Hey there, Belles and Beaus! Influencers have managed to step up the wedding game for the rest of us! No longer are we looking at celebrities as the only people having longer wedding festivities! We are seeing more destination weddings and more often than not families and friends are traveling from all over to celebrate with their loved ones. So why not change up tradition and have a little more fun? So today let's get Carried Away with the Wedding Weekend Trend and determine if it's right for you!
Planning a wedding is no longer just about the big day itself. Some couples are choosing to craft an entire weekend of festivities that will have their guests talking for years to come. From the pre-wedding jitters at the welcome party to the cozy day-after brunch to wrap it all up – each event adds a touch of magic to your special occasion. This trend isn't just about extending the party—it's about creating a rich and immersive experience for everyone involved. Let’s delve into how a traditional wedding compares to this modern weekend extravaganza and why it might be the perfect fit for you and your loved ones.
Traditional Wedding: Quick Run Through
In a traditional wedding format, the festivities are generally confined to the night before the big day and wedding day itself. The sequence usually follows this structure:
1. **Rehearsal**: The day before the wedding, a rehearsal is held to go over the ceremony's logistics and let everyone know what is expected of them the next day
2. **Rehearsal Dinner**: Immediately following the rehearsal, the couple’s close family and friends who attend the rehearsal have dinner giving them a chance to mingle in a more intimate setting.
3. **Wedding Ceremony**: The main event takes place, often followed by a period where the couple and their guests take formal photos.
4. **Reception**: The ceremony is typically followed by a reception, which includes dinner, dancing, celebratory toasts, and cake cutting.
5. **Send Off**: The night concludes with a send-off for the newlyweds, marking the end of the wedding day.
The Wedding Weekend: A New Level of Celebration
The wedding weekend trend elevates the wedding experience by spreading the festivities across multiple days. Here’s a look at how the traditional elements fit into this new framework:
1. **Rehearsal and Rehearsal Dinner**: On the day before the wedding, the rehearsal takes place, followed by the rehearsal dinner. This event remains similar to the traditional format. This is typically just for the people who will be participating in the ceremony or those who will be walking down the aisle. So the bridal party, the parents, grandparents, etc. would be the people who come to the rehearsal and dinner to follow.
2. **Welcome Party**: Instead leaving the rehearsal dinner and saying goodbye until the main event, many couples now kick off the weekend with a Welcome Party for out of town guests and the closest of friends and family. This gathering is designed to be a meet and greet for those most important to the couple. It’s a great way to break the ice and set a festive tone for the days ahead. It would take place following the rehearsal dinner or in lieu of the rehearsal dinner. If you're wanting to skip the rehearsal dinner, maybe schedule the rehearsal earlier in the day and then have a break for people to get changed and dressed up for cocktails and heavy hors d'oeuvres. If you're having a rehearsal dinner, maybe just have cocktails and light snacks for those who are coming to this, but are not part of the rehearsal dinner.
3. **Wedding Day**: The wedding day itself is now more streamlined and intentional. After the ceremony, guests often enjoy a cocktail hour while professional photos are taken of the couple. This is followed by a formal reception where the celebration continues with dinner, dancing, and toasts. Some couples even opt for an after-party, extending the festivities into the late hours for a more relaxed, yet exclusive gathering. After parties tend to be more friend centered. Once the send off takes place, they may stick around and party until later in the evening. I've seen a few times where this was orchestrated because of older family members. Usually that's when the real partying happens.
4. **Brunch**: The weekend usually concludes with a farewell brunch the following day. This final event serves as a chance for everyone to say their goodbyes, reminisce about the weekend, and enjoy one last moment of togetherness before heading home.
Some things to consider when questioning if you want to have a wedding weekend
**1. Extended Celebration**: A wedding weekend allows for a more extended and relaxed celebration. It provides ample time for guests to mingle, for different events to unfold, and for the couple to fully enjoy their special moments.
