Wedding Weekend Events: Welcome Party, Day-After Brunch and Everything Between
Updated November 2026
At a destination wedding, the wedding is a weekend, not a day. Guests arrive over two days and leave over two more. A clear schedule of events, with room for free time, makes the trip feel like a holiday instead of a marathon.
The typical schedule
| When | Event | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Day before, evening | Welcome drinks or welcome dinner | All guests |
| Day before, evening | Rehearsal dinner | Wedding party and family |
| Wedding day | Ceremony and reception | All guests |
| Wedding night | After-party | Whoever is still standing |
| Day after, late morning | Farewell brunch | All guests |
| Day after, afternoon | Optional group activity | Guests staying on |
Welcome party ideas
- Aperitivo on a terrace or rooftop: easy, affordable and very Italian.
- Taco and mezcal night in Mexico, tapas crawl in Spain, meze on the beach in Greece.
- Sunset boat cruise, if numbers allow.
- Low-country boil in Charleston or Savannah, crawfish in New Orleans.
- Keep it short and casual. Many guests have just landed.
The day-after brunch
- Late start: 11 a.m. at the earliest.
- Somewhere close to the main hotel, ideally walkable.
- Casual dress, simple food, coffee in volume.
- Have the farewell brunch end in time for afternoon flights and give guests ideas for the rest of the day.
Free time is an event too
The most common regret we hear from guests: "We didn't know what to do between events." Give them a plan for the gaps, with suggestions for each free morning and afternoon. A guest page with day plans built around your wedding date does that automatically. Build yours free.
Communicating the schedule
- Put the full schedule on your wedding website at least two months before.
- Repeat it on a printed card in the welcome bag. See our welcome bag ideas.
- Send one reminder message in the guest chat the day before each event.