As a destination wedding planner in Porto, our job is often about a lot more than planning the wedding itself – often guests will be coming from far and wide to a country that they are not at all familiar with and often with a few days available to spend some time to enjoy the local area. It can be the job of the wedding planner to make sure that there is suitable accommodation for the guests (either at or near the wedding venue), to organize transport from the airport and to & from the wedding venue and to organize group activities for the guests to do either before or after the wedding.

One of the joys of a destination wedding is that the happy couple can get to spend some quality time with their guests – at a local wedding, the wedding day can go past in a blur with few opportunities to chat with many of the guests who they may not be able to see as often as they would like. At a destination wedding by adding activities before and after the wedding for guests there is much more time to spend together, which can make the whole wedding experience so much more rewarding. So what are some of the activities that we organize for weddings that we plan in Porto & northern Portugal?

Douro river cruise

This is one of the most popular options, because it involves visiting the stunning Douro River valley and can incorporate food, wine and entertainment at the same time. Typically, we will organize a boat for exclusive use of the group with boarding either in Porto itself or anywhere along the river. Onboard there will may be a bar and either snacks or a proper meal with an additional option to having a live band to add to the festive atmosphere. The cruise can either be a simple loop, or it can be a way of arriving at the wedding venue (if the wedding is to be held in or around the Douro valley). We have also organized cruises which take guests to visit a vineyard for a wine tasting and then head back to the starting point.

Barbeque or brunch

This can be organized either before or after the wedding. Generally, we organize an idyllic spot where everyone can meet up in an informal atmosphere and enjoy some wonderful Portuguese food in a unique environment. The informality of the event makes it much easier for guests to turn up at their convenience (whereas a more formal meal requires stricter starting times), which can make a life easier for guests with all sorts of different schedules to arrive and leave for the wedding. The informality setting can also help to keep catering costs down to a minimum.

Cultural visits

These can include things like a visit to the Port Wine cellars or to a historic monument, where we will set up an exclusive group visit with a specialist guide. This can really help to bring the wedding group together and by including some drinks and/or snacks with the visit, it can become a really fun event where guests get to spend time together and with the couple as well as getting to see some of Portugal’s fabulous culture.

Vineyard wine tasting

This is one of the most popular activities that we organize for destination weddings as it ticks so many boxes. The countryside of northern Portugal is littered with vineyards, many of which organize guided tours and wine tastings, so it can be an extremely fun activity set in beautiful surroundings which can really complement the wedding well. Once again, we generally organize visits that are exclusive to the wedding guests, so that the group can really come together and of course we can include food (as well as wine) and a live band to really ramp up the atmosphere

If you are planning a destination wedding, then by adding on these extra activities, you can make the whole wedding experience so much more rewarding for yourselves and your guests, giving everyone a chance to appreciate Portugal’s rich culture and perhaps more importantly giving you more time to spend together so that you get the most possible joy from your wedding. If you have any more or less conventional requests that you would like to organize for your wedding guests, then please challenge us and we will certainly come up with a plan to exceed your expectations!