Tips and ideas for a wedding weekend
After all the time and effort, not to mention the money, that goes into planning your beautiful big day it can seem such a shame that it’s over so quickly. And that’s the very reason I’m in favour of a wedding weekend!
With destination weddings becoming more popular, as well as guests often travelling from faraway locations to witness their loved ones marry, having your wedding be the main event of a wonderful weekend can be a fantastic idea.
With a wedding weekend taking place over 2-3 days you’re not rushed to see your friends and family that live far away and you get to celebrate for much longer than just one day. Perfect!
It should be noted however that wedding weekends tend to cost more and involve more planning than a one day event, so I’ve put together some tips and advice that will hopefully help it run more smoothly…
Get guests together
One of the best things about your guests being there before the wedding is that they can mingle with other guests, making them more relaxed on the wedding day itself.
Plan an icebreaking event for the night guests arrive, such as a cocktail hour, or organise games to play.
Don’t arrange anything too awkward as it’s important not to make guests feel uncomfortable and, on that note, don’t force your guests to join in activities either.
Inform your guests early
Send out your itinerary with your invite, along with ideas of what to pack.
For example, if you’ve planned for a day out at a nearby pool or beach guests will need to know to bring their swim stuff!
Provide welcome packs
Leave a copy of the itinerary in guests’ accommodation too, as it’s unlikely they’ll bring their invite with them, and you wouldn’t want them to miss your wedding because they have no idea what time it is!
The itinerary could be part of a welcome pack for guests.
A particularly thoughtful touch that could include a map of the area, some ideas of what to see and do, and maybe even some snacks for them to enjoy whilst they discover what the weekend has in store for them.
Don’t over-plan
Remember, although activities are great for allowing guests to get to know one another, it’s important not to plan too much.
Down time is appreciated, especially for those that have travelled long distances, guests will be more than happy just to explore the area themselves.
To be on the safe side, don’t plan anything too adventurous that could end in broken bones before the big day!
Save with accommodation
One way that can help with the budget for the weekend is the venue you choose.
Some venues will include accommodation in the price tag and, as guests expect to pay for accommodation when attending a wedding, this can help knock the price down a little.
kate & tom’s venues all including accommodation within the price given.
Cut costs on catering
Catering is an area that can become quite costly when hosting guests for an entire weekend. If budget is tight you can instead leave it up to guests to choose where they eat by providing them with recommended restaurants.
Alternatively, arrange for more casual meals where all guests bring something to eat and everybody shares.
You could even let guests know what type of food to bring by making a note of it in their invite. Ask for ‘sweet’, ‘savoury’ and ‘thirst quenchers’ and you’ll get a great mix that should satisfy everybody.
Plan one final get together
A late breakfast/early lunch is such a lovely way to get all your guests together one last time.
Stories can be shared from your wedding day, and everybody can say goodbye before they head for home.
Debs Slater is a blogger, designer, hopeless romantic. When it comes to weddings she love: handmade touches, dessert tables, proposal stories. And she loathe: wedding politics, crap carpets, unnecessary debt. All Debs great blogs can be found at Belle Amour, the place to get your tips and ideas for your big day.
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