17 multi-day wedding ideas you will love

According to Wedding Spot

You may already be familiar with the concept of multi-day weddings, a tradition often associated with certain cultures and religions. But it doesn’t stop there. Multi-day weddings are becoming increasingly popular as more and more couples recognize the value of additional wedding receptions taking place before and after the “royal” wedding day.

If you’re getting married and like the idea of ​​extending your party, these multi-day wedding ideas are for you.

What is a multi-day wedding?

A multi-day wedding is a weekend (or more) of activities related to the wedding day. Although multi-day weddings are often associated with certain cultures and religions, anyone can extend their wedding celebration by more than a day before or after the actual ceremony.

A multi-day wedding can be whatever you want: whether it’s dividing “traditional” wedding events (eg ceremony, aperitif, reception) into several days or combining events with unique activities, the choice is yours.

After all, a multi-day wedding is a great way for couples to celebrate, relax, and meet loved ones. There is no right or wrong answer or script to follow.

A trend for multi-day weddings

Although multi-day weddings have been around for centuries, the trend has taken hold since COVID-19 as couples want to get the most out of their celebrations and spend more time with out-of-town friends and family they can’t reach. you see so often.

Ashley Smith, an event planner and owner of an events agency in California, told the New York Times that 85 percent of couples she has worked with since the start of the pandemic have hosted multi-day weddings (up from 50 % pre-pandemic).

Owner and founder of a other Californian wedding company. publication. “Nobody wants to say goodbye at the end of the evening.”

In addition to the recent surge in popularity, multi-day weddings are also just a logical extension of the wedding parties we’re already used to. Think rehearsal dinners and brunches after the wedding.

Book great seats.

The first and perhaps most important factor to consider when it comes to multi-day wedding ideas? Location.

“Choosing a venue she will host can take a lot of stress out of the weekend,” Shayla Kelly of Complete Weddings + Events told Wedding Spot.

“For example, booking a country house, estate or cottage where you can have a rehearsal dinner on Friday, a wedding on Saturday and a closing brunch on Sunday might be the perfect choice for you. Eliminate the hassle of figuring out wedding transportation and working with different venues and suppliers on a party-oriented weekend. ”

Of course, every multi-day wedding is different, and what works for a couple may not work for you. That’s why we recommend that you use our wedding venue finder. Filter 10,000+ locations by location, size, location type, budget, and more to narrow down your options and suit your needs.

Hire a multi-day videographer.

Wedding Spot spoke to Jesse Williams, videographer and owner of Visual Event Films in Tarrytown, New York. Williams has experience shooting multi-day weddings and knows what it takes to create a great weekend.

“My team and I had the pleasure of photographing couples surrounded by their friends and family for their wedding day,” says Williams. “The extra recording time can turn a typical wedding video into something breathtaking.”

Do it this way: “When planning your multi-day wedding, look for a videographer who can capture heartfelt moments in your wedding film storyline,” advises Williams. “If you plan to visit local attractions, nature reserves, beaches or other points of interest, this is a great opportunity for your videographer to capture some b-rolls.”

Williams also included an example below of what a multi-day wedding video might look like. In this artistic short film, you will see the fascinating photos of the couple’s family cat.

Respond to multi-day wedding activities.

Denise Buzy-Pucheu, owner of The Persnickety Bride, a bridal boutique in Newtown, CT, has given us wedding ideas for multiple days on this list. One of the most important? Advanced coordination.

“The wedding invitation must be accompanied by a confirmation sheet which events the guest (s) are attending and the dates and times of the event,” Buzy-Pucheu suggests.

The guest can then check it and return it with her RSVP card. In situations where there are multiple events, the couple should aim to send out wedding invitations at least 2.5 months in advance, if not sooner, with an RSVP date of at least 3 weeks before the wedding.

And don’t forget the child-friendly options! “If there are guests bringing small children or wanting to do something else, please send us a list of suggestions for places that are not ‘sponsored’ familiar places.”

Buzy-Pucheu also points out that all of this should also be mentioned on your wedding website.

Plan a wedding on wheels.

“As a rental car owner, I’ve seen one-of-a-kind, literally multi-day weddings,” Steve Evans of Elite Party Bus & Limo told Wedding Spot via email.

“The newlyweds organized a mobile wedding party which served as a tour for their guests after the wedding ceremony. As the official transportation provider, we helped them navigate from parks to vineyards, tourist spots, hotels, a few random stops until they arrive at their farm reception on the second day.

This idea is great for couples who are having a destination wedding or just want to share a tour of the area with friends and family. You can offer this type of experience in the form of activities before or after the wedding day. Or you can do what this couple did and combine it with a reception.

“As this was a mobile reception, our company partnered with their caterer to complete the food, drink and party package,” says Evans.

Plan a kayaking trip.

If your wedding is close to the water, why not try kayaking or canoeing? Bending Branches – ranked as the world’s largest producer of quality canoe and kayak paddles – interviewed a couple who decided to go canoeing on their actual wedding day.

When asked if they would recommend it, they said: “We 100% recommend rowing, hiking or abseiling for your wedding! Rowing before the ceremony made the whole day so much more memorable for us and her. our wedding party and allowed us to share the activity and the place we love with the people we love most. ”

While water sports on your wedding day may be too niche for you, why not explore similar activities before or after the big day?

Attend a sporting event.

Buzy-Pucheu told Wedding Spot that her clients attended baseball games in Chicago and Boston as part of their multi-day wedding celebrations. If you and your partner are passionate about sports, you can also ask the venue if you are allowed to take wedding photos in the arena in advance.

Take a trip to the zoo.

Grab group tickets or rent the entire zoo during opening hours, if offered. You may even be able to host a post-wedding cocktail hour with zebras and giraffes.

Visit the aquarium.

Plan a group trip, dinner or private marine animal party with your wedding weekend guests. As with many of the multi-day wedding ideas in this guide, a few photos are highly recommended.

Plan a day of skiing.

Getting married in winter? Take a walk on the slopes with family and friends the day before or the day after the ceremony and reception. Be sure to include optional group lessons for those who need them. This idea is best in the week following the wedding to avoid morning fatigue or possible accidents before the wedding.

Throw a pizza and bowling party.

Elevate the experience from children’s birthday parties to elegant wedding events by renting the members club and ordering gourmet pizzas.