Brides & Weddings Magazine
In this modern day of transient lifestyles, wedding guest lists contain relatives and friends traveling from both coasts. To make the most of the time couples can spend with their friends and family members, brides and grooms are planning wedding weekends and hosting multiple events in unique venues.
The wedding weekend consists of numerous parties and activities centering around guests getting to know each other while enabling the bride and groom time to relax and enjoy catching up with friends and family. A wedding weekend agenda typically goes like this:
The Ice Breaker
This party is usually held on the Thursday evening prior to the wedding. This dinner has replaced the traditional rehearsal dinner as it is often the first time the bride and groom’s families meet. It’s a good idea to keep this event on the casual and fun side, incorporating themes like a barbecue or Hawaiian luau.
Bridal Party Outings
These events are designed to allow for some relaxation before the big day, and again, give guests a chance to make new acquaintances and renew old friendships. Outings can include trips to a spa for the feminine side of the bridal party, golfing for the groom and his buddies and sightseeing tours and excursions to local wineries for wedding guests.
Rehearsal Dinner
This event is held the night before the wedding and now includes not only the bridal party, but family members and out-of-town wedding guests. It is not unusual to have a guest list of 50 attendees. More couples are utilizing interesting venues, such as wineries, for these events.
The Wedding & Reception
By now, your guests have had some time to get to know one another better, so let the good times begin. Relax and enjoy the day, whether it’s an elegant ballroom event, a trip back in time at a historic bed & breakfast or a casual catered affair in the countryside.
Post-Festivity Brunch
This is the perfect opportunity for the bride and groom to thank out-of-town guests, friends and family members, and to open gifts. Put the emphasis on hospitality and relaxation.
The wedding weekend allows you time to relax and enjoy visiting with all of your guests. Use venues that offer many opportunities for different events for your guests while keeping their traveling time to a minimum. With a wealth of historic sites, B&B’s, wineries, shopping outlets, spas and golf clubs, Northern
Virginia is the perfect place to hold your wedding weekend.
