End of Night Options for You and Your Partner
When it comes to weddings and the planning of them, there’s usually a lot of talk about the day and each part of it (ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception), but what there’s not often as much talk about, is the end of the wedding - more specifically, what you should/can do when the main celebration comes to a close.
We’re going to cover a few different topics here, starting of course with various options you may have when it comes to transportation and how you’ll physically be leaving the venue, followed by places you can go if you’re thinking of having an after-party, and lastly, final destinations to truly end your night at.
Modes of Transportation
So, you’re getting close to the party winding down, the bar’s serving its last handful of drinks, and your DJ’s playing the last couple of songs for the night. You and your partner begin to slowly make your way outside of the venue as you say your goodbyes and do your grand exit (sparklers, confetti, glow sticks, etc.), and you look for your ‘getaway car.’ What is it? Well, that’s completely up to the two of you and your style as a couple.
One of the most common ways to bid your adieu is to leave in a rented limo or taxi. If your wedding takes place in a city or mostly suburban area, there’s a good chance you will have plenty of transportation service options that will be close to your location.
On the other hand, if you’d prefer to not spend the money or are wanting the drive to be just the two of you without any type of driver, you may opt to simply make your exit in one of your own cars. You can even make it more fun by going the old-fashioned route and having a family member or friend write ‘just married’ on your window(s) and attach cans to the back of the car :)
If your venue’s rental time is a little earlier in the evening or you and your partner just see yourselves wanting the party to last slightly longer into the night, you can always pursue the option of having an after-party. In this case, if you have a shuttle or two transporting guests from your venue to the after-party, you can just hop aboard one of the shuttles with everyone else.
Now, in the process of planning, if you know you aren’t really looking to do the limo/taxi/personal car option, and don’t see an after-party happening, there’s always the option for your departure to be a little more…grand. This could mean leaving in a helicopter, a boat - if your venue is right along the water, or in a horse-drawn carriage!
Your wedding day is maybe one of the only days of each of your lives where you can do something a little out of the ordinary, so if you’re wanting to do something special that’ll be sure to make lasting memories, go for it!
After-Parties
As mentioned above, an after-party is a great way to extend your wedding if you aren’t quite ready for it to end and want to spend just a little extra time with your friends and family.
If this sounds like something you’re interested in, you’ll have to then answer the question of where said after-party will take place. If wanting it to be a little more low-key, or if you aren’t expecting many people to come, you could throw it at your house, or, if they’re willing to have people over, the house of a family member/friend.
One of the pros of having a private estate wedding (a wedding that takes place at your own residence) is that you can have guests stay as late as you want, especially if you don’t live very close to neighbors where the noise level could be a concern.
Another option for an after-party location could be a nearby restaurant or a bar/club. You’ll sometimes find that these places have a back room or event space within the facility where you all can go to still have more of that private party experience.
Final Destinations
Whether you have an after-party or not, there’s going to be a place you and your partner go (a ‘final destination’ so to speak) at the end of the night when all is said and done with and it’s just the two of you left. Although we’re mentioning this last, you may want to make arrangements for this as early as half-way through the planning journey to ensure you’re all set and that come wedding day, you’ll know exactly where you’ll be going.
While some wedding venues do offer a place to stay on-site the night of the wedding, one of the most common things to do, especially if you plan on leaving for a honeymoon directly afterwards, is to book a one night stay in a local hotel and then the next day, grab all your stuff and go. There’s variations to this of course, including motels and bed and breakfasts, but in a sense, they all fall within the same category.
While we don’t advise it, as you’ll probably be pretty tired after a long day of socializing and celebrating, if you’re eager to get to your tropical getaway or cozy cabin escape, you can also choose to forego a stay at one of these accommodations and go straight to the airport! You can always just sleep on the plane, right?! ;)
No matter what you ultimately choose or where you truly end your night, all we recommend is making the time to include these plans alongside everything else. Planning can sometimes be a little stressful, so keeping your eyes set on the goal of having the most seamless day possible is always the best!
