Wedding weekends seem to be the trend these days, and if there is one trend I hope never goes away, it is this one.
As a wedding photographer, one thing I continue to notice is how meaningful it is when couples create more time around their wedding day. A wedding is not just a single event. It is a gathering of the people who have shaped your life, and giving yourself more time with them often creates some of the most unforgettable memories.
The wedding day itself is obviously amazing, but it also goes by faster than anyone expects. After months, sometimes years, of planning, the day arrives, and suddenly you are moving from getting ready, to the ceremony, to portraits, to cocktail hour, to dinner and dancing. There is so much excitement happening all at once that it can feel overwhelming. Before you know it, the evening is over, and you realize there were people you barely had a chance to talk to.
That is why I love welcome parties and rehearsal dinners so much.
These moments have a completely different energy from the wedding day. There is less pressure, more time to settle in, and more opportunities for real conversations. Guests who traveled from near and far finally have a chance to reconnect. Family members share stories over dinner. Friends laugh about memories from years ago. Parents and grandparents get to spend meaningful time together.
As a wedding photographer who photographs wedding weekends often, some of my favorite images are captured during these more relaxed celebrations. They are not always perfectly planned moments. They are the in-between moments that happen naturally when people are given the space to simply be together.
A father catching up with old friends. A grandmother laughing with her grandchildren. A couple taking in the room full of people they love. A quiet conversation between family members before the wedding day begins.
These are the photographs that become family history.
When I photograph a wedding weekend, I am not just documenting a ceremony and reception. I am capturing the full story of the celebration. The anticipation before the wedding. The relationships that brought everyone together. The laughter, conversations, and emotions that unfold throughout the weekend.
Whether it is an intimate wedding weekend in the Hamptons, a destination celebration, a New York City wedding, or a wedding weekend in Upstate, NY, these additional moments allow couples to be more present with the people they love most.
I think that is why wedding weekends have become so meaningful. It is not about adding more events to the schedule. It is about creating more time for connection.
Years from now, you will remember the vows, the first dance, and the celebration, but you will also remember the dinner conversation with your closest friends, the stories shared around the table, and the hugs that lasted a little longer because there was finally time.
If you are considering a welcome party, rehearsal dinner, or a full wedding weekend, I would absolutely encourage you to go for it. The wedding day will always be special, but the moments surrounding it are often where some of the most meaningful memories are made.
I love documenting celebrations that feel personal, intentional, and full of connection. From NYC and the Hamptons to destinations around the world, my goal is always to preserve not only how your wedding looked, but how it felt.
