Your wedding day is one of those whirlwind milestones where you spend months anticipating one of the sweetest and most life-changing events in your life. You dream, and you plan, and then somehow, when the day finally arrives, it goes by in the blink of an eye! You try to savor every moment, and the photos help you relive it all, but wouldn’t it be nice if the magic could go on just a bit longer? 

Enter: The Wedding Weekend.

Catherine and Tyler couldn’t wait to celebrate their marriage with a close circle of loved ones. So, to elevate the experience, they planned the most beautiful wedding weekend that felt like a family reunion at the historic Skyliner Lodge in Bend, Oregon. As a people-focused weekend, they kept the guest list small and the moments intimate and stress-free. Meanwhile, Megan at Curated Mess Co. wove in gorgeous wedding aesthetics to elevate the experience even more. 

From their sunny adventure session along the Deschutes River (with their pup!) to the welcome dinner and the wedding festivities to follow, everyone gathered, slowed down, and enjoyed every moment together making memories.

A wedding weekend doesn’t require a bigger budget if you go elopement-style or micro-wedding. Instead, a wedding weekend allows you to spend your budget on what matters most to you instead of an elaborate venue with luxury details. Your guests might have traveled far and wide to celebrate with you. A wedding weekend gives you extra opportunities to enjoy quality time together. Instead of just a quick hello, you’ll have multiple days to share memories and deepen those relationships.

5 Perks of Doing a Wedding Weekend

If you need a few more reasons to consider turning your wedding day into a wedding weekend, there are plenty:

Stress-Free and Enjoyable Moments

When everything happens in just one day, you’re more likely to feel rushed and overwhelmed. A wedding weekend allows everyone—including you—to relax, be present, and enjoy without feeling like you have to stay on schedule. Your experience immediately becomes less stressful and way more enjoyable.

Opportunity for Meaningful Activities

Adding extra time means you can include meaningful activities beyond the traditional celebration. Catherine and Tyler made time for a sunny adventure session along the sparkling Deschutes River, and I’m obsessed with the photos we got during our adventure. 

Extra events like welcome dinners, hikes, bonfires, and brunches make your wedding weekend uniquely personalized and memorable. Go ahead and sneak away for coffee with your mom or bff if you want! Watch the sun rise over the river in your pajamas. Stay up late playing charades—with wine. Your wedding weekend will feel more like a vacation.

Beautiful AND Budget-Friendly

Extending the celebration doesn’t mean blowing your wedding budget. In fact, a wedding weekend works exceptionally well with smaller guest lists—think micro weddings or intimate elopements. With fewer guests, you can focus your budget on the things that actually matter to you. Instead of a trendy, expensive venue, invest in personalized details, meaningful experiences, or full-coverage photography.

A More Relaxed, Authentic Experience

Wedding weekends naturally become less about impressing guests and more about connecting and having fun together. With smaller groups, you’ll be able to create an atmosphere that truly reflects who you are as a couple. When you’re relaxed, guests automatically feel comfortable and happy, too. (No whispers of, “Do you want to head out after they cut the cake?”)

More Photos, More Memories

OK, as your photographer, I have to mention this! A whole weekend provides countless opportunities for beautiful photos and candid moments. From morning coffee runs with your crew to golden hour portraits on a mountaintop, every part of your weekend becomes a chance to capture your love story in motion. Instead of a traditional collection of wedding photos from a single day, you’ll have a full gallery of genuine memories—the laughter, the quiet moments, the unexpected joy—that tell the complete story of your celebration. You’ll treasure these images forever because they’re not just pretty—they’re personal. Because life is so much more than a curated Instagram feed.

The Bottom Line: Longer, Sweeter Memories

Ultimately, your wedding celebrates your love story and the people who matter most. Why cram all that joy into just one day? A wedding weekend gives you the space to slow down, be present, and create memories that last far beyond the ceremony.

Are you considering trading your wedding “day” for a weekend experience in Oregon? I’d love to chat about how we can make your celebration unforgettable.

Oregon Wedding Vendor Team

Planner: @curatedmess.co
Florist: @theslowcult
Event rentals: @curated_eventrentals | @greatjonesnw | @bendpartyrentals
Lighting: @illuminateyournight
Catering: @guerrasgourmet
Drinks: @ontherocksairstream
Cake: @toosweet_cakes
Hair: @hair_by_kelseygarrison
Makeup: @kate_hana_artistry
Music: @flipflopsounds
Coffee Cart: @campcoffeebend

Hi there! I’m Iasis…

Your Pacific Northwest elopement and micro-wedding photographer. I’ve photographed elopements from Northern California’s redwoods to Crater Lake in Oregon and Mount Ranier in Washington. I’ve even had amazing opportunities to shoot around the world, like this recent New Zealand elopement. No matter where love and adventure take you, you can count on me to be there with camera in hand, looking for those rare rays of sun that look too pretty to be real. 

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