If hosting a long weekend wedding appeals to you, this post is for you!
These days, many weddings are much longer than just a few hours on a Saturday evening. For many couples, there is appeal to holding a wedding celebration that lasts a few days. Essentially, a long weekend wedding. Now, if this sounds overwhelming and exhausting to you, don’t worry. Hosting a long weekend wedding can make a lot of sense, for the right crowd.
The great thing about a long weekend wedding is that it stretches out the joy and celebration. It’s all about the experience, and allows for more time to be spent with guests. Though a long weekend wedding may make more sense for a destination wedding, it can still be done if you’re getting married close to home. And, it doesn’t even have to be over a weekend. More on that later!
All About Hosting A Long Weekend Wedding
This post is going to lay out for you the appeal, and logistics, of hosting a long weekend wedding. It’s going to go into ways to make it affordable and reasonable. It will give you ideas and tips for keeping guests entertained, motivated to have fun, with time to rest. Hopefully it will inspire you to look into if hosting a long weekend wedding is right for you and your partner.
Here we go!
EXAMPLE OF A LONG WEEKEND WEDDING
The first thing we should go over is what a long weekend wedding may look like.
Remember, the situation below is just an example. Depending on where your wedding is being held, and what your guests are interested in, you may want to switch out certain aspects. Take the example below with a grain of salt.
- Friday: Guests arrive into town, everyone that is available joins for a simple barbeque in a park or backyard for a welcome dinner. This may coincide with the rehearsal schedule, and subsequent rehearsal dinner.
- Saturday: The actual wedding is held. Guests who do not have to get ready early can meet for brunch, and then everyone else will see each other at the wedding.
- Sunday: A post-wedding brunch is held, followed by a visit to a local attraction (like wine tasting, beach, group hike), and then a group dinner at a casual restaurant or bar (everyone pays for themselves).
- Monday: There can be a suggested meeting spot for coffee, or someone hosts breakfast before guests go home.
As you can see, most of the activities on this weekend are very relaxed. They revolve around eating, and guests may or may not pay for themselves. They can also choose not to join for some of the festivities. The key is to make it easy for everyone to gather, without making it mandatory.
MORE IDEAS FOR LONG WEEKEND WEDDING EVENTS
If you need more specific ideas for what activities or events you can plan for a group, I have those handy for you.
Remember, you can go as broad or as narrow as you want. For example, you can plan or suggest activities that everyone will likely enjoy. Or, you can have certain activities geared towards certain groups of people. For example, golfing for those who like to golf. Or, pedicures for those who like to get their nails done. You can also suggest activities that appeal to little kids, or teenagers, or for guests who are a little older.
Take some time to look at your guest list, think about what they may enjoy, and pick out what will work for your wedding’s location.
Here are some examples of broad events that will appeal to a large group of people:
- Group dinner (at a home or restaurant made for groups)
- Meeting up at the hotel bar
- Day in a park or near a playground
- Coffeeshop chats
- Visiting a local beach
- Seeing a local attraction (museum, aquarium, amusement park)
- Barbeque at someone’s home
- Multiple ideas within this post about welcome parties
- More ideas within this post regarding a post-wedding brunch
PRICING OUT THE WEEKEND
One of the biggest deterrents to hosting a long weekend wedding is the cost.
Obviously, having a wedding can cost a lot. It can seem unreasonable to have multiple celebrations around it, right? Well, if you go overboard, yes, it can be a lot. However, you can plan it out so it makes sense for you and your wedding.
For example, if you’re having a wedding that involves multiple celebrations, chances are that not every guest will participate in every event. And, in some cases, guests can even pay for part of the entertainment themselves. The long story, short, is that you and your partner don’t necessarily have to cover everything for everyone. All you have to do is plan it and share that plan with others.
HOW TO KEEP YOUR LONG WEEKEND WEDDING AFFORDABLE
Okay, so let’s dive even deeper into how to keep your long weekend wedding affordable.
There are a few different ways to do it, and they may involve cooperation from other people. Remember, this sort of wedding isn’t for everyone, and if you are overwhelmed or don’t have support from others, it may be easier to keep your event to one day.
- Keep your guest list small. The less people you invite to your wedding, the less costs you’ll theoretically have to spend overall.
- Ask someone else to host the welcome dinner, or keep it very simple. In some cases, it can even be potluck.
