Contact the SAME venue and SAME vendors.

Then compare what each date actually costs.

You might find that Saturday and Friday aren't dramatically different...

but Thursday is.

Or maybe your dream venue has an amazing Friday package.

You won't know until you ask.

And remember:

Don't only compare the dollar amount.

Comparewhat's included.

A Thursday package that's $1,000 cheaper but requires you to rent $1,500 worth of additional items isn't actually saving you money.

Could You Combine a Weekday AND Winter Wedding?

Now you're speaking my language. 😂

If you're REALLY flexible and trying to stretch your wedding budget, consider something like:

A Friday in January.

Or:

A Thursday in February.

Some Minnesota wedding businesses offer winter pricing.

Others offer weekday pricing.

Some offer both.

You could potentially have more:

Venue choices.

Vendor choices.

Date choices.

And money left in your wedding budget.

Plus...

Snowy wedding photographs.

I'm just saying. ❄️😍

Thursday Wedding Pros & Cons

PROS

• Potentially more venue availability

• More vendor availability

• Possible weekday pricing

• Easier access to popular dates

• Great for intimate weddings

• Fantastic for elopements

• Creates a long wedding weekend

• Weekday portrait locations may be quieter

CONS

• Guests may need more PTO

• Traveling guests may need to arrive Wednesday

• School schedules can be harder

• Wedding party may need multiple days off

• Some guests may leave the reception earlier

Friday Wedding Pros & Cons

PROS

• Easier for guests

• Still may qualify for weekday discounts

• More venue/vendor availability than Saturday

• Guests have the entire weekend afterward

• Easier for families with kids

• Great for out-of-town guests

• Guests may stay later at the reception

• Easy transition into a honeymoon

CONS

• Fridays can still book quickly

• Some venues may price Fridays similarly to Saturdays

• Guests may still need Friday off

• Peak-season Fridays can be competitive

So...Thursday or Friday?

If you're asking me to choose ONE for the average traditional wedding?

Friday probably wins.

It's the easiest transition away from a Saturday wedding.

Your guests still get most of the benefits of a weekend wedding, you may have more venue and vendor options, and depending on who you book, you could potentially save money.

But...

If you're having a smaller wedding, your guests have flexible schedules, you're trying to maximize your budget or your dream venue is available Thursday?

Do not be afraid of Thursday.

The best wedding date isn't automatically Saturday.

It's the date that gives you the wedding you actually want.

Before You Book, Ask Your VIP Guests

This is probably the easiest way to make the decision.

Make a list of the people you absolutely cannot imagine getting married without.

Parents.

Grandparents.

Siblings.

Best friends.

Anyone else who's non-negotiable.

Then ask:

"We're considering either Thursday or Friday. Would either of those be difficult for you?"

Don't ask all 150 wedding guests. 😂

You'll get 150 different opinions and somehow your cousin will suggest moving the entire wedding to Mexico.

Ask your core people.

If Friday works significantly better for them?

There's your answer.

If everyone says either one works?

Now you can choose based on venue availability, vendors and budget.

Planning a Thursday or Friday Wedding in Minnesota?

If you've been looking at Saturday wedding prices and thinking...

There HAS to be another option...

There might be.

T Hughes Weddings offers wedding photography and videography throughout Minnesota and the Midwest, with wedding packages starting at $3,000.

And we're actively looking to add more weekday weddings to our calendar, so we offerspecial discounts for Sunday–Friday wedding dates.

That means BOTH Thursday and Friday qualify.

We also offer special discounts forwinter weddings, so couples considering a weekday winter wedding should definitely ask what's available for their date.

We'll help you create your photography timeline, plan around sunset, decide whether a first look makes sense and make sure photography fits naturally into the wedding you're actually planning.

Because nobody is going to look at your wedding photographs 20 years from now and say:

"Wow...it's too bad these were taken on a Thursday."😂

They're going to see the people you loved, the moments you experienced and the day you married your person.

Ready to see if your Thursday or Friday wedding date is available? Contact T Hughes Weddings and tell us what you're planning.🤍