Wedding Weekend – Pros & Cons

People always talk about the wedding day as the happiest day of their lives. But what if you could turn that day into an entire weekend? More and more couples are choosing to celebrate their wedding over several days—ideally, an entire weekend. That way, they can spend more time with their loved ones and share the joy of their union with friends and family. Of course, a wedding weekend like this has its pros and cons. We’ll tell you what they are.

Why a wedding weekend?

The idea behind a wedding weekend isn't new. In many cultures, it's customary to celebrate a wedding over several days. Especially for couples who live far from home or their families, it can be advantageous to extend the wedding celebrations over an entire weekend. But even couples who combine their wedding with a vacation —whether they’re getting married in a faraway location or simply want to celebrate a truly unique wedding—make things easier for themselves when they don’t have to cram everything into 24 hours.

More time for loved ones

No matter how you plan your wedding, the basic schedule usually stays more or less the same: getting ready, the wedding ceremony, a reception or champagne toast, a non-religious wedding ceremony, dinner, games, a party, a midnight performance, and more partying.

With such a packed schedule, it’s no wonder that couples often say their wedding day went by way too fast and that they barely had a chance to talk to all their guests or really celebrate with them. This highlights one of the biggest advantages of a multi-day wedding: you’ll have more time to celebrate with your loved ones, as well as the chance to plan activities that suit you and your interests.

A Variety of Wedding Activities

One tip you’ll see time and again in our articles is that you should plan your wedding exactly the way you want it. It only makes sense that having several days for your wedding gives you even more options. You can plan activities that perfectly suit you and your preferences.

For example, if you enjoy barbecuing, organize a barbecue party the evening before the wedding. If you like volleyball, host a small volleyball tournament, and if you’re big game fans, plan the biggest game night of your lives. The possibilities are virtually endless. Explore a winery or a brewery and look forward to the tastings. Go to your favorite museum with your loved ones. Meet up at a cigar club or take an art class together. Spend an evening learning how to mix great cocktails and then taste-test your creations. You’ll rarely have so many of your favorite people available at the same time—think about what you’d love to do with them and just do it!

The important thing is to remember to give your guests some time to themselves. For one thing, it’s good for you, too, and for another, not everyone has to participate in every activity.

The Cost of a Multi-Day Wedding

Okay, now that we’re moving on to the downsides, we obviously have to talk about the costs. If you’re planning events for an entire weekend, you’ll probably spend more than you would on a one-day celebration. Depending on the activities you have planned with your guests, you might need to rent a venue, provide food, or at least drinks—and all of that adds up quickly.

If you still want to celebrate for a whole weekend, you should consider shortening your guest list. That's one of the quickest ways to save money. After that, things get a bit more complicated, because a large part of the costs comes down to the details.

• Do you also cover the guests' travel and lodging expenses?
• Who's buying the drinks at the cocktail party?
• Who will pay for the tickets for the museum visit, if we go?
• Does everyone pay their own bill at dinner?
• etc.

These are all questions you should figure out ahead of time, and the smaller your guest list is, the easier it will be. Keep in mind that not all guests have to, want to, or are able to attend every event.

Lower attendance

That brings us to the next point: Not all of your guests will likely be able to afford the travel and lodging costs, as well as the extra time required. So you may have to leave out one or two loved ones. However, this also depends in part on a few specific details.

More planning and time required

Organizing a single wedding day can be stressful enough, and planning additional events only makes the to-do list even longer. For example, there’s the task of finding hotels and other lodging options. The individual activities also need to be planned and organized. On top of that, you’ll naturally have less time for yourselves. After all, even if not all guests have to participate in every activity—people should still be able to count on you being there. At least when it comes to that last point, you can counteract it by intentionally scheduling some free time. Not every minute has to be planned out. Instead, allow yourselves and your guests to explore the wedding venue on their own or simply relax. And if you’d like to take a break from planning, professional wedding planners will be happy to help.

Wedding Weekend: Yes or No?

Whether a multi-day wedding is a good idea for you or not is something you’ll have to decide for yourselves. One advantage is that you’ll have much more time to celebrate your love exactly as you wish and spend much more time with your loved ones—whether it’s a cocktail party the night before the wedding or a spa day afterward. However, you should be aware that, depending on your arrangements with your guests, you’ll likely face higher costs and probably have to work with a smaller guest list.

No matter what you decide, don't worry too much about what other people think. Remember, your wedding celebration is all about you.