A wedding calls for a celebration! A big celebration. So big, in fact, that it takes the form of many different parties and events. The only problem with these important stepping stones to the marriage end goal is that they are time-consuming to plan and execute.

If a wedding party is spread across the country or relatives don’t reside locally, it can be difficult to match up schedules and coordinate time for everyone to come together for the engagement party, wedding gown and tux shopping, bridal party attire shopping, bridal/wedding shower, bachelorette party, bachelor party, rehearsal dinner, pre-wedding brunch, beauty appointments, and sometimes more. For this reason and in the interest of saving your guests money on traveling, it could be beneficial to consolidate wedding activities into one week before the wedding. This idea could be a great plan for couples who are in the early stages of wedding planning and love the thought of having one full week of fun with their loved ones.

The first thing to consider when beginning to plan a week of festivities would be which celebrations are the most important to you and your fiancé. Which activities do you want to fit into the week? For example, perhaps the bride is most interested in having her bridesmaids in town before the wedding to shop for the wedding gown and bridesmaids’ attire as well as for the bachelorette party. In this case, it’d be a good idea to fit these all into one week a few months before the wedding. This way, the bridal party can celebrate both the engagement and wedding together while getting necessary planning out of the way.

Another important consideration when planning a weeklong wedding extravaganza would be timing. Perhaps some couples would prefer to have their family members and loved ones in town for their wedding shower, rehearsal dinner, and pre-wedding brunch. A bride may also want her bridesmaids to tag along for beauty appointments such as manicures, pedicures, and spa treatments. These are all activities leading up to the wedding and could be done the week prior to the big day.

It’s also a smart tip to plan pre-wedding activities such as the bachelorette and bachelor parties and attire shopping when most guests could attend since the point of consolidating them into one week is in the interest of saving everyone’s time and money. Although the married couple has the ultimate decision of when events should occur, the wedding timeline can be planned and executed depending on the general availability of those most important to them.

During the week of your wedding celebrations, whatever it may look like to you, don’t forget to relax and enjoy yourself in celebration of your love. According to The Knot, “A wedding may feel stressful at times, but this is supposed to be a happy and exciting time of your life.”

©CTW Features