Multi-Day Wedding Ideas: How To Plan an Unforgettable Wedding Weekend
A wedding is so much more than a single moment.
It’s a milestone that deserves to be celebrated to the fullest. That is why many couples are opting for multi-day wedding celebrations that transform their weddings into an unforgettable weekend.
Planning a single wedding day can feel intense. Adding in two or three days of events feels completely overwhelming.
Below, we walk you through factors to consider when planning a multi-day wedding to create an unforgettable weekend for you and your guests, from the welcome brunch to the farewell party. Table of Contents
Why Choose a Multi-Day Wedding Over a Traditional Celebration?
Planning a Multi-Day Wedding Step by Step
Additional Considerations for Creating a Perfect Wedding Weekend
4 Reasons To Choose Twenty Mile House as Your Multi-Day Wedding Venue
Table of Contents
Why Choose a Multi-Day Wedding Over a Traditional Celebration?
It is becoming more common for wedding couples to choose to host a multi-day wedding over a traditional wedding ceremony.
Despite the increase in cost, multi-day weddings are becoming more popular because they:
Allow more time with guests to make deeper connections through genuine quality time
Give guests who must travel more than one event to attend
Create more memories over multiple events
Reduce the pressure to have the perfect wedding day
Provide time for unique activities, especially for destination weddings
Allow the incorporation of cultural traditions
Planning a Multi-Day Wedding Step by Step
Any wedding requires planning; a multi-day wedding is no exception. Each step of the way, you will need to coordinate vendors and logistics for each event. The steps below will guide you through the process and give you some ideas along the way.
#1: Choose the Venue
Perhaps the biggest decision you will make is the venue. The first things to consider are whether the venue can accommodate your guest list and if it's available for your ideal wedding date.
Additionally, factors to consider, especially when planning a multi-day wedding, include:
Versatility: Does the venue have multiple spaces to hold multiple events? If so, this will give each of your events, such as the welcome party, the rehearsal dinner, and the ceremony, different atmospheres and opportunities for memories and photographs.
On-site lodging and recreational activities: Having the events in the same location as the accommodations for your guests makes everything convenient and gives you fewer logistics to juggle, such as transportation.
Nearby attractions: If the venue doesn’t have its own recreational activities, look for one with nearby attractions that would be easily accessible for your guests and could be incorporated into your wedding weekend.
Accessibility: Ensure that the venue and activities are accessible for all guests. If you have guests in wheelchairs, you may want to avoid activities such as hiking or venues that aren’t handicap accessible.
Twenty Mile House is the ideal multi-day wedding venue in California. We offer on-site accommodations for guests and access to 200 acres of beautiful forest land with options to host multiple events onsite.
#2: Decide on a Budget
Planning a multi-day wedding can increase the cost of the wedding due to the need for multiple vendors, venues, and entertainment.
When planning your budget, factors to consider include:
The cost of each event: This includes the venue, catering, drinks, decor, and entertainment for each separate event. Some vendors will charge more for a multi-day event rather than just your wedding ceremony.
Guest accommodations: While guests may pay for their own rooms, you may have to pay a fee to block off a certain number of rooms for your wedding guests.
Transportation: If the events are at different venues or a separate location from where your guests are staying, you will need to consider transportation to and from each location for the convenience and safety of your guests.
Photography: Determine if you want the photographer to cover more than just your wedding ceremony. Talk to the photographer about capturing moments across all of your events.
Welcome bags: Do you want to give your guests something to kick off the wedding festivities? From essential information such as itineraries or maps to items like snacks, personal treats, and keepsakes, you can choose what would be meaningful to include for your special events.
Possible ways to save money on multi-day weddings include:
Utilize local vendors rather than flying vendors in
Simplify meals and bar packages for secondary events
Reuse decor across the events
Look for all-inclusive packages
Search for experiences that offer group discounts
#3: Hire a Wedding Planner
Planning multiple events across several days may get complicated. To save you time and stress, a wedding planner can help coordinate the vendors and details for each of the days.
The benefits of hiring a wedding planner include:
Coordinating complex logistics
Reducing the stress of the wedding couple
Providing experience and guidance through the whole process
A network of trusted vendors
Helping wedding couples make informed budget decisions
Handling behind-the-scenes work
Twenty Mile House offers all-inclusive wedding packages to help take the stress out of planning multiple wedding events so that you can enjoy making memories with your guests. Let us handle the details with our in-house vendors to help you create the wedding of your dreams.
#4: Plan the Itinerary
Determining activities for you and your wedding guests throughout the weekend is an important part of the planning process. Here are some ideas for each day.
Thursday: Welcome parties or intimate gatherings
Who’s involved: The wedding party, immediate family, and some out-of-town guests may be involved in the wedding party. Many people won’t arrive until the next day, so activities should be kept casual. If your wedding is taking place over three days instead of four, these activities can easily be incorporated into Friday’s activities as well.
Activities: Informal dinners, casual chatting, and giving of welcome gifts are common activities for the Thursday before the wedding.
Creative ideas: Ideas may be based on location, and include:
A scavenger hunt
Lawn games
Food trucks
A campfire retreat
Karaoke night
Outdoor movie night
Local winery tour
Friday: Rehearsal and welcome events
Who’s involved: Out-of-town guests, the wedding party, family, and local guests are typically involved in events that take place the day before the wedding.
