Is a Multi-Day Wedding Right for You?
By Caitlin Hoare
Multi-day weddings let couples spend more time with guests and transform a single day into a weekend of festivities. Events may include welcome parties, casual brunches, and group activities, creating a relaxed, vacation-like atmosphere. However, extended celebrations are more expensive due to venue rentals, extra catering, and guest accommodations. Planning also becomes more complex, requiring careful scheduling to avoid overwhelming guests or leaving too much downtime. Some guests may attend only the main ceremony, so couples must balance open invitations with smaller, more intimate gatherings. Ultimately, decide if a multi-day wedding suits your budget, schedule, and vision for a memorable celebration.
Gone are the days when weddings were just a single afternoon of vows, dinner, and dancing. Modern couples are increasingly embracing the idea of multi-day weddings, transforming their big “day” into an entire weekend filled with a variety of celebrations and fun. Think welcome barbecues, post-wedding brunches, and group activities that allow you to spend more quality time with your favourite people. A multi-day wedding also creates an opportunity to stretch out the joy, savour every moment, and make even more unforgettable memories.
Pros of Hosting a Multi-Day Celebration
More quality time with wedding guests
One of the biggest advantages of a multi-day wedding is the luxury of time. Traditional weddings can often feel rushed, with couples often lamenting that they didn’t get enough time to welcome and chat with everyone on the day. By extending your celebration, you can create a relaxed atmosphere where you can carve out meaningful moments with each of your guests, whether it’s raising a glass (or three!) at a welcome party or sharing a quiet chat during brunch the next day.
A more relaxed wedding schedule
Though a multi-day wedding takes a bit more planning (and budget allowance), choosing to extend your wedding means that you can wave goodbye to the pressure of cramming everything into a single day. With SO much more free time to play with, your schedule can be much more relaxed; in fact, it could very quickly feel like a mini vacation but with all of your favourite people!
Plenty of time for fun wedding activities
Whether you're meticulously planning a fun-filled weekend celebration or a laid-back multi-day weekday wedding, with multiple days at your disposal, you’ll have more than enough time to organise some exciting extras to keep guests entertained.
From welcome cocktails or a pre-wedding barbecue on the first night to group yoga and a farewell brunch or even a big hike to blow the cobwebs out post-wedding, there are lots of ways to extend the fun of your multi-day wedding! It’s also a great idea to chat with your wedding planner or venue, as they can offer valuable suggestions based on what has worked well for other couples.
The cons of a weekend-long wedding
Additional Costs
There’s no getting around it—hosting a multi-day wedding can be significantly more expensive than a traditional single-day event. The added costs of extended venue rentals, extra catering, and guest accommodations can quickly add up. If budget is a concern, it’s important to think strategically about how you allocate your funds. You might choose to focus your spending on the main wedding day and keep other events, like a welcome dinner, much more low-key.
The logistics of planning a multi-day wedding
Planning a wedding is already a pretty big undertaking. Therefore, it’s fair to say that planning a multi-day wedding takes serious skill - creating a timeline that flows, allowing just enough downtime for guests without things feeling sparse yet providing enough activity without feeling overwhelmed is a fine art! However, if the thought of all these additional wedding logistics has you feeling overwhelmed, then you should engage a wedding planner to help you manage everything! An experienced planner can handle the intricate details and help ensure the entire weekend flows smoothly.
The extra commitment required by guests
There's no denying that a multi-day wedding, especially a destination wedding weekend, requires guests to commit more, both financially and in terms of time. While some guests will jump at the chance to join a full weekend of festivities, others may only be able to attend the main event. To accommodate different schedules and budgets, consider planning some events that are open to everyone and others that are more intimate and only for the A-list.
Deciding if a multi-day wedding is right for you
If you're still wondering whether a wedding weekend or even a midweek multi-day wedding is right for you, here are some key factors to think about when making your decision.
Your wedding budget
If you’re going to be spreading your wedding budget across multiple days, with the bulk of it being allocated to your wedding day itself, you will need to know your budget inside out and make it work hard for you! Get creative by breaking down your guest list—for example, an intimate rehearsal dinner with close friends and family can be a cost-effective way to kick things off without the expense of a large-scale event. Keep in mind that thoughtful touches don’t have to break the bank; a casual brunch or DIY cocktail party can be just as memorable as a lavish affair.
Your guest list
When it comes to multi-day weddings, the guest list tends to be a little more dynamic! From the welcome party to the wedding ceremony, you control who will celebrate with you. Of course, your best mate gets a ticket to the full immersive experience, but maybe Maureen from the office only gets to join you for drinks and dancing at the reception? You know it makes sense!
Your vision for the wedding
Just because multi-day weddings are on-trend at the moment doesn't necessarily mean they're right for everyone. Both you and your partner should be honest and ask yourselves whether you really want a big wedding or whether something smaller and lower-key would suit you better. Ultimately, what we’re saying is, don't let yourselves get swept up in what you feel you should be doing; this is YOUR day, and the top priority should be that it feels right for you.
Weekend wedding or a traditional wedding day?
Deciding whether a multi-day wedding is right for you ultimately boils down to your priorities, your budget, and your vision for your big day(s). While the idea of extending your celebration over multiple days leaves more room for quality time with your loved ones, fun activities, and a relaxed schedule, you should weigh up the benefits against the potential challenges, such as increased costs and a more complex planning process.
A multi-day wedding could be perfect for you if you want an immersive experience with your loved ones or want to turn your destination wedding into a mini vacation. What could be better than enjoying every moment without feeling rushed and having space and time for fun extra activities or events that reflect your personality as a couple? Whether you choose to stick with the traditional single wedding day or go for a multi-day wedding, the most important thing is that it aligns with your original values and brings you and your loved ones together for an unforgettable celebration!
Remember, your wedding is a celebration of your love story, and whether it’s a day-long or lasts the whole weekend, its success lies in creating an experience that feels joyful and meaningful to you.