With more and more couples not content with just one day of celebrations, we thought it time to share our guide to hosting the Ultimate Wedding Weekend.

Michelle says: “Wedding weekends are great fun for everyone. Think all your nearest and dearest ensconced in luxurious surroundings, a relaxed itinerary of activities with unique drinking and dining experiences so guests are kept happy and entertained for an entire weekend. They say your wedding day goes by in the blink of an eye, but with a wedding weekend you are able to take things at a much slower pace, you can soak up the precious moments and also have time to interact with everyone there”.

How to plan the Ultimate Wedding Weekend

LOCK DOWN THE LOCATION

Drive down country lanes and be welcomed into a world of marvellous mansions, luxury country houses, family-owned villa’s and secluded sanctuaries. There’s so much scope with private estates and exclusive use venues all across England and beyond, for every kind of celebration from the laid-back to the lavish. The seclusion of a private estate is a huge draw for many couples, along with the potential for true personalisation by making the place your own.

So how do you go about finding these dream locations? There are a few venue directory sites that showcase these spaces, but often, the most luxurious and discrete of places remain under-the-radar, they are only known to those ‘in-the-know’, so this is where your wedding planner can really help. We have links to many unique and luxurious private estates and country houses, offering you the most spectacular backdrop to your celebrations.

The venue search can feel overwhelming so do a little research first, or enlist an experienced wedding planner who can help you navigate it all and help you make decisions with both your heart and your head. Just remember your chosen wedding destination and location will play a crucial role in the tone and feeling of your day.

THINK ABOUT YOUR BIG TICKET ITEMS

Whilst some private venues will offer you acres of land and rambling mansions, many are not so well equipped for accommodating large guest numbers for your actual wedding reception. That’s not to say these should be dismissed though, as often they are the perfect backdrop for a marquee celebration. Or perhaps your location of choice is a wedding at home – again this is where you have the opportunity to build your wedding space from the ground up.

Just remember you will need to bring in all the amenities that typically come with a standard wedding venue, think restrooms, cloakroom facilities, parking services, power supplies, a pop-up catering kitchen, refrigeration, heaters, sound systems, staging, dancefloors, lighting, tables and chairs, cutlery, china, glassware and even ice may make it’s way onto your shopping list. So be prepared for all of these less-than-exciting items when you start the planning.

ENHANCE THE GUEST EXPERIENCE

You will want to give some thought as to how you will look after guests, without the standard support of a dedicated venue team. Most of the private and exclusive-use estates will come dry-hire, which means they essentially hand you the keys and leave you to it. Some will offer a limited range of services, such as support with check-in to their accommodation, or housekeeping services, but many won’t.

So you need to consider how you will manage this to still give your guests that wonderful experience you have envisioned, including a warm and thoughtful welcome: think drinks on arrival, a personalised check-in, a handwritten note and gifts in their room as well as access to refreshments and snacks at all times. Having a small hangover kit in bedrooms is also a fabulous touch and often much needed.

BE THEIR GUIDE

From travel and accommodation options,  to your weekend itinerary and any planned activities, through to a list of local sights. Do the groundwork for your guests so they have everything they need to plan their time with you.

A wedding website is a great way to ensure all your guests have the information they need in advance, tell them as much as possible about your planned itinerary and any specific dress codes so they can pack accordingly, consider adding a group chat function to this too so everyone can get to know each other in advance. Or create a beautifully packaged guide to send out with your invitations.

BREAK THE ICE

Kick things off with an ice-breaker so everyone can ease themselves into the weekend and quickly bond with each other. There’s a multitude of activities you could organise, just think about what would work best for the majority of your guests and don’t try to please everyone. We’ve planned everything from afternoon tea, to pampering sessions, scavenger hunts to golfing trips, clay pigeon shooting to pub crawls. Pick something that’s easy to involve everyone. The best activity I’ve ever planned was a terrarium building party – it was messy but so much fun and everyone got so involved and super-competitive when we told them their terrarium would be used as wedding decor the next day.

TRANSITION IT WELL

It’s all in the planning so consider how you are going to transition from one stage of the weekend to the next, particularly on the wedding day. By making things really clear and easy for your guests to transition smoothly, you will increase their overall experience and enjoyment as no-one enjoys confusion. Is your venue hard to find? Do people know where they need to be and when? Can they easily find their way around the estate? Will there be any awkward moments when guests don’t know what to do or where to go? Do they have time to relax and chill too? Think about every eventuality and how you can make it easier for your guests.

MAKE THE PARTY LAST

From after-parties that go on into the early hours, to hangover brunches the day after your wedding, extend the celebrations with extra planned activities. It’s like telling a story, you want various chapters which are exciting by themselves, yet follow on from one another to make up the whole story. The hangover brunch is my favourite as guests excitedly recall stories from the day before, it’s always the moment when everyone is the most relaxed which makes for a great atmosphere.

Say goodbye with a bang and send your guests home with a farewell package to enjoy on their journey home. Snacks, hangover kits, water and tunes to listen to, are always a winner.

GET SUPPORTED

Who will be the go-to person for all your wedding suppliers? Who will deal with any last minute challenges that may crop up? Who will help you implement a plan B or C if the weather suddenly changes….. and most importantly who will light the 500 gorgeous candles you dream of having on your dining tables just before you sit down to dine?.

It takes a village to plan a wedding well – so choose your team wisely. You may feel like it’s manageable and that everyone will chip in, but do you really want your family and guests to have things to do, or would you prefer them to kick back and enjoy their time with you?. Having the support of an experienced wedding planner is invaluable when there are so many elements to consider and moving parts over various days.