The Pros And Cons Of Hosting A Weekend Wedding

South Asian Weddings are known to be a larger-than-life event with loads of pomp and galore. It is not just the union of two individuals, but also two families. Weddings are in general more than 4 days affair, as there are one or two events before and after the wedding ceremony based on the tradition and culture of the couple. There is Ganesha puja, engagement ceremony, then Mehendi ceremony, sangeet night, Haldi ceremony, the wedding ceremony, and the reception night. Now, every part is different from each other in the South Asian community. Ritual changes, every 10 km you walk from one part to another. That is the beauty of these weddings, and people love it. 

Sourceo: Le Cape Weddings

Ever since the pandemic has hit us people are opting for an intimate wedding ceremony. And when selecting dates, a couple can think of hosting weekend weddings which are quite a trend nowadays and for the right reasons. The couple and the guests do not have to take the stress of taking holidays and can easily plan the days out and have fun. The celebration can start from Friday evening and then go on till Sunday. But with a number of rituals taking place in South Asian Weddings, is it a good idea to organize a weekend wedding? We have listed down a few pros and cons for you to figure out whether it is worth the thought and execution of hosting a weekend wedding or not.

Also Read: Tips And Tricks To Plan A Multicultural Wedding Ceremony

Pros of Hosting a Weekend Wedding

1. When you plan a South Asian Wedding, your planning involves the execution of ideas, decoration, setting the places like the seating area, stage, mandap or altar, etc, and other stuff. But one of the main things is the theme of the wedding. When you choose the weekend, it becomes easier to set the wedding on one theme and not get diverted when giving instructions to the planner and other vendors. When a wedding is celebrated for more than three days maximum, it can happen that the theme just gets lost in the way and not everybody gets it. But weekend weddings can keep the theme set as the decor and the color won’t be changing every other day with rituals.

Source: Prashe Decor

Also Read: Wedding Décor Process & Things To Know Beforehand

2. When we have multiple events like mehndi, haldi, sangeet, the main ceremony, and then the final night - the reception night, naturally the planning and decorating are also done according to the ritual. But when you are having a weekend wedding, you do try to get done with all the small events in a day. Take inspiration from our real wedding bride Sasha who went for a weekend wedding in her aunt’s backyard. She went for Mehndi and Haldi ceremony in the daytime and had a Bollywood Sangeet night. So, for Mehndi and Haldi you can have the same decor and arrangement and for the night celebrations, like sangeet or cocktail party, all you have to do is turn on the light and change the menu. Do prepare all this a little early so that on the weekend, you and your folks can just focus on having fun.

Source: Tara Tomlinson Photography

3. When organizing a South Asian Wedding, somehow the expenses cross the budget limit because of the different rituals. India is very vast and diverse in terms of both, regions and religions, and everyone has their way of proceeding with the rituals. Offerings to the Lord are a very important part of the Indian wedding community, as it is believed to be auspicious and good for the couple for a healthy life ahead. Then there is the number of outfits and jewelry for each event and food and drink arrangements for everyone attending the celebrations. When you opt for a weekend wedding, the budget decreases as you have to plan everything for two days, and need to find a smart and fast way to get things done in the right way too. As mentioned earlier with weekend weddings, the planning also gets a bit easier as somewhere the main focus is the celebration of the union, with the close folks and food and drinks. 

Source: Cassie Valente Photo

Also Read: The Ultimate Guide To Same Sex Wedding Planning

4. The thing with a weekend wedding is you can make your own rules too. If you are not into many rituals and events, take one day to just have a get-together and you can do your own thing like have a karaoke night, game night, movie night, etc., and the next day, the main ceremony with an after-party. Do hire a good photographer and videographer to get all the fun moments. Make your wedding the best weekend for your people so that all of you can remember this day, forever! 

5. When planning a weekend wedding, the guest's list will be short. Weekend weddings are usually intimate weddings, very rarely do we see a big fat wedding on weekends. To create that grandeur you need a large location with a little more to arrange everything. So much fun it would be to just have faces you and your beau know and nobody has to come up and say,’ Do you remember this aunty or uncle?’ and with known people, there is less formality.

Cons of Hosting a Weekend Wedding

Source: Studio Nine Photography

1. With weekends and the number of events we have in our community, there will be less breathing space and more rushing through. If you plan to skip all the rituals and just have the ceremony, then that scenario is altogether different, but if you plan to have events then you have to maintain the timings of the events and cannot be late. The rush and hustle of getting the events done should not be the reason for not enjoying, right? This is a weekend and most of the guests are here to have fun, but the hustle might be a stress-giver, instead of a stress-buster. 

2. What makes a wedding complete is the involvement of the family and friends who are there to support, love, and bless this union. At weekend weddings, amidst the events and the hustle, spending time with your folks won’t be for long. In general, the South Asian Weddings celebration starts a month before the date, but times have changed. Now people wrap it in a maximum of a week, and given the changing times, new traditions are being introduced by the new-era couple. So, yes weekend weddings mean less time with your people to sit and breathe.

Source: Canvas Studios 

3. We know that everything has to be planned - be it any kind of wedding, but with weekend South Asian weddings, you have to plan it early and stick to it. Yes, we mentioned earlier that the planning becomes easy as you don’t have to go too extravagant like grand weddings but the thing with weekend weddings is, you have to plan the smallest details also. If you and your partner have chosen different venues for different events then the whole itinerary has to be ready and passed down to the guests and the vendors. Otherwise, the whole weekend will pass only by running from one corner to another. As mentioned earlier, the weekend is supposed to be a fun one for everyone, so plan accordingly.

Also Read: Top 33 Wedding Planning Tips and Tricks You Must Know About

Conclusion

Whatever and however you plan, always remember, this is you and your partner’s special day. Weekend weddings can be really fun and be like a normal holiday kinda feel if conducted with practicality and keeping certain things in mind. And this concept is best for the couple who are not into so many traditions and rituals. For the couple who love to have a wedding with all the pomp and galore, a weekend wedding will be a bit of a rush and tiring. So, go for what suits both of your needs, comfort, and desire and make it a happening one. Happy Weekend and Cheers!

Featured Photo: Le Cape Weddings