Are Wedding Weekends Worth It?
The Pros, Cons & Costs of Hosting a Wedding Weekend
When planning your wedding, one of the biggest decisions you’ll make is the structure of your celebration. Couples today are increasingly asking, “Are wedding weekends worth it?”—especially when choosing a luxury wedding venue in Charlotte, North Carolina like Redbird Ridge Estate. With breathtaking mountain views, versatile event spaces, and options for on-site lodging, including a restored farmhouse and historic cabin, Redbird Ridge Estate offers the perfect setting for an extended wedding weekend experience, turning your ceremony into a memorable multi-day celebration.
In this blog, we’ll break down the pros, cons, and costs of hosting a wedding weekend to help you decide Are Wedding Weekends Worth It?
What Is a Wedding Weekend?
A wedding weekend expands your celebration beyond the traditional one-day ceremony and reception. Instead of a single event, couples plan multiple gatherings such as rehearsal dinners, welcome parties, morning-after brunches, and even casual hangouts that spread across two or more days.
Wedding weekends are popular for destination weddings, but they’re equally meaningful for local couples who want to maximize time with guests, create unforgettable experiences, and take full advantage of picturesque venues like Redbird Ridge Estate.
Why Couples Love Wedding Weekends at Redbird Ridge Estate - The Pros
1. Extended Time with Loved Ones
One of the biggest advantages of a wedding weekend is quality time with guests. Instead of greeting friends and family for a few minutes during the cocktail hour, you have multiple occasions to connect, celebrate, and create meaningful memories. Whether it’s a laid-back welcome gathering, breakfast and coffee on the morning porch to watch the sun rise and listen to the birds, a fire on the mountain view terrace of Redbird Ridge Estate’s farmhouse or a fire pit with s’mores at the historic cabin fire pit, couples cherish the time spent with their nearest and dearest. Guests can also sign up for additional activities like archery, axe throwing, or a stroll on the prayer and meditation path.
At a venue with on-site lodging, your wedding party and family can stay close by throughout the weekend, reducing travel stress and maximizing shared experiences.
Photo by Logan Day Productions
2. Flexibility to Personalize Every Event
A wedding weekend lets you express your personality across events. From the rehearsal dinner to the farewell brunch, you can theme each gathering, curate menus, and create experiences that reflect your love story. At Redbird Ridge Estate, with its combination of refined indoor spaces and scenic outdoor lawns, every event has a beautiful backdrop. You can customize your weekend by utilizing Redbird Ridge Estate’s local private chef for any of your event needs.
Couples might also enjoy:
A welcome cocktail hour on the terrace
Bourbon and cigars at the pavilion
A bonfire and lawn games beside the pond
A morning-after brunch mountainside
A luxury picnic
These types of personalized events are harder to achieve in a one-day wedding and makes your celebration feel all yours.
3. Reduced Travel Stress for Guests
Wedding weekends help ease travel logistics for out-of-town guests. If loved ones are driving in from across the Carolinas or flying from farther away, having multiple events gives them flexibility in arrival times at a more relaxed pace. If they cannot make it in time for the arrival cocktail party, they will make it to the breakfast the next day.
Since Redbird Ridge Estate offers lodging in its restored farmhouse and historic cabin, guests can stay on-site at the estate without worrying about last minute rides or hotel pickups. This convenience not only heightens comfort but also enhances the overall guest experience as they can also take advantage of all the extra activities that Redbird Ridge Estate has to offer.
4. More Time for Photos and Memories
Couples often feel rushed on their wedding day, squeezing in photos between dances, dinner, and toasts. A wedding weekend spreads out events, giving you additional opportunities for portraits and candid moments on the estate’s scenic grounds—whether at the gazebo, meadow, or pond with mountain views.
With landscapes like those at Redbird Ridge Estate, wedding weekend photos become a highlight of your gallery rather than a rushed obligation.
The Cons of Hosting a Wedding Weekend
While wedding weekends offer a host of benefits, they’re not without challenges. Here are a few considerations to help you decide if this path is right for you.
1. Higher Costs Overall
Wedding weekends involve more than a single venue fee. When planning a wedding weekend, you will need to factor in the following:
Multiple catering events (welcome dinner, brunch, cocktail hours)
Extended venue rentals (rehearsal dinner space, patio or pavilion rentals)
Additional décor, rentals, and entertainment
Lodging for guests or additional nights at the farmhouse/cabin
While Redbird Ridge Estate’s transparent pricing for venue rentals helps with budgeting, extending your celebration across days will increase expenses. Couples should weigh these costs against what they believe the value of an enhanced guest experience would be for the wedding weekend.
2. More Planning & Logistics
A wedding weekend requires more coordination than a one-day event. From scheduling multiple vendors to designing a thoughtful itinerary, the planning timeline can be longer and more intricate. This is when hiring a Wedding Coordinator becomes critical. They know exactly how to make all of the details work together seamlessly. Couples can then focus entirely on their time with loved ones.
Venues like Redbird Ridge Estate offer amenities and on-site options (like rehearsal spaces and overnight accommodations) that can help simplify this complexity.
3. Guest Attendance Challenges
Not all guests can commit to a multi-day event. Extended weekends may pose scheduling conflicts for friends or family with work commitments, financial limitations, or other travel constraints. Some guests might opt to attend just the ceremony or reception rather than the full weekend.
