It’s your wedding day – the biggest, happiest day of your life when all your favorite people join in celebrating you and your partner. Of course you want it to last forever …but it can’t, right? While all good things must eventually come to an end, there are ways to extend your best day ever. Enter: wedding weekends.

Let’s talk about them.

Wedding weekends are custom in many cultures around the world, and we are seeing them now more than ever in the United States. While a traditional US wedding consists of a rehearsal (for some guests), ceremony, and reception, wedding weekends have more planned events and activities for the guests. I think of them as a long weekend getaway/mini vacation for your guests, where you determine how they explore and celebrate your local area.

What are some benefits of having a wedding weekend?

The most obvious is the extended quality time you get with your friends and family. We often hear that the wedding reception goes by in the blink of an eye, and couples are left wanting more time with their guests. Wedding weekends give the newlyweds the opportunity to hang out and (dare I say!) relax before or after the wedding, as these events are oftentimes much more casual.

Other reasons couples are opting for full weekends is so they can show off their locality. With planned events, you can curate a ‘best of the best’ tour for your guests. Show off your city! Let friends and family get a glimpse into your favorite spots around town. I also love this option because there’s less downtime for the people who are staying overnight.

What kind of events and activities should you plan for your wedding weekend?

It obviously depends on where you’re located, how many people are joining, what you want to do, and how much pre-planning you’re willing to take on. Let’s start simple – a welcome dinner (or cocktail hour) is always a nice way to kick off the weekend and welcome people to the festivities. From there, I’ve seen it all. For easier/less stressful activities, think of things like meeting at a restaurant for drinks, going to the beach for the day, heading out for a hike, etc. If you can spend a little more time coordinating, consider a golf outing, workout class, pool party, ski class, spa day, boat tour… the possibilities are endless. I was once at a wedding weekend that rented out an entire indoor waterpark the day after the wedding – it was one of my favorite memories from the wedding! Use your imagination and get creative with it!

Comment or let us know some of your favorite activities you’ve participated in. We’d love to hear all the ideas!

Chat soon!
Kaitlyn + the KBE Team