Sometimes, for the right group of people and the right location, one wedding day simply just doesn’t cut it.
Multi-day weddings and wedding weekends have become much more popular in recent years, and don’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. As couples are more intentional about their wedding celebrations than ever before, quality time with loved ones in a unique setting that makes it easy and fun for creating a whole new set of memories together has become the ultimate priority for some people, and we don’t blame them.
Cramming several obligatory traditions into one short event often causes what we call the “wedding day blur.” It’s an unfortunate, yet common, effect many couples experience, after having rushed through so many impactful, emotional moments into such a short time frame, that most of it simply cannot be remembered in full no matter how hard you try.
So if you’re currently planning your wedding and truly wanting to slow it all down, enjoy quality time with your closest loved ones (especially those you don’t get to see every day), and reduce your chances of forgetting it all as soon as it’s over, turning the event into a multi-day experience or a full wedding weekend may just be the idea you didn’t know you needed.
What exactly is a “wedding weekend”?
The simplest way to think about it is that it’s a celebration that extends the time beyond just the wedding day. This can happen in several ways, from adding on events like a welcome party, expanded rehearsal dinner, local activities like hiking or boating that guests are invited to the day before/after a wedding day, or even a post-wedding brunch the day after. Or go for something truly rustic, like hosting everyone at a nature retreat or campground for 2-3 days!
There’s a lot of flexibility here, so it’s a great way to get creative, think outside the box, and spend more time with your guests, especially for a destination wedding or if you have many guests flying in from out of state.
Keep in mind, though, that it doesn’t even have to be on a weekend if you have a smaller group and are open to more flexible dates to find the right venue.
Top Reasons to Have a Multi-Day Wedding
- It helps you avoid the “wedding day blur” – allowing for more freedom to slow things down and actually enjoy it all without feeling rushed!
- Flexibility for those who want to elope + have a reception. If you love the idea of combining both an elopement and a post-elopement party, planning for a 2-day wedding allows you to read private vows in a National Park one day, and a celebration at a larger venue with your loved ones the next!
- More quality time with your guests. If you have people coming from out of town, or everyone’s traveling to a unique destination for your wedding, planning a multi-day experience may be the best way to get the most out of the time you have with everyone.
- Traditions and heritage. For some couples and their families, multi-day weddings are already the norm. And it’s becoming more common now to see blended weddings, where two different cultures come together in one beautiful celebration, like the video we have on this page for Ben + Riva’s Indian fusion wedding, that involved two jam-packed days of activities and two full ceremonies!
Step-By-Step Guide to Planning a Wedding Weekend
1. Be intentional from the start.
We truly can’t emphasize this enough: plan your wedding with purpose.
Be intentional about why you’re wanting a multi-day celebration in the first place, who you’re inviting, and what kind of experience you think speaks most to who you two are and how well that may align with everyone attending.
If you both love the outdoors and both have families very familiar and comfortable in rustic settings, an outdoor retreat, campground, or lodge near some national or state parks may be a great fit for you. If you both prefer something luxurious, and want to truly “wow” your guests with a more high-end experience, an all-inclusive resort that offers a wide range of activities, excursions, bars, and restaurants may be a better fit.
The more specific you are with choosing a location and experience that means a lot to you both, as well as limiting your guest count to the ones that you truly can’t imagine not having there with you, the easier the rest of the planning process will be.
And if that means that you quickly realized that a multi-day wedding doesn’t resonate with you and you’d rather keep it short and sweet, then that’s okay, too!
2. Begin your venue search.
Once you have a general idea of the type of venue you may be looking for (ex: ski resort, forested retreat, lakefront campground, or lodge with mountain views), you can start diving into specific venues that may offer partial or complete buy-outs for your entire group to enjoy for a full 2-3 days.
Venues are nearly always the very first wedding vendor booked for most couples, which means they tend to book up 1-2 years in advance. However, with the help of a great local wedding planner, this process can be a lot smoother for you, since they often have great recommendations you may not discover even after searching for hours online or can do a bulk of the initial research for you. Lowering your guest count and/or being flexible with your date (including being open to weekdays!) can also greatly help you find the right multi-day wedding venue for your event.
