Our production assistant, Patrice, is recently married and reflecting on her wedding planning journey. Check back for more real-life wedding planning insights – or follow along here!
You hear it all the time – your wedding day goes by in a FLASH! And trust me, it definitely does. You’re so busy running around trying to say hi to everyone, view all of your beautiful decor finally put together, and sneak a bite of cake or two when you have a brief break. Many brides and grooms feel they didn’t even have a chance to enjoy their wedding day because they were so busy! But don’t worry, there is something you can do to make wedding a lot easier to enjoy – give yourself more time! “Wedding Weekends” with multiple events are becoming more and more popular, and for a good reason.
Ours actually happened by accident, our wedding was on a Saturday and our venue did rehearsals on Thursday. The majority of our guests were from out of town, so on Friday night we had a no-host “welcome party” at a local bar. I hadn’t really planned much because it was a really informal get together and I had no idea how many people would actually show up. Almost every single person who was invited to our wedding was there! It was the perfect opportunity to see everyone, for my fiance and I to meet each others’ extended family members, and unwind a little. It took so much pressure off our wedding day because we didn’t feel the need to introduce everyone or catch up with our loved ones.
So as you plan your big day, consider having one or two additional events throughout the weekend. Big and small, hosted or not, here are some ideas for activities that will keep the party going all weekend long:
Welcome Party
- A welcome party is a great way to greet everyone as they arrive for the festivities. Have it the day before your wedding at your favorite local restaurant.
Backyard BBQ
- It doesn’t get more casual or fun than a backyard BBQ! Host it at a friend or family member’s house, or even a local park!
Post-Rehearsal Cocktail Party
- If you can’t invite everyone to the rehearsal dinner, have a cocktail party afterwards at the hotel. Your guests will love dropping by to see the soon-to-be Mr. & Mrs. before the big day!
Golf Outing
- Have your guests sign up for a golf scramble the day before the wedding (or even the day after!)
Exercise Class
- You can squeeze in an exercise class just about anywhere in your wedding weekend, and it’s a great way to help everyone feel their best.
Send-off Brunch
- Gathering your closest friends and family for a send-off brunch the morning after the wedding is the perfect chance to rehash all of your favorite parts from the day before. Host it at a friend of family member’s house or a local restaurant. Either way, your favorite people will be glad to see you one last time before you jet off on your honeymoon!
No matter what you decide to do, the whole idea is to give yourself an opportunity to spend time with family and friends prior to the big day.