This is why communication is crucial. Sending save-the-dates early and offering a la carte attendance options (guests can RSVP for specific events) can help ensure clarity and comfort for all of your guests.
Costs to Expect for a Wedding Weekend at Redbird Ridge Estate
While exact pricing will vary depending on dates, guest count, and vendors, here’s a breakdown of key costs couples typically consider when planning a wedding weekend at a venue like Redbird Ridge Estate:
Venue Rental
Redbird Ridge Estate offers competitive wedding packages with rates depending on day of the week and guest count. Example rates for full weekend wedding use (with ceremony and reception spaces) range from around $3,700–$5,800+ depending on date and size of your event.
Lodging
Redbird Ridge Estate has wedding accommodations options with nightly rates. Farmhouse bedrooms start at $130 per night and a private cabin rental that sleeps 10 for $500 per night.
Extra Event Space
Space rentals for rehearsal dinner or additional evening events begin at $500, and options like extended event hours are available for an additional cost.
Catering & Vendors
Wedding weekend celebrations may include separate meals beyond the reception, like a welcome dinner or farewell brunch, which can increase food and beverage costs. However, many couples find the added experience worth the investment.
Careful budgeting and prioritizing events that mean the most to you helps reduce waste and allows you to spend on what matters most. That may be a sunset welcome party, a fireside brunch, or comfortable guest accommodations.
Are Wedding Weekends Worth It?
So, are wedding weekends worth it? The honest answer depends on your priorities.
A Wedding Weekend May Be Worth It If:
You want maximum time with the people you love
You crave a more immersive, memorable celebration
Your guest list includes many out-of-town invitees
You want meaningful events beyond ceremony and reception
You want to take full advantage of a beautiful wedding venue like Redbird Ridge Estate
A Wedding Weekend May Be Less Worth It If:
Staying within a tight budget is essential
Most guests are local and can easily attend a one-day event
Planning time or stress is a major concern
Is it for you?
Wedding weekends offer an elevated experience with a chance to slow down, celebrate more fully, and create lasting memories with the people who matter most. When hosted at a scenic and versatile venue like Redbird Ridge Estate, with its on-site accommodations, beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces, and breathtaking North Carolina scenery, a wedding weekend can feel like the perfect blend of luxury, intention, and connection.
Whether you choose a single day or extend your celebration across the weekend, the most important thing is creating a wedding that feels true to your story. At Redbird Ridge Estate every detail has the space to shine.
Our commitment to transparent pricing at Redbird Ridge Estate is a reflection of our deeper values. We are a mission-driven, 501(c)(3) nonprofit Retreat Center as well as a Wedding Venue. Our goal isn't to maximize profit at every turn; it is to provide a sanctuary for connection, celebration, and restoration.
We believe that starting your marriage with financial stress brought on by hidden wedding costs is the opposite of what a wedding day should be about. We want you to choose Redbird Ridge because you feel a connection to the land, the people, and the peace you find here, not because you were tricked by a low introductory rate that sky rocketed later.
If you choose to stay on property in our overnight accommodations, you also have access to our Prayer and Meditation Path. Wander our one-mile prayer path through 72 acres of untouched beauty, where the landscape becomes a cathedral for the soul. As you meander past a serene pond and breathtaking mountain vistas, you’ll discover 20 contemplative stations designed for deep reflection and the restorative art of "forest bathing." From the playful presence of our resident goats and donkey to the quiet grace of wild deer, every step is an invitation to silence the noise and reconnect with the divine. It isn’t just a stroll, it’s where your spirit finally finds its breath again.
When you choose a Charlotte NC wedding venue that hides nothing, you are choosing a criticalpartner in your planning process, not just a venue. You are choosing a stress-free foundation for the biggest day of your life.
We invite you to visit our website, where you will find our pricing clearly listed, and then book a tour to experience the beauty of the estate firsthand. Knowing the cost before you arrive means you can spend your visit dreaming about your future, not worrying about the bill.
If you liked this blog, then check out this one: Immersive Weekend Weddings: 2026 Wedding Trends
For more wedding inspiration, planning tips, and engagement advice, be sure to follow Redbird Ridge Estate:
Thanks so much for stopping by our blog! We hope you found this information helpful. We’re passionate about using our blog to shine a light on locally owned wedding venues. These venues often bring a higher level of expertise, service, and dedication to your big day. Plus, with less staff turnover than corporate or investor-owned venues, they’re able to provide a more personal touch. As you plan your wedding, we’d love for you to consider a locally owned venue like ours! Check out this Wedding Venue Map to discover amazing locally owned venues across the country. And a big shout out to all the incredible locally owned wedding venues out there!
Chandelier Oaks Wedding Venue, The Gulf Coast’s most romantic wedding venue! Located in Kiln, MS, Serving couples across Mississippi and the Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida Gulf Coast areas! Phone: (228) 233-0645
Website: https://chandelieroaks.com
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Adler Ranch wedding venue, 6001 County Road 42 NE, Alexandria MN 56308. 320-760-8314, Servicing Alexandria MN, St Cloud MN, Minneapolis MN, St Paul MN, Twin Cities MN, Fargo ND.
