From Welcome Party to Next-Day Detox — Here’s How to Plan an Epic Wedding Weekend

Weddings are back and bigger than ever. Now, instead of the traditional ceremony and reception, weddings have turned into full-blown weekend fêtes, complete with welcome parties, daytime activities and post-wedding detox events.

If you’re completely stumped as to how to turn your union into a weekend of fun, we’ve got some advice and suggestions that can serve as inspiration for your big day.

As always, check for travel restrictions and closures before planning your event.

Welcome Party

When planning a welcome party, keep in mind that although everyone has arrived looking to celebrate, it may be the first time that your different friend groups and family members are meeting, so folks might feel a little shy. The welcome party is a good time for guests to mingle, and an icebreaker or activity is a fun focus — like ice-skating and bowling at Basement Bowl and Skate at The Miami Beach EDITION.

Encourage your guests to form teams with others they don’t know very well and try their luck on the rainbow-hued, four-lane bowling alley as they sip cocktails and enjoy gourmet bites.

Or let them literally break the ice and glide across the 2,000-square-foot indoor ice-skating rink that comes alive with pulsating music and a dramatic light show.

Pre-Wedding Dinner

After the ceremony rehearsal, its time to unwind with your VIP guests at the rehearsal dinner. Since the wedding is the following day, you’ll want your dinner to be nothing but relaxing vibes, so consider hosting your favorite people at an enchanting rooftop oasis like SKYLIGHT at the W Toronto.

The indoor-outdoor rooftop hideaway features lush greenery, draping vines dotted with twinkling lights and sweeping views of Toronto’s iconic Bloor Street and glamorous Yorkville neighborhood.

Your closest friends and family can spend part of the evening watching the sun set over the cityscape, snapping photos to capture memories of the weekend before heading inside for a Mediterranean-inspired meal.

Daytime Activity

Even if your wedding isn’t technically a destination wedding, many of your guests probably traveled to get there. A daytime activity is a great way to help them become acquainted with locale you chose and how much it means to you, either through a food tour, hike or cultural activity.

The JW Marriott New Orleans‘ prime location in the heart of the French Quarter offers easy access to so many attractions, but we suggest taking advantage of their top-tier concierge team by booking a daytime cruise of the Mississippi River on the Riverboat City of New Orleans.

Only moments from the hotel, the steamboat departs the French Quarter riverfront for a two-hour sightseeing tour complete with cocktails, New Orleans-style cuisine and live jazz.

Wedding Reception

The wedding reception is the best part of any wedding weekend, so our belief is: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. By now, your guests will be ready to let their hair down and hit the dance floor, and one option is to stick with a reliable, stunning ballroom that can be configured any way you prefer, with high-tech chops to match.

With its prime location next to Philadelphia’s historic City Hall, The Notary Hotel, Autograph Collection offers 12 wedding halls to choose from, but we’re partial to the Juniper Ballroom, with its high ceilings and ornate décor.

If you prefer an epic outdoor setting, you’ll find your wedded bliss at Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui. Perched at the ocean’s edge with unobstructed views of the Pacific, the resort offers multiple oceanfront settings for an unforgettable ceremony, including the sprawling 15,000-square-foot Kaho’olawe Lawn.

Next-Day Detox

What. A. Weekend. You laughed, cried happy tears, danced, sang and imbibed. Now it’s time to grab your wedding party and sneak in some restoration and relaxation before everyone heads home.

Wellness is at the center of nearly every activity at The Westin Bayshore, Vancouver, on both land and water. Explore the beauty of Vancouver’s natural surrounding on two wheels with the signature BikeWESTIN program, or grab your crew for a Liquid Yoga class where you’ll balance and stretch atop floating aquamats at the hotel pool.

Wrap up the weekend with a rejuvenating treatment at Vida Spa. Then toast to a weekend to remember.

Whether you’re traditional or far from it, Marriott Bonvoy® Events has a wedding venue that fits you. Choose from 30 extraordinary hotel brands complete with everything you need to celebrate.