We're Getting Married Mid-Week at City Hall. Can We Ask Our Guests to Skip Work to Celebrate With Us?

Photo: Lisa Lefkowitz Photography

There are nearly endless options for weddings. Formal or relaxed? Religious or secular? Summer or winter? The way you and your fiancé choose to celebrate is totally up to you. Whether you're saving up for a big expense (like an incredible vacation or a new house) or would rather not be the center of attention, having a wedding at City Hall is becoming more and more popular, even for couples who don't want to elope. But Friday and Saturday afternoon are some of the busiest times to pop in and get hitched, even if your local option takes appointments in advance, meaning a lot of these weddings occur mid-week — and even mid-workday. So if you're planning to have a few guests along, can you ask them to take time off to join you downtown? Here's what our experts think.
Most states require a witness or two at your marriage, so you'll definitely need to ask a friend or family member to take the day off to join you for your ceremony (that is, of course, unless you're totally happy with a stranger waiting in the DMV line signing your marriage license!).
When it comes to other friends, think about the scale and timing of your celebration. Are you getting married first thing in the morning, followed by brunch at your favorite restaurant? See if your guests can take a half day and head to work in the afternoon — armed with a really great answer to the "Where were you this morning?" questions!
If you're aiming to wed in the afternoon and then go out to dinner to celebrate, you could ask guests to leave work early, or head to City Hall with just your witnesses and have friends join you for a restaurant reception once they're out of work.
For the couple that's hoping to spend the day celebrating, keep in mind that some guests might not be able to take an entire day off of work. In this case, you might want to keep your actual wedding day very intimate, and then plan a weekend celebration for guests who couldn't get out of the conference room on Tuesday. Any reason to celebrate again, right?