And while traditional wedding planning timelines don’t involve securing lodging well in advance, one of the nice things about opting for a wedding weekend venue that has lodging on-site for most/all of your guests is that it can check one additional item off your to-do list early on!
3. Select a season + Date.
After finding your dream venue, it’s time to select a date! Consider the time of year you’ll want to be at the venue and/or destination to fully get the most out of your time there, and if you have the budget for it, you may want to opt for a 3-day holiday weekend to have even more time with guests who may already have those dates off from work.
If it’s not a holiday weekend, we recommend having your welcome party or other festivities on a Thursday or Friday, with your wedding ceremony and reception on day two, and other more casual or laid back activities like a goodbye brunch on day three.
4. Find vendors you connect with.
The vendors you will undoubtedly be spending the most time with (often even more time than you’ll spend with your soon-to-be-spouse!) are your photographers/videographers. So while we completely understand that style, experience, and a portfolio you love are all definitely valuable, choosing ones you can actually see yourself enjoying spending time with might just be the most important part.
You’ll also find that not every photo/video team has experience in documenting unique multi-day coverage like we do, and some don’t offer it at all or have a guest count limit for events they book.
If you’re considering a multi-day wedding in the Pacific Northwest, our team at Skyewater would absolutely love to chat with you about your day and even help brainstorm venue ideas if you need help getting started!
5. Plan some multi-day wedding activities or other excursions.
After you’ve nailed down the basic logistics like the where, when, and your top vendor choices, you’ll want to start finalizing all the other pieces to your wedding weekend or multi-day festivities. Here are some of our favorite ideas, depending on where and when you’re getting married:
- Renting out a boat, pontoon, or catamaran for a sunset cruise the day before your wedding.
- Have a laid-back pool party where everyone can lounge in the sun and sip some cocktails.
- Take a group hiking in one of your favorite places nearby.
- Visit some local shops, breweries, wineries, or distilleries in town.
- Have a spa day or host a cozy bonfire for a more relaxing time at your venue.
- Set up a scavenger hunt or other lawn games for a little competitive fun.
- Reserve a space for karaoke or trivia night.
Additional tips for a 2 or 3-Day wedding
There are already so many moving parts to a multi-day event, that you’ll want to ensure you’ve included some down time for people to relax or mingle without worrying about the clock. Don’t over schedule and be sure to emphasize which events you’d really enjoy everyone being present for, and which ones are totally optional.
It probably also goes without saying, but if you’re considering a multi-day wedding, know that they will often cost much more than a traditional one-day event, especially if you still plan to host more than 100+ guests for an entire 3-day weekend. So be sure to plan for that well in advance and ensure your budget can accommodate your vision.
Also keep in mind that not everyone may be able to stay for the entire time. Some of your guests may still only attend one or two events instead of the entire celebration, especially if long distance travel is involved – and that’s okay.
Wedding Weekend Venues in Washington
Looking to host a multi-day weekend in the PNW? We’ve already done some research for you! Here are our top picks for venues that commonly host 2 or 3-day wedding weekends in Washington:
TreeHouse Point, Issaquah
Kiana Lodge, Poulsbo
Tierra Retreat Center, Leavenworth
Camp Saturna, Maple Falls
Agate Beach Lodge, Port Angeles
Alder Farm, Sedro-Woolley
Alpine Lakes High Camp, Leavenworth
Captain Whidbey, Whidbey Island
Outlook Inn, Orcas Island
Woodmark Hotel + Spa, Lake Washington
Evergreen Gardens, Ferndale
Skamania Lodge, Stevenson along the Columbia River Gorge
NatureBridge, Olympic National Park
Semiahmoo Resort, Blaine
Lodge at St. Edward, Kenmore
IslandWood, Bainbridge Island
Camp Kirby, Bow