Activities: Rehearsals, rehearsal dinners, and cocktail hours are common activities before the big day. Often, these activities can be combined to create more quality time with guests. Welcome parties are also included if you did not have one on Thursday.
Creative ideas: Some interesting ideas that you may incorporate into your rehearsal and welcome events could be:
Interactive food stations, such as a make-your-own cocktail bar
A wellness session, such as a yoga class
A local excursion
A volunteer activity relevant to the location
A friendly game competition
A dinner with a specific theme
Saturday: The Main Event
Who’s involved: All guests and the wedding party are included in the main events.
Activities: In addition to the wedding ceremony, activities for this day include pre-wedding photos, getting ready for the wedding, cocktail hour, and the reception.
Creative ideas: If you are looking for unique reception ideas, consider interactive entertainment, such as a live painter or a magician. Rather than a traditional dance floor, you could have a silent disco in combination with a DJ. Offer guest book alternatives, such as videos or something special for guests to sign. Consider a late-night snack bar or ice cream bar rather than a traditional cake.
Sunday: Farewells
Who’s involved: Usually, the family, the wedding party, and out-of-town guests are involved in the day after the wedding activities, although some local guests may want to continue celebrating and attend as well.
Activities: Ideas range from casual brunches and group activities based on location to gift opening with family and close friends. Most events typically occur earlier in the day to accommodate travel needs for guests returning home.
Creative ideas: Farewell activities can vary by location and include:
A casual brunch
A backyard barbecue
A group hike
Hanging out at a local park
A themed after-party
A spa day
A memory station for guests to add photos and memories from the wedding
5: Communicate Your Multi-Day Wedding Plans
Communicating your wedding weekend plans with your guests should happen well in advance, especially for out-of-town guests who will be required to book accommodations over several days. Communicating with your guests about what to expect will keep them in the loop and ensure that events run smoothly.
Pre-wedding communication should include:
An engagement announcement
Save-the-dates
Invitations with a link to the wedding website
A wedding website with detailed itineraries, RSVP instructions, and registry information
During the wedding weekend, communication can take place by:
Texting with last-minute updates or individual communication
A private social media group to share real-time updates and photos
A designated person to answer all questions
Email for bulk updates
#6: Plan Welcome Gifts
Providing welcome gifts is common for multi-day weddings and can be customized to suit your guests, your style, and your wedding.
Welcome gifts can be used for:
A thank you to traveling guests
Helping guests feel welcome and comfortable
Including a schedule, map, and wedding details
Setting the tone for the wedding weekend
Making a meaningful gesture
Many wedding couples choose to include a personalized keepsake from their wedding, such as a customized tote bag or bottle opener. The keepsake of choice can reflect the wedding couple’s personalities or the location of the wedding.
To fit welcome gifts into your budget, consider:
Buying items in bulk
Setting a per-gift spending limit
Personalizing with labels or gift tags
Prioritizing key items guests will genuinely use
Keeping packaging simple
Many couples choose to give welcome gifts to all wedding guests, while others choose to give gifts to people who must travel to attend the wedding or just the wedding party.
#7: Decide How To Document Each Day’s Activities
Undoubtedly, you will want to capture every moment of your wedding weekend.
Some options for capturing wedding memories are:
Hire a photographer for each day or just for the wedding ceremony
Hire a second photographer just to capture candid moments
Collect meaningful items and put them in a scrapbook or time capsule
Create a guest photo app and share the QR code for guests to upload their pictures
Additional Considerations for Creating a Perfect Wedding Weekend
Other factors to consider when planning your wedding weekend include:
Don’t overschedule; everyone will need time to breathe.
How many guests will be able to attend the entire weekend?
Will your events include children?
Consider guests with dietary restrictions.
If your events are outdoors, anticipate weather-related issues and have indoor alternatives.
4 Reasons To Choose Twenty Mile House as Your Multi-Day Wedding Venue
#1: On-Site Accommodations
Allow your guests to soak up the historic charm and majestic scenery of our 200 private acres of forest nestled in the heart of Plumas National Forest. Twenty Mile House is the perfect solution for having guest accommodations in the same location as your wedding venue.
We offer cabins on-site for up to 54 guests. If your wedding exceeds 54 guests, off-site accommodations are 5–155-15 minutes away.
#2: Assistance With Planning Activities
Let us take the stress from your shoulders so that you can make memories with your guests all weekend long without worry.
Twenty Mile House’s all-inclusive packages include assistance with planning all wedding details and in-house vendors to make your wedding weekend run flawlessly.
#3: Ability To Celebrate to Your Heart’s Content
Our remote location and our one wedding party at a time policy allow you and your guests to celebrate as long as you desire. If you want to dance until 3 am, you can! Twenty Mile House does not have a curfew or a noise ordinance, so unlike other wedding venues, we won’t kick you out after a few hours of celebrating.
#4: All-Inclusive Packages
Let wedding planning be a breeze with our all-inclusive packages. We can handle details big and small.
Our all-inclusive packages include:
Catering
Flowers
Photography
Baking
A DJ
And more
Let us help you bring the wedding of your dreams to life with our customizable wedding packages.