Everyone looks for ways to stay within their wedding budget, so let’s review a few ways you can save and still have the wedding you’ve always wanted.

One of the first options you should consider is a weekday wedding. We all know that Friday and Sunday weddings are now more affordable than the traditional Saturday evening wedding, but what if you’re looking for a way to cut costs even more? That’s where weekday weddings can really be an attractive option.

Before you toss the idea aside, ask yourself this: what is it that truly makes a fabulous wedding day? Is it really the date itself, or rather is it the beautiful setting, a nice meal, or the ceremony itself? For most, a successful wedding day is one that creates lasting memories for you, your guests, and your newlywed. And you can make unforgettable memories regardless of the day you have your wedding – weekday or weekend – so why not save some money and host a weekday wedding?

One of the benefits of having a weekday wedding is that your guest list might be more intimate and less full of people you “have” to invite, versus those you truly want to attend. When you create your guest list, here’s a tip: create multiple tiers of guests.

• List A – The people you can’t imagine getting married without them as a part of your special day.
• List B – Your closest family & friends; the ones you interact with daily. They are part of your life and have influenced the person you have become.
• List C – If money was no object, you would love to invite these people.
• List D – These are the people who showed up on List A, List B, and List C

List D then shows you the people who will be there for you whenever, wherever, no matter what. This might help make your guest list much more manageable. This guest list might be a closer representation of those who come to your wedding if you host one on a weekday, rather than a weekend. Due to prior commitments, or time off, some people might not be able to make a weekday wedding, true – but those who you truly want there, will be there no matter what.

If you’re considering a weekday wedding, do some research into ceremony sites and wedding venues. Look for places that are willing to create packages that meet your vision, or work with you to discuss exactly what you are thinking. Remember that some venues have restrictions that are out of their control in regards to open days and times, because of the specific organization. Some of these restrictions can include times for church services, member days, conventions, or city ordinances.

Another factor to consider when planning a weekday wedding is driving and traffic. During the weekdays, if you decide to hold your wedding or reception in the same place, you can eliminate the hassle of additional travel for you and your guests. But also, weekday traffic to and from a venue might be more congested than weekend traffic, due to rush hour and working commuters. So just be aware, or if you want to be very thorough, a week or so before the wedding date, you can drive the route to your ceremony site and see how long it might take a visitor to travel from the hotel or a main area to your site. That way, you can include that information in your invitation or on your website, so your guests are aware. And you can also plan when to start your ceremony accordingly, so that you don’t have anyone miss your big day!