The Complete Guide to Throwing a Weekend Wedding
Whether it’s in your hometown or a cross-country flight away, modern weddings are more than the big day; they’re about a wedding weekend, and making the most memories possible while you have your favorite people all in one place. The biggest rule these days is no rules! Seriously—do what works for you and your guests. You don’t want a rehearsal dinner, just a welcome party? Fine! Have uneven numbers in the wedding party? Who cares! You want dessert stations and a cake? Go for it!
That said, we do have some tips to keep in mind as you have your “your way” wedding weekend.
Make it easy to get around.
Guests are already paying for hotel rooms and airfare; don’t add a hefty Uber ride or rental car cost on top. That’s the beauty of a venue like San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter. This newly renovated hotel has its own riverboat stop, making it easy to get around the heart of one of Texas’s oldest cities. You can walk to storied sights like The Alamo and the Briscoe Western Art Museum, and there are loads of trendy restaurants and bars right outside your door.
Hold your wedding in one of the newly renovated ballrooms, and treat your guests to local flavor via action stations serving up three kinds of ceviche or made-to-order guacamole. When your guests aren’t exploring or celebrating, they can kick back at the indoor-outdoor pool—no extra travel required.
Extend the room block.
The wedding events may only be a few days, but your guests may want to stay longer and turn it into a vacation. By extending your room block, or requesting a great rate on either side of the block, you can help them do just that!
The Boston Marriott Peabody is actually located 20 miles north of the city center, which makes it super convenient to North Shore towns like Salem and Gloucester, as well as a day of sightseeing in Boston’s historic neighborhoods. Guests who take extra time can do both! And don’t be afraid to invite a crowd. The experienced team of Marriott Certified planners is used to big weddings, and their ballroom can accommodate up to 400 for multi-day, multicultural bashes, and work with offsite venues like the Peabody Essex Museum for ceremonies.
Keep an eye out for unique photo ops.
You don’t need epic scenery for amazing wedding photos; you just need something fun and local. At the Chicago Marriott Naperville, that’s the Naperville Trolley, a cheery blue and white retro-style streetcar that can fit your whole wedding party. All aboard for a trip to Lou Malnati’s for some Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, or for a pub crawl around the quaint downtown. Or book the trolley for a photo shoot at the charming wood-slatted covered bridge spanning the DuPage River at Riverwalk Park with your entire wedding party.
After your off-site ceremony, you can hop aboard the Naperville Trolley to get back to the hotel for a ballroom reception, taking advantage of their convenient packages that make budgeting easy. Bonus: Some of their packages qualify for Triple Bonvoy Points, which can come in handy on your honeymoon!
Get creative with the bar.
The planning team at Fenway Hotel, Autograph Collection, in Dunedin, Florida, says their couples are going all out for a statement beverage experience, be it a champagne tower or espresso martini bar for the reception, or have-it-your-way Bloody Mary bar at the day-after brunch. It’s all in keeping for this Jazz Age hotel, built in 1924 and celebrating its musical heritage. The hotel is within walking distance to the historic Andrews Memorial Chapel, a charming circa-1888 white Victorian-style chapel that is a favorite for off-site nondenominational ceremonies. Then return to the Fenway for a jazz-era-style reception in the Caldesi Ballroom, which seats up to 185 banquet-style.
In their downtime, guests can play croquet on the front lawn, do a pub crawl of local breweries, or pack their sunscreen for a day at Caledesi Island State Park, considered one of the prettiest beaches in the country.
Grooms get ready rooms too.
It used to be just the bride and her maids who spent the day getting ready in a bridal suite with the champagne flowing. But of course, the grooms want to feel special too! Today, groom suites are super popular, especially if they have perks like private bars and oversized flatscreen LED TVs. Luminary Hotel & Co., Autograph Collection in Fort Myers amps it up a notch, inviting grooms to pre-prep at their Grand Living-Dining Suite, which has two bathrooms, a kitchenette for snacks, a full-sized fridge and wet bar, and a balcony overlooking the river. Or they can head down to Chips Sports Bar and book a bay at the area’s only TopGolf Swing Suite, which can take up to 8 players at hourly rates, or be rented for larger groups.
This AAA Four Diamond hotel has other cool extras like a fourth-floor pool deck with adjacent private event space overlooking Caloosahatchee River, ideal for welcome parties, open-air receptions or just day-after chilling.
Add in some unexpected extras.
If you’re looking for a city wedding, Philadelphia is a great choice. It’s filled with history and culture, and the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown is right in the heart of it all, walkable to sites like Independence Hall and the Reading Terminal Market. Surprise your guests with a reception at The Gallery, their onsite curated gallery showcasing local artists. Floor-to-ceiling windows bring in the light, and they have a built-in media wall for photo slideshows. Formal receptions are natural in their gorgeous Liberty Ballroom, with its vaulted ceiling and art-deco style chandeliers, and generous 6,000 square feet of space. Add in a few experiential stations, like a dim sum bar or a pasta display featuring three types of dishes.
After the last dance, keep the surprises going with an after-party at Liberty Lanes Pub, home to speakeasy-style cocktails and the hotel’s very own duckpin bowling alley.