**2. More Opportunities for Interaction**: With multiple events, guests have more chances to interact, which can lead to a more memorable and engaging experience for everyone involved.
**3. Less Rush**: Spreading the festivities over a weekend reduces the stress of trying to fit everything into one day. This can lead to a more enjoyable and less hectic experience for both the couple and their guests.
**4. More Flexibility**: The weekend format offers flexibility in scheduling and planning, allowing for a variety of activities and gatherings that can cater to different preferences and interests.
**5. Memorable Experience**: A well-planned wedding weekend creates a series of lasting memories and allows for a deeper connection with family and friends, making the celebration truly unforgettable.
**6. Is it in the Budget**: Planning a wedding alone is expensive. Adding in additional events like a welcome party and a brunch will come at an additional cost. So definitely look at your overall budget to see if this is something you can do before planning it. You wouldn't want to sacrifice some thing special at your wedding just to have an additional party.
**6. Will It be like having two receptions?**: There is the possibility you may feel like you're planning two receptions, but if you keep it more light, airy, and a casual format you can avoid feeling like that. It would be more similar to having an additional cocktail hour, but just one before any of the festivities. It also gives a bride an opportunity to have a different feel or vibe with her welcome party than her wedding/reception.
**6. What if most of my guests are local?**: What if people aren't really traveling to my wedding? I, personally, think a welcome party is mainly for weddings where a larger group of people who are traveling. But if the people traveling are only in the bridal party, save the cost of a welcome party.
So if you want an idea on how this might look, I'll share with you one of my bride's plan.
She is having a destination wedding with a total guest count of 25 people, 30 including the bride, groom, person marrying them, and two attendants. Everyone will arrive on Thursday at various times for the Saturday wedding.
Thursday: Her friends and family will check in and have wedding gift baskets/bags waiting in their rooms. Included will be an itinerary. In it she's included all the times and locations of the different events happening. She even designed a cute map on the back with all the different locations marked with cute icons.
This bride is having a Welcome Party Thursday night at the hotel. She arranged with the hotel to have a closed off VIP area in the hotel lounge. They'll have hors d'oeuvres and snacks which tie into the coastal area. She's offering a beer and a wine option, but guests can also purchase additional cocktails at the hotel bar.
Friday: The rehearsal Friday is at 2:00 so everyone participating will leave there with time to get ready for dinner. She included on in the gift bags a list of fun things to do for the guests who will not be in attendance at the rehearsal.
She's reserved the restaurant in a neighboring hotel who is her guests a seafood tower and carving station as well as several cold and hot sides to chose from. After dinner her guests have the option of heading out on their own, heading up to bed, or joining the couple for some touristy stuff afterwards. There's an awesome pier and nightlife spot near the hotel everyone is staying.
Wedding Day! The bride, her mom, his mom, sister and sister in law have hair makeup and nail appointments scheduled during the day. The groom, his dad, her dad, brother, and brother in law have reservations at a near by driving range.
The wedding will be Saturday at 6:00 with reception to follow. She arranged transportation from the ceremony to the reception. They will be responsible for transportation to the wedding and from the reception. She originally debated providing transportation from the reception, but decided she wanted her guests to feel free to leave and not feel tied to the reception until the end.
Sunday: She's having a brunch the Sunday afterwards before the guests leave and she heads out for her honeymoon. There's a breakfast/brunch place within walking distance of the hotel so it will be easily accessible for anyone who wishes to attend.
So that's kind of the layout for how to make a wedding weekend a reality! This trend represents a shift towards a more immersive and relaxed approach to celebrating one of life’s most significant milestones. By extending the festivities over several days, couples can create a richer and more memorable experience for their loved ones. Whether you’re planning a classic single-day wedding or embracing the trend of a wedding weekend, the most important aspect is that your celebration reflects your unique love story and provides joy and connection for everyone involved.
So what do you think? Should you have a full on wedding weekend? Is one day of all eyes on you too much so this wouldn't be your vibe? Let me know below! Until next time Belles and Beaus!
Comments