Your wedding day marks one of life’s greatest milestones. Looking beyond the ceremony and reception to incorporate additional meaningful experiences ensures your celebration feels unique. These must-have wedding events set the stage for happiness and connection as you start married life.
Welcome Dinner
Host an informal dinner the night before your wedding to gather loved ones from both sides. This offers out-of-town guests and wedding parties a chance to meet and mingle in a relaxed setting. Share favorite memories and love stories over delicious food and drink to kick the festivities off in an intimate way.
Bridal Brunch
Make time for a celebratory brunch with your closest girlfriends before the big day unfolds. Sipping mimosas, enjoying light bites, and exchanging thoughtful gifts like personalised robes and bridal slippers starts your wedding morning off relaxed, pampered, and full of love.
First Look
A first look photo shoot lets you sneak a private glimpse of your spouse-to-be before the ceremony. An outdoor first look session timed around the Golden Hour creates romantic, meaningful portraits together away from the bustle. Exchanging gifts, reading letters, or reciting personal vows can make this moment even more special.
Wedding Portraits
Don’t miss out on capturing timeless wedding day photographs amidst the revelry. Allow at least two hours for portraits so you get ample shots posed, walking outdoors, surrounded by loved ones, and more. Bridal party and family formals also commemorate everyone celebrating your milestone.
Wedding Breakfast
Providing breakfast or brunch catering while bridal preparations happen keeps the wedding party fueled and relaxed. Pastries, fresh fruit, granola bars, and mimosas nurture wedding hairstylists and makeup artists so they can focus on leaving you photo-ready. Keep spirits light before showtime arrives!
Cocktail Hour
An elegant cocktail hour lets guests mingle while you finish up photos after the ceremony. Creative signature drinks, gourmet small plates, and live music ensure everyone remains entertained before reception introductions. This buffer period also gives staff time to transition decor from ceremony to reception layouts.
Speeches & Toasts
Hearing personalised speeches is a wedding tradition that makes moments unforgettable. Have your officiant, parents, wedding party, and you each share meaningful thoughts at either the reception or rehearsal dinner. Writing words in advance prevents stage fright. These heartfelt speeches become treasured keepsakes.
Mother-Child Dance
At the reception, a dedicated mother-child dance provides a touching moment to honor your relationship. This pairs nicely with the traditional father-daughter dance. Selecting a meaningful song and gliding across the floor together creates a poignant memory between mother and child on the big day.
Sparkler Exit
End your evening with a magical sendoff. Have guests line up outside with sparklers in hand to illuminate your grand exit. Stealing a kiss before prancing through the dazzling tunnel of lights and cheers finishes your wedding day with spectacle and excitement. Capture this moment in photographs to relive.
By incorporating these special ceremonies and activities into the agenda, couples make weddings meaningful beyond the “I dos”. Every added event offers another opportunity for pampering, meaningful connection, joyful traditions, and memories in the making. Personalise your wedding celebrations to remember.