WEDDING NOTES™ – The Weekend Wedding

If yours is a family whose members are spread across the country, a weekend wedding is ideal for you.

Guests who have time and distance to cross to be with you on your big day, are more likely to make the effort when the celebration will be more than 1/2 hour in church followed by cake and punch in the church hall.  They will come to spend time with you and the groom and celebrating over a weekend will make it worth their while and give you time to truly spend with those close to you whom you see on a less regular basis.

When the wedding is planned for an entire weekend, there is an incentive for guests to travel longer distances to attend.  In that way, your wedding becomes the driving force behind a family reunion or a memorable gathering.

Here is a sample plan for a great weekend wedding.

On Fridayyou might kick things off by having a friend or relative host a welcoming party Friday evening or by expanding the rehearsal dinner to include out of town guests.

On Saturday another friend or relative could host a luncheon for out of town guests followed by an afternoon of activities like golf or tennis or sightseeing from a list of special features that you have provided.

On Saturday evening is your formal wedding and reception - THE EVENT of the weekend and the reason everyone has gathered.

On Sunday the bride and groom stay in town and greet their guests at a late morning brunch - usually held at the same facility that was the scene of the previous evening's reception.

On Sunday afternoon or early evening, the bride and groom say their goodbyes and leave for their honeymoon.  Guests leave at their leisure either checking out of the hotel (for which you have arranged a late checkout time)or they may stay another day and depart at their leisure.

Because guests will need plenty of time to plan for a weekend away, consider ordering save the date cards to go out well in advance of the invitations.  As the date gets closer let guests know about activities that are planned so that they know what kind of clothes to bring, and also provide any information about lodging and any reduced rates you have been able to obtain.

For more and more couples, a weekend wedding becomes a reality.  They have heard too many of their recently married friends say "Our wedding was such a blur.  It was over before we knew it."  A well planned weekend wedding is as much for the couple as it is for out of town guests.