8 Activities to Plan for a Weekend Wedding

One of the best things about a wedding weekend is it gives you plenty of time to spend with your guests. This is an excellent choice if five hours at the reception is not enough for you and your future spouse to mingle with everyone. However, it’s more challenging than a typical wedding event because you’ll entertain guests for multiple days. Discover these eight exciting activities to ensure a fun-filled celebration.

1. Host a Welcome Party

Having a welcome party is a great way to greet guests who are coming from out of town. When guests are submitting their RSVPs, ask about what day they plan to arrive to get an idea of how many people might be looking for something to do a few days before the ceremony.

The welcome party should be a laidback get-together. You can host at your house or have people join you at a local brewery for a casual meet-up. It’s a nice way to have some chill time before the full weekend of activities.

2. Schedule a Group Yoga Session

Treat your loved ones to a mind-body exercise to help them reduce stress and enhance mental clarity before your big day. Hire a professional instructor and provide a retreat away from distractions, allowing everyone to immerse themselves in the practice. This can also help put people in a good mood before a night of fun and partying.

Photo Credit: From The Hip Photo

3. Host an Axe-Throwing Pre-Wedding Party

Instead of hosting a formal rehearsal dinner, why not make it casual and fun? Elevate your celebration with an axe-throwing party. It’s an exhilarating, adrenaline-filled experience perfect for shaking off the pre-wedding jitters and creating unique memories. Plus, it’s a fun way to get guests to know each other. Since axe-throwing isn’t kid-friendly, make it exclusive for adults to have a worry-free celebration.

4. Make Time for Playtime

Schedule time for relaxation during the morning of the wedding. Have your groomsmen, bridesmaids, family and other guests play outdoor games like golf, giant Connect Four, badminton and croquet.

If you prefer a different kind of relaxation, you can opt for an indulgent sailing expedition or participate in a road race. Just remember — such activities only work best if your wedding is scheduled at a later time, like 4 p.m. onwards. Ensure that there’s ample time for everyone to prepare for the big day.

5. Set Up a Late-Night Snack Bar

A self-serve late-night snack station will be a hit, especially if you plan to extend the partying until midnight. Fill the bar with delectable snacks like meats, fruits, cheeses, cupcakes, pizzas, brownies and tacos. Consider including treats that help boost dopamine to ensure a fun night — dark chocolates, almonds and peanuts are some of the best dopamine-boosting snacks.

6. Organize a Post-Wedding Brunch

Treat your guests to a proper post-wedding brunch after a casual night of partying. Here’s how to plan a successful gathering:

• Delegate it to someone: While you can host it yourself, it could be challenging if you cannot find someone to assist you. Hiring a wedding planner is a great way to take some of the weight off your shoulders. That way, you can wake up the morning after your wedding and walk right into the event, feeling fresh.
• Choose a location: You can host it at your wedding hotel or a local restaurant to give out-of-towners a new dining experience. Choose a venue that can accommodate at least 75% of your overall guest list.
• Schedule wisely: Brunch usually takes place in the early afternoon, but feel free to tweak it according to your needs. For instance, if you expect attendees to party until past midnight, it’s better to schedule it in the late afternoon to give them ample time to rest.
• Plan the menu: You can showcase your and your partner’s personalities or choose famous local dishes. When finalizing the menu, ensure you take your guests’ dietary restrictions into account.
  
  

7. Go Horseback Riding

If your wedding is in Colorado, you can take advantage of the beautiful outdoors through a horseback riding excursion. It’s a fun way to get out of your comfort zone while enjoying the beauty of nature with the most important people in your life.

8. Set Up a Pub Crawl Through Downtown Denver

Pub crawling or bar hopping is a great way to show guests historical pubs and unique bars they might not have heard of before. Downtown Denver is an excellent place to visit venues where you can enjoy a night full of fun, games and laughter.

You can either hire a hostess or create the plan yourself. It’s essential to pick places that are close together to transition between locations smoothly. Even more important: remember to have fun!

Why Is it Important to Plan Immersive Activities?

Weekend weddings provide a unique opportunity to extend the celebration. Unlike traditional one-night weddings, they offer more time for attendees to relax, unwind and immerse themselves in the festivities.

With more time together, it’s your responsibility to allow everyone to make deeper connections and create lasting memories. A weekend wedding usually has downtime between events, so immersive activities can help fill these gaps to prevent boredom. They also make great icebreakers for guests who don’t know each other well. Ultimately, these events can ensure you’ll have a wedding that’ll be remembered for many years.

Plan a Fun Weekend Wedding

These eight ideas will help you celebrate an unforgettable weekend wedding. Remember — the goal is for you, your significant other and your guests to have fun, so be prepared to ask for help when necessary.

Author bio: Cora Gold is a wedding writer and editor of Revivalist magazine. She aims to inspire couples to achieve the wedding of their dreams. Connect with Cora on LinkedIn, Pinterest and Twitter.