'I got married on a Thursday and saved £3,000'
When Rachael Fletcher-Beaumont got married last year, she was determined that her wedding wasn't going to break the bank.
"There's a perception that the word 'wedding' adds noughts [to the cost of services]," says the 34-year-old from Bradford.
The thing that saved Rachael and her husband Luke the most money was choosing to get married on a Thursday, which reduced the cost of their wedding package by £3,000 when compared to a Saturday wedding.
The savings they made on the venue allowed the couple to spend money on other aspects of their wedding.
"It was worth getting married on a Thursday, without a doubt," says Rachael.
Growing trend
Rachael and Luke's choice of day mirrors a growing shift among couples when it comes to picking a date.
Research from the Bank of England suggests that more people are choosing cheaper midweek dates to get married.
Wedding planning apps also report evidence of this trend.
According to Hitched, Monday 23 September is set to be the most popular date for weddings this year.
It says Tuesday has seen the biggest growth in popularity, up 42% in the last two years.
Similarly, Bridebook, which claims to help plan 70% of UK weddings, found that in 2023, for the first time, less than half of weddings took place on a Saturday,
It also found that couples who marry on Tuesdays or Wednesdays spend over a fifth less on their weddings than average.
"The first thought couples have is that it has to be a Saturday, then they realise they may not care if it's not on a weekend if it puts a couple grand back in their pocket," says Holly Poulter, wedding planner for Revelry Events.
She says the turning point was the pandemic as "general chaos" caused couples to move to weekdays, and the trend has "stuck around as couples are now more open-minded".
'Disgusting' price differences
Hazel Barnes, 59, is getting married in Datchworth, Hertfordshire on a Thursday in July next year, and is saving £3,000 as a result.
She says she found the difference in price for weddings across the week "disgusting... [and] quite jaw dropping".
Hazel has also managed to cut costs on the reception venue by providing the decorations herself.
Hazel and her husband-to-be Dannie Sanderson, 63, are planning a small wedding and although two of their guests are unable to attend due to issues with childcare, she says: "What we have been able to get as a result of saving money has outweighed that."
Similarly, Sophie Wardle, 29, is getting married on Thursday 1 May next year in Wetherby, West Yorkshire.
The wedding package was cheaper, partly because it allowed a smaller number of guests, prompting Sophie to reduce her original guest count from 70.
She and her fiancé sent their wedding date out in August 2023, nearly two years in advance, to give their guests time to book the weekday off, with no complications arising.
While weekday weddings are popular for budget-conscious couples, it is also possible to make savings at a luxury venue location.
Getting married at Hedsor House in Buckinghamshire would cost you at least £20,950 plus VAT on a Saturday in the peak summer months. However, the same wedding package at the same time of year but on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday is offered at £8,500 plus VAT.
Fran Everist, director of sales and marketing at Hedsor House, says she has seen a "shift in behaviours" over the last couple of years, with more couples "happy to get married on every day of the week".
By opting for a cheaper weekday package, she says couples often use the money they saved to splash out on things like a big band or an expensive honeymoon.
Hazel says she did just this, by booking a luxury Rolls-Royce, while Sophie also says she booked more expensive entertainment as a result.
While midweek dates are becoming more popular, wedding planner Holly Poulter says weekend weddings will still continue to work for the majority of couples despite the cost.
"These kind of decisions will always be a tricky balance between budget and obligations," she says.
"Couples are mindful of time commitments for their guests, having to take annual leave and possibly arrange childcare during the week."
While acknowledging the potential inconvenience for some guests, Rachael Fletcher-Beaumont says they chose a day just before a bank holiday so that those who wanted to could take a long weekend.
She says she and her husband have "no regrets" about their non-traditional choice of day.
"Everything that happened because of the money we saved ended up making our wedding really personal."
