Guests thought it was a typo when they saw Monday...

Guests thought it was a typo when they saw Monday on the invite to Sean Sconone and Jamie Richer’s Nov. 10 wedding. Credit: North Island Photography

When Sean Sconone, 28, and his fiancee, Jamie Richer, 30, of East Islip, sent out the save the date to 300 guests for their upcoming November nuptials, "People were shocked," Sconone said. "They thought there was a typo." That’s because their wedding at Giorgio’s Catering in Baiting Hollow is slated for a Monday.

Unabashed about the day of the week, Sconone said, "We’re both teachers and all our friends in our wedding party along with our families are, too, and we’re all off the next day," which happens to be Veterans Day. They’ll save (brace yourself) about $150 a plate, which is about $45,000 less for the same elaborate menu on a weekend.

While Monday weddings are somewhat outliers, Thursday wedding gigs are becoming regular events, as couples strive to celebrate tying the knot in the most cost-effective ways. Prime wedding times are Friday through Sunday, April through December. But, according to Nick Cascio, the owner of Giorgio’s, "Thursdays are the new normal." And couples are seizing the day. Cascio said from Easter through Thanksgiving, he’s solidly booked for Thursday weddings.

Cascio said COVID-19 was the catalyst for embracing nontraditional wedding days. "We were backed up for 18 months, and the workforce changed with people working from home making the idea of a Thursday and other days more appealing."

He added: "There's also the uncertainty of the economy, no matter what side of the political fence you’re on, is making couples more budget conscious." And thus, more willing to go astray from classic wedding days. Cascio estimates that for 100 to 150 guests on an average Thursday at Giorgio’s, prices run from $20,000 to $30,000. On a Saturday, it’s $50,000 to $80,000.

Likewise, at the Westbury Manor in Westbury, owner Jerry Scotto said, "We book about 40% of our Thursdays April through November with weddings. That’s a good number."

How the Thursday trend began

Janie Lennon and Aldin Gomez were married at Windows on the Lake in Rokonkoma. Credit: Janie Lennon-Gomez and Aldin Gomez

Scotto said the trend started years ago. "Predominantly it is a factor of budget. They fall in love with the facility and the weekends don’t warrant their budget." On an off-peak day, "They can save from 10 to 25% on food, beverage and the facility. ... People are more conscious about spending, the economy is a factor, and couples are making decisions about what they’re going to do with their money."

Just a few Thursdays ago, Janie Lennon, 32, and Aldin Gomez, 36, of Far Rockaway, married at Windows on the Lake in Ronkonkoma. They switched from a Saturday. "We did it mostly because the price point was more affordable," said Janie (now Lennon-Gomez). "I was skeptical about the Thursday. But I was told, it’s your wedding and people are going to make time, regardless." They did.

"It was awesome," her groom said.  "People are going to show up for you regardless of which day of the week it is — they’re going to make it happen. When you’re in the moment you’re not going to realize it’s a Monday or Thursday. It’s your wedding day. And" he added, "there’s less traffic."

Getting more for less

Brittany and Matthew Young, of Hauppauge, were early adopters of...

Brittany and Matthew Young, of Hauppauge, were early adopters of the Thursday trend when they married at Giorgio’s Catering in Baiting Hollow five years ago during COVID. Credit: Silent Capture Photo

The benefits of off-peak weddings are obviously a two-way street said Anthony Pellegrino, the owner of Windows on the Lake. "People are calling up for ‘soft times of the year,’ and it helps us fill an extra day," he said, "The economy is off right now, because of tariffs thrown up in the air. People are laying low and getting wise to the fact that they can get more at a better price." Here, folks can save 15% to 20% for booking on a soft day or month.

At The Fox Hollow in Woodbury, sales director Victoria Scotto said couples "want to have the wedding of their dreams but don’t want to go broke doing it. There are 365 days in a year, and there are ways to find a day that works in your budget."

Recently, the venue held a Tuesday wedding, and Scotto said about 20% of sales are occurring on Thursdays. She says booking here in slower periods could save up to $60 per person. Scotto also has observed much more DIY recently. "It seems like every bride has a Cricut nowadays," she said, referring to a smart cutting machine used to personalize craft projects. "They’re making welcome signs and seating charts."

Richer even made her own save the date and invitation. Lennon-Gomez tied bows printed with the couple's names around every wineglass, and found a source at Etsy to make every guest’s first name in acrylic and put them on the table as a seating card. "People took them home and said they had never seen that before."

For Brittany Young (formerly Clauss), 30, and Mathew Young, 33, of Hauppauge, who celebrated their nuptials at Giorgio's during  the pandemic five years ago, Thursday was a natural choice. "We were looking at prices for Friday and Saturday, and when we saw the difference for Thursday, I was like ‘sold!’ " The price for the wedding there with 130 people would have been about $70,000 had it been on a Saturday ... on Thursday it was $40,000. "People are still talking about my wedding," she said recalling the bountiful seafood tower that included lobster. Her sister, Lori Klinzing, 33, also of Hauppauge, followed suit there three years later, also marrying on Thursday. She said, "Anybody who wants to be at a wedding will make it a priority to come."

Wedding content creator Rick Sanabria and his wife, Emily, had a Thursday wedding in October at the Stonebridge Country Club in Smithtown. Credit: Park Ave Studio

Noted however, there’s a lot less wiggle room when it comes to vendors. Though some might give slight discounts for superslow times, for most, it’s business as usual. So said Rick Sanabria, 34, a former DJ whose Northport-based company, Slick Creations, creates wedding content. "Maybe in the heart of the winter, which is more of a downtime, there’s a slight discount," he said. "But in peak season it doesn’t change." Sanabria, who himself married on a Thursday last October at Stonebridge Country Club, in Smithtown, estimates he saved $30,000 by doing it on that day of the week. He had no worries about people attending (and they did). "I just thought, ‘If you love me, you’ll be there.’ "

SUBSCRIBE

Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months

ACT NOWSALE ENDS SOON | CANCEL ANYTIME