- Give guests the heads up early on that while you’re making reservations, or appointments, they will be expected to pay for themselves if they attend certain events.
- Keep events simple, or find places that have zero admission charges. For example, spending time with friends in a backyard, park, beach, or hike is typically free.
- If meeting at a public place for a meal or drinks, find a place that has each person pay for themselves when they order, at a counter. This will help you avoid an awkward “split the bill” situation.
ENTERTAINING EVERYONE
With any large group event, you have to remember that not everyone will be into everything.
In other words, you don’t have to be perfect with the activities or plans. They should just be clear and available to those who may want to join. Additionally, the plans should make sense. For example, don’t plan a late-night party the night before your wedding. And, don’t commit to being somewhere super early the morning after your wedding, either. Put some thought in the schedule with regards to flexibility, travel times, and accounting for some rest.
While it can be overwhelming to suggest or plan activities that will appeal to a lot of people, remember that it all comes down to what will work for you and your partner. Start there. Plan your long weekend wedding’s activities based on what you enjoy, and then try to figure out how to make it appeal to everyone else.
KEEPING YOUR SANITY AND REMEMBERING WHY YOU’RE PLANNING THIS
Alright, so we’ve gone over some examples of how to keep people occupied during your long weekend wedding. We’ve talked about how to keep costs low. We’ve gone over planning activities that could be tailored to others, but don’t necessarily have to be. And, by now, you may be a bit overwhelmed.
If this is the case, let me remind you why a long weekend wedding is appealing.
It gives you more time to spend with loved ones. And, it allows them to spend more time with each other. Families meet each other. Friends can catch up. You’re melding your life with another person, and this weekend will let everyone else meld together as well.
If planning events and scheduling activities is just too much, but you want to make sure everyone spends time together, keep it simple. Just meeting up, hanging out, and spending time outside can be super easy. Don’t make it complicated. Create one focus for each day of the weekend and don’t overschedule.
OTHER TIPS FOR A LONG WEEKEND WEDDING
Hosting a long weekend wedding isn’t for the faint of heart, but it can be an amazing experience if done right. If you’re thinking about it, and have the motivation, there are more tips I’d like to share with you before you get started.
START PLANNING EARLY
If your wedding’s weekend involves a lot of people, you should start looking into activities and plans early. In some cases, you may need to book reservations. Or, you’ll have to provide a deposit. In other cases, you may just want to get things squared away so you can continue planning your wedding. No matter what, the earlier you start to map out the weekend, the better.
MAP OUT WHO WILL PAY FOR WHAT
As mentioned earlier, you don’t have to pay for everything during your long weekend wedding. While you make plans, make note of who will pay for each thing. If a family member is hosting a welcome party, see if that means they will cover the costs. If there are plans for guests to go wine tasting, make it clear that they will have to pay for themselves. There may be transportation costs as well, so make note of where that payment will come from, too. Having payment logistics sorted out ahead of time will make life simpler later on.
START BROAD WITH THE PLANS AND NARROW THEM DOWN AS YOU GO
You don’t have to figure out all the details the minute you start planning. Start big. For example, you may decide you want a welcome party on the first night. Determine where it could be. Then, try and predict how many people will attend. And, who will pay for it. After that, you can decide on what food, décor, seating, and other logistics. Don’t worry about the little details the moment you start planning.
MAKE THE SCHEDULE CLEAR TO EVERYONE
If you’re hosting a long weekend wedding, it’s important that everyone knows what to expect. You can create a simple schedule in a document or spreadsheet, and share it via email with your guests. You can even text the attachment to them, if that works. Or, create a group on social media. If your guests are a bit more old school, mail them the schedule, or put it in a welcome bag for them. Just make sure it’s communicated so they know what to expect and will know how to participate.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Hosting a long weekend wedding can have amazing results. Yes, you’ll have a little more work on your shoulders during your wedding planning months. However, you’ll have more memories with your guests, and they should have a more enriched experience of your wedding. Don’t shy away from planning a long weekend wedding. It can be well worth the effort. Happy wedding planning!
More From Hummingbird Wedding Advice:
12 Unique Wedding Reception Entertainment Ideas
What You Should Know About Hotel Room Blocks
8 Budget Friendly Wedding Venue Ideas
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