The Best Wedding Weekend Itinerary
No need to stress about an itinerary, we got you covered!
Wedding weekends are becoming a popular preference. And we get why. When you have family and friends coming from all over, why not take advantage of having those you love in one spot. Plus, it gives you more time to blend the two sides of your families. But it can be a little intimidating to create a wedding weekend itinerary on your own.
That’s where we come in! We’ve learned a thing or two over the years as wedding and event planners, and we’re here to help make your wedding weekend as smooth as possible. So here’s a suggestion for a wedding weekend itinerary based on our learned expertise. (And if you want even more details, suggestions, and expert tips, check out our other wedding weekend article!)
Wedding Weekend Itinerary
Thursday (Day 1)
3:00 pm - Hotel check-in begins
4:00 pm - Most guests fly in
5:00 pm - Welcome party
Friday (Day 2)
10:00 am - Morning yoga
11:30 am - Brunch
12:30 pm - Brunch ends
1:00 pm - Guests explore the area
5:00 pm - (Wedding party only) Rehearsal
6:00 pm - (Wedding party only) Rehearsal drinks (Other guests) Cocktail hour & yard games
6:30 pm - (Wedding party only) Rehearsal dinner (Other guests) Cocktail hour & yard games
8:00 pm - Open rehearsal dinner to other guests
9:30 pm - Bonfire with s’mores
10:30 pm(ish) - Get sleep before the big day!
Saturday (Day 3)
9:00 am - Hair and makeup arrive for bride & wedding party
10:00 am - Guests have options for activities:
Hang out by the lake, if there is one, take pontoon rides, or use sups
Go into town for coffee and shopping
Play lawn games like giant Jenga, croquet, bag toss, etc.
Take advantage of venue amenities like the spa, pool, golf course, etc.
12:30 pm - Brunch
1:00 pm - Photographer arrives and begins
1:45 pm - Brunch ends
2:00 pm - Get ready and travel (don’t forget to provide transportation, if needed!)
2:30 pm - Couple and family take wedding photos
4:00 pm - Ceremony
5:00 pm - Cocktail Hour
7:00 pm - Reception dinner
7:30 pm - Speeches
8:00 pm - Sunset Photos
8:30 pm - First dance, parent dances, then all-out dancing
9:00 pm - Cake Cutting
9:30 pm - Transportation begins
10:30 pm - Late-night snack or pizza
11:30 pm - Last shuttle or trolley leaves
Sunday (Last Day)
9 am - Breakfast buffet as guests leave
This is a basic wedding weekend itinerary to get the foundation set for your big weekend! If it seems like a lot of work, that’s because it is! We suggest hiring a wedding planner, a day-of coordinator, and/or tasking someone to be a point person. To get a more comprehensive run-down of what goes into a wedding weekend—such as items to provide and important logistics to remember—check out our other wedding weekend article. And if you’re in for a wedding weekend, hit us up for help.