How To Plan A Wedding Weekend
What Is A Wedding Weekend?
Wedding weekends are exactly what they sound like. Wedding celebrations that span more than one day. Whether it’s as low-key as drinks the night before and brunch the morning after, or as adventurous as a weekend packed with fun activities. Whether it’s just the two of you or you’re celebrating with all your favourite people, there's no one "right" way to do it.
Benefits of a Wedding Weekend
At first glance, planning a wedding that lasts for more than one day might seem like a lot of extra work.
But there are actually quite a few benefits to a wedding weekend, particularly if you're inviting guests.
Out-of-Town Guests
If most of your guests are travelling for your wedding, a multi-day wedding gives everyone a chance to settle in and actually enjoy the destination instead of flying in for one day, then heading straight back home.
It also gives you more quality time with the people who travelled all that way to celebrate with you.
Destination Weddings
Treat your wedding like a destination wedding. Whether you're getting married in your backyard or a couple of hours away in Whistler or somewhere halfway across the world, chances are you've chosen that location for a reason.
Planning adventures unique to that location for your multi-day wedding or elopement lets you experience more of the place you've chosen, rather than just one day.
Multiple Guest Lists
If you're someone who feels more comfortable in smaller groups, a wedding weekend is a great way to celebrate with everyone without having everyone together at once.
You could invite immediate family one day and close friends to the next.
It creates a much more relaxed atmosphere while still giving you the chance to celebrate with all the people you love.
Vacation Vibes
This might be my favourite reason.
When people travel somewhere for a wedding—even if it's only an hour from home—it naturally feels like a little getaway.
People slow down.
They spend more time together.
They stay up chatting around the fire.
They paddleboard together in the morning.
They grab coffee together before the ceremony.
Those are the moments that often become some of the most memorable parts of the weekend.
As a photographer, I also notice that people become much more comfortable around one another. Guests who met the night before are already laughing together by cocktail hour, which makes for some incredibly natural candid photos.
Planning A Wedding Weekend With Guests
The good news?
Planning a wedding weekend doesn't have to mean planning three days of non-stop events.
It can be as simple or as elaborate as you'd like.
Some couples plan a welcome dinner and farewell brunch.
Others fill the weekend with adventures, games, hikes, or lake days.
There isn't a wrong way to do it.
The goal is simply to create more opportunities to spend time with your favourite people.
Pro Tip: If reading this is giving you heart palpitations, I'd highly recommend hiring a wedding planner. They'll help keep everything organized so you can actually enjoy the weekend you've spent so much time planning.
Wedding Weekend Venues
Planning a multi-day wedding sometimes changes what you're looking for in a venue.
Instead of only thinking about your ceremony and reception, you'll also want to consider where everyone will spend the rest of the weekend.
Book Out a Venue
If most of your guests are travelling, renting an entire property can be such a fun option.
Whether it's a boutique hotel, mountain lodge, or a collection of cabins, having everyone stay together helps keep the celebratory atmosphere going all weekend long.
Some of my favourite candid moments happen between the "official" events—over morning coffee, around the fire pit, or while everyone hangs out on the patio waiting for dinner.
Backyard Vibes
If most of your guests are local, don't overlook a good backyard party.
Not only can it create a really relaxed atmosphere, but it also makes decorating much easier if you're using the same space across multiple days.
It can feel less like a formal event and more like inviting your favourite people over for one really great weekend.
Don’t have a backyard or know anyone who does? No stress! Renting an Airbnb in town with a dreamy backyard is an easy option that won’t break the bank. Bonus, depending on the size, you can have some of your guests stay with our to make it feel extra special.
Wedding Weekend Activities for Your Guests
One of the best parts about a wedding weekend is that your guests get to spend more than just a few hours together.
Whether everyone already knows each other or they're meeting for the first time, planning a few low-key activities throughout the weekend helps everyone settle in and makes the whole celebration feel that much more relaxed.
And don't worry—you don't need to fill every minute of the day. Some of the best moments happen when people simply have time to hang out together.
Welcome Dinner or Drinks
Think of this as the kick-off party to the weekend.
A welcome dinner or drinks is usually held the evening before the wedding, once everyone has arrived. It could be a sit-down dinner, appies and drinks at your favourite brewery, a backyard BBQ, or pizza around the fire pit.
The goal isn't to host another formal event. It's simply a chance for everyone to meet, settle in, and get excited for the weekend ahead.
Activities & Games
If your ceremony isn't until later in the day, planning a few optional activities beforehand is a great way to keep the vacation vibes going.
That could look like:
A morning hike
Paddleboarding or kayaking
Lawn games
Bean bag toss
Beer pong
A group brunch
A casual coffee walk through town
The activities themselves don't really matter.
They're simply an excuse for everyone to spend time together before the celebrations begin.
Leave Time to Mingle
This might sound funny coming from someone who loves planning...
…but I'd actually recommend leaving parts of the weekend completely unplanned. If everyone is staying together, those slow moments often become the most memorable.
People naturally gather around the fire.
Someone suggests a walk.
Coffee turns into a two-hour conversation.
Kids start playing together.
Those little in-between moments are often the ones people remember most.
They're also some of my favourite moments to photograph because they happen so naturally.
Example Itinerary For A Wedding Weekend With Guests
Every wedding weekend looks a little different, and that's part of the fun.
Some couples keep things simple with a welcome dinner and farewell brunch, while others plan activities throughout the entire weekend.
Here's one example of what an itinerary for a wedding weekend could look like.
Day Before
4:00 PM – Final guests arrive at the mountain cabins you've rented.
6:30 PM – BBQ dinner on the patio.
7:00 PM – Photographer arrives to capture the evening.
9:00 PM – S'mores around the fire pit.
9:30 PM – Photographer wraps up.
Wedding Day
10:30 AM – Boozy brunch.
12:00 PM – Lawn games, bean bag toss, or beer pong.
2:00 PM – Photographer arrives.
3:00 PM – Everyone gets ready.
5:00 PM – Ceremony.
7:30 PM – Dinner.
8:00 PM – Speeches.
8:30 PM – Sunset photos.
9:00 PM – First dance.
9:15 PM – Dance floor opens.
10:00 PM – Photographer wraps up.
11:00 PM – Late-night fry bar.
Day After
10:30 AM – Farewell brunch.
2:00 PM – Lake day.
6:00 PM – Guests head home.
Photography for Multi-Day Weddings
If you're deciding how to prioritize your photography coverage, your wedding day is the priority of course. Obvi.
But if your budget allows, I'd also consider having your photographer join you for a couple of hours on the days before or after the wedding.
One of the unexpected benefits of multi-day weddings is that your guests get used to having a photographer around very quickly.
I'm no longer "the photographer."
I'm just another familiar face who's been hanging out all weekend.
That usually means people pay less attention to the camera, relax a little more, and the photos become even more natural.
If you're celebrating with different groups of people throughout the weekend, having photography coverage across multiple days also means you'll have memories with everyone who came to celebrate—not just the guests who were there on your wedding day.
Ready to Start Planning Your Wedding Weekend?
Whether you're dreaming of a laid-back weekend at a lakeside cabin, with all your favourite people, or something completely your own, a wedding weekend gives you the chance to slow down and actually enjoy the people you've invited to celebrate with you.
If you're looking for a photographer who believes the best moments often happen in between the big ones, I'd love to help document your weekend. Get in touch, and let's start planning something that feels like you.