There is so much to be excited about when preparing for your wedding weekend, but for many people, packing is not one of them. We’ve created this thoughtful packing guide to help you prepare for your wedding weekend at Retreat 21.
From your rehearsal dinner outfit and getting-ready essentials to comfortable clothes for the next morning, thinking through the entire weekend ahead of time can help you arrive prepared, comfortable, and ready to enjoy every part of the experience.
Your Wedding Weekend Packing List at a Glance
Before you start filling your suitcase, think about everything you’ll need for:
- The day before your wedding
- Your rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
- Getting ready on your wedding day
- Your ceremony and reception
- The day after your wedding
The Knot’s wedding packing guide recommends thinking beyond your big-day attire and creating a comprehensive list of wedding essentials, including getting-ready items and overnight necessities.
What to Pack for the Day Before Your Wedding
Whether you’re arriving early to drop off décor, settle into your accommodations, or spend time with family and friends, plan to bring a few different options for the day before your wedding.
For Arrival and Setup
- Garments
- Casual clothes, lounge wear, or athleisure
- Weather-appropriate layers
- Footwear
- Casual sneakers/comfortable shoes for décor drop off and getting settled
For the Rehearsal and Rehearsal Dinner
While many brides choose to wear white for their rehearsal, it can also be a fun opportunity to wear a coordinating wedding color or choose a look that feels a little different from your wedding-day style.
For grooms, we typically see nice slacks and a button down shirt and/or a blazer. If you’re planning a more elevated evening, a suit without a tie is another great option.
Retreat 21 couples can host their rehearsal dinner onsite at the Taphouse, making it easy to gather with family and the wedding party before the wedding day.
One former groom shared:
“From our rehearsal dinner onsite at the Taphouse to booking all onsite accommodations for our bridal party we truly had a wonderful wedding weekend.”
Rehearsal and Rehearsal Dinner Packing List:
- Garments
- An elevated outfit for the evening
- A jacket, cardigan, or other layer if needed
- Footwear
- Comfortable but elevated shoes for the rehearsal
- Dinner shoes – either the same rehearsal pair, or a more fashionable option for dinner
- Personal Items
- Accessories and jewelry
- Makeup and hair products
- Gifts for the wedding party, if you choose to share before the wedding day
- Other
- Rehearsal dinner decor, if applicable
For the Evening and Your Stay at Retreat 21
If you’ll be spending the night onsite, remember to pack for more than the formal events. You may want to take a trail walk, gather around a fire, or simply relax with your favorite people.
One former bride highlighted the value of the onsite accommodations for guests:
“The onsite cabins were great for family that was traveling from out of town.”
Think of your cabin as your home base for the weekend. Pack the things you’ll want when you’re relaxing with your closest people, not just the things you’ll wear on your wedding day.
Evening and Cabin Packing List:
- Garments
- Layers, cardigans, or jackets
- Long pants for trail walks or evening bonfires
- Swimsuits if you plan to enjoy the hot tubs or natural swimming pond
- Pajamas
- Footwear
- Rain or snow boots, if needed
- Comfortable walking shoes or sneakers
- Cabin and Retreat 21 Property Essentials
- Toiletries
- Retreat 21 provides body wash, shampoo, and conditioner in its accommodations, so you can leave those basics at home if you prefer to use the products provided.
- Sunscreen
- Undergarments
- Medications
- Phone and Electronic Chargers
- Personal electronics
- Hair accessories
- Jewelry and watches
- Perfume or fragrance
- Purses or bags
- Snacks
- A blankets for relaxing by the fire
- Hat
- Scarf or gloves, when appropriate
- Umbrella
- Toiletries
Wedding-Day Essentials You Don’t Want to Forget
Your wedding day begins in Retreat 21’s dedicated wedding prep spaces, giving your wedding party room to get ready onsite. As one former bride described the Garden Suite:
“The bridal suite is huge with tons of space for everyone, the artists, our dresses, and food!”
That means your packing list should also account for the things that will actually be in the suite with you, including dresses and wedding attire, beauty supplies, food, accessories, and personal bags.
Wedding Day Packing List:
- Garments
- Comfortable robe or photo-worthy pajama set for getting ready with hair and makeup
- Comfortable but polished loungewear or athleisure for the gentlemen
- Typically not photographed until they’re truly getting dressed
- Wedding- day attire, including gowns, suits, veils, gloves, and other formal accessories
- Optional reception attire, such as a shorter reception dress or coordinated matching sweat suits
- Footwear
- Slippers or getting-ready slides
- Wedding shoes for ceremony
- Typically keep same shoes throughout dinner and formalities, but could swap earlier
- Optional: Sneakers, slides, or block heels for later in evening
- Other Wedding Day Essentials
- Personal toiletries
- Veil, gloves, jewelry, cufflinks, ties, and other accessories
- Any items your photographer needs for detail photos
- Phone and electronic chargers
- Any decor you plan to incorporate or display on your wedding day
- Gifts for loved ones, including bridesmaid or groomsmen gifts, parent gifts, or a gift for your partner
- Vow books
- Rings
- Marriage License
- Thank-you cards or vendor tips
- Photo shot list for your photographer
- Paper suite such as invitations, save-the-dates, for detail photos
- Extra copies of your timeline, floorplan, or other planning documents your coordinator or vendors may need
- Emergency Kit
How to Build a Wedding Weekend Emergency Kit
Even with the best planning, little things happen. A small emergency kit can save the day.
Consider including:
- Garment tape
- Small scissors
- Zip ties
- Mouthwash
- Deodorant
- Stain remover or a Tide stick
- Safety pins
- Sewing kit
- Band-Aids
- Eyelash glue
- Advil, Tylenol, Tums, or other personal medications
Tip #1: Keep the kit somewhere accessible to the wedding party rather than buried at the bottom of a suitcase.
Tip #2: If you’ve hired a day-of planner or coordinator, they often supply their own emergency kit you may have access to. Ask your planner or coordinator if this is an option for you to save some time and expense.
What to Pack for the Day After
The morning after your wedding is easy to overlook when you’re focused on the big day. Before you head home or leave for your honeymoon, plan for:
- Garments
- An outfit for loading out of cabins
- An outfit for any next-day gatherings, such as brunch or time with family
- A comfortable travel outfit for heading home or traveling to your honeymoon
- Footwear
- Comfy sneakers or casual shoes for loading out of cabins and traveling
- Another pair of shoes if you’re attending brunch or other next-day gathering
Host Your Wedding Weekend at Retreat 21
Your wedding day may be the centerpiece, but an all-inclusive wedding venue gives you the opportunity to extend the celebration and create a meaningful wedding weekend for you and your loved ones.
With modern onsite lodging, dedicated prep spaces, indoor and outdoor event areas, and the Taphouse, you can arrive, gather, enjoy your rehearsal dinner, get ready together, celebrate, and wake up knowing you’re already where you want to be.
That’s why couples love hosting their wedding weekend at Retreat 21: everything you need to celebrate, connect, and make the most of your time together is all in one place.
Ready to start planning your wedding weekend? Explore weddings at Retreat 21 to discover the property, accommodations, wedding spaces, and an all-inclusive experience.
Planning a visit? Schedule a tour and see what your wedding weekend could look like in person.