Why More Couples Are Choosing Midweek Weddings

More couples than ever are booking their wedding for midweek instead of a Saturday, and it comes down to one simple thing: it’s the same day at the same venue but way less money. Saturday still accounts for under half of UK weddings, but midweek dates are now at record levels outside of the pandemic years.

The Saturday premium is real, and couples have noticed

For years, Saturday was simply "wedding day" by default. Nobody really questioned it. But as costs have crept up across every part of a wedding, from catering to photography to flowers, more couples are looking hard at where that money is actually going, and venue hire is usually one of the biggest line items on the list.

According to Bridebook's UK Wedding Report 2026, the average UK wedding now costs £20,604, and while Saturday remains the single most popular day at 47% of weddings, that figure is falling. Wednesday and Thursday weddings are at their highest levels since before the pandemic. Among younger couples specifically, over a third are choosing a Monday to Thursday date, and Bridebook's Gen Z Wedding Index puts the typical saving at around 12%.

At Tudor Barn Eltham, the difference goes further than that. Because we work on a minimum spend model rather than fixed packages, the day of the week you choose changes your venue hire and your minimum food and drink spend all at once. For a May to September wedding, our current published rates work out like this:

Saturday - £5,200 venue hire, £4,800 minimum food spend, £2,240 minimum drinks spend (£12,240 total minimum)

Friday - £3,465 venue hire, £3,600 minimum food spend, £1,680 minimum drinks spend (£8,745 total minimum), a saving of around 29% against Saturday

Thursday - £2,365 venue hire, £3,000 minimum food spend, £1,400 minimum drinks spend (£6,765 total minimum), a saving of around 45% against Saturday

Monday and Tuesday - £1,970 venue hire, £2,400 minimum food spend, £1,120 minimum drinks spend (£5,490 total minimum)

Everything included as standard including exclusive hire, Chiavari chairs, tables, linen, the fairy lights and flowers on the beams and a dedicated events manager stay exactly the same whichever day you pick. You are simply choosing a quieter day for the venue itself.

And it is not just about the money

Cost is the headline reason, but it is not the only one. A midweek wedding also tends to mean:

·        Wider choice of date - Popular Saturdays in peak season get booked up well over a year in advance. A Thursday in the same month is often still available;

·        The moore relaxed run-up - Suppliers, from florists to hair and makeup artists, are usually less stretched midweek, which can mean more attention on the day and sometimes better rates too;

·        A genuinely different atmosphere - Thursday weddings often feels a little more intimate. Guests who take the day off to be there are guests who really wanted to be there.

But does a midweek date suit every guest list?

It is worth being honest about the trade-off. A midweek wedding asks more of your guests, particularly anyone travelling from further afield or juggling childcare and work. It is worth thinking about who is coming, how far they are travelling, and whether an evening ceremony start makes the day easier for people to attend around work. Many of our couples solve this by choosing a slightly later ceremony time on a weekday, so guests can travel after finishing work, or by leaning into it as a genuine reason for family and close friends to take a day off together.

How to make the most of a midweek wedding

If you are weighing up a weekday date, a few things help:

1.     Ask your venue for the full day-by-day breakdown, not just the headline Saturday price, so you can compare like for like.

2.     Check what's included as standard, since a lower minimum spend is only a genuine saving if you are not paying separately for things a Saturday package would have included.

3.     Talk to your registrar early. Civil ceremonies can be booked on weekdays just as easily as weekends, but popular registrars do get booked up, so give as much notice as you can.

4.     Consider your evening reception timing. A slightly later start on a weekday can make a big difference to how many guests can join for the evening.

Frequently asked questions

Is a midweek wedding actually cheaper, or do venues just add the cost back on elsewhere?

At Tudor Barn Eltham, the saving is genuine and it is published, not hidden. Our venue hire and minimum food and drinks spends are all lower Monday to Thursday than on a Saturday, and everything included as standard stays the same regardless of the day you choose.

What day of the week is cheapest for a wedding?

Generally, Monday and Tuesday are the lowest-cost days, followed by Thursday, then Friday, with Saturday the most expensive.

Will my guests actually come to a midweek wedding?

Most will, particularly close family and friends, and many couples find a midweek wedding results in a guest list of people who made a real effort to be there. Giving guests plenty of notice and choosing a ceremony time that works around a working day, both help.



Can I still have a full wedding breakfast and evening reception on a weekday?

Absolutely! A midweek wedding at Tudor Barn Eltham includes the same exclusive hire, from 10am until midnight, as a Saturday wedding, so you can plan the same shape of day.

If a midweek date might work for you, get in touch and we will talk you through exactly what it looks like for your date and guest numbers. You can see our current pricing across every day of the week in our wedding brochure linked HERE.