文章作者分享了如何将参加婚礼的旅行变成一次迷你假期，通过灵活安排行程，在参加婚礼的同时探索目的地，例如在俄亥俄州参加表亲婚礼时，顺道参观了电影《圣诞故事》的拍摄地和著名的Waffle House餐厅。作者强调了管理期望的重要性，将婚礼旅行视为对一个地方的初步了解，而非一次性深度游，这能减轻旅行压力并激发未来的探索欲望。即使婚礼在离家不远的地方，作者也倾向于入住酒店，享受“宅度假”的乐趣，并从婚礼中获得新的视角和探索灵感。她还提到，在婚礼后避免行程过于紧凑，以保留精力，并根据实际情况调整计划，例如将城市游览改为探索周边更近的郊区，以更放松的心态享受旅程。

💍 将婚礼邀请视为探索新目的地的机会：作者将参加婚礼的差旅视为拓展个人旅行体验的契机，利用昂贵的机票成本，顺道游览了西棕榈滩、克利夫兰等城市，甚至包括自己所在的城市，将婚礼变成一场结合个人探索的迷你假期。

🌟 保持开放和灵活，拥抱即兴体验：在参加俄亥俄州表亲婚礼的旅途中，作者和男友在前往目的地的路上，临时决定参观了电影《圣诞故事》的拍摄地，并体验了从未尝试过的Waffle House餐厅。这种灵活性让旅途充满惊喜，也因婚礼而有机会尝试新事物和探索周边。

💡 管理期望，视婚礼旅行如城市初探：作者调整了对婚礼旅行的期望，不再追求一次性玩遍所有景点，而是将其视为对一个城市的初步了解，这有助于减轻旅行压力，并为未来的旅行留下更多期待和动力。例如，在参加西棕榈滩婚礼后，她将迈阿密之旅视为对西棕榈滩的补充了解，而非一次性终结。

🏨 拥抱“宅度假”的艺术，即使婚礼近在咫尺：即使是离家仅一小时路程的婚礼，作者也选择入住酒店，享受了在湖边畅游、与老友重聚、品尝当地特色葡萄酒的乐趣。这不仅让她从婚礼活动中抽离出来，也刷新了对周边环境的看法，激发了探索周边其他湖区的兴趣。

🧘‍♀️ 平衡行程，避免过度安排，注重精力恢复：作者在婚礼活动结束后，会避免将行程排得过满，而是为自己留出放松和充电的时间。例如，在参加芝加哥植物园婚礼时，她将原计划的城市游改为探索附近更具吸引力的郊区，以更充沛的精力应对婚礼周末的忙碌。

I've received lots of wedding invitations over the past few years.Many of the weddings I've been invited to have required me to travel.Now, I like to turn every wedding invitation into a mini vacation.

I don't know whether the influx of wedding invites I've received is a byproduct of the many celebrations that got delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic or a rite of passage for anyone approaching their late 20s.

Either way, the last few years have filled my calendar — and the outside of my refrigerator — with many an invitation and save the date. Many of these invitations have also required me to travel.

To maximize pricey flights, I've leveraged weddings to explore places like West Palm Beach, Cleveland, and even my own city. Here's how I've created the perfect marriage between wedding and personal travel.

I stay open and flexible to spur-of-the-moment experiences

Sandusky, Ohio, doesn't exactly scream "getaway," but for my cousin's wedding, my boyfriend and I embarked on a Midwest road trip.

While driving, I discovered two things: "A Christmas Story" was filmed in Cleveland, and my boyfriend had never had a meal at Waffle House.

Before we even arrived at our hotel, we mapped out our return, making sure to hit the iconic filming location and the famous chain restaurant on the way home. I loved that attending the wedding gave us a reason to explore the area and try new things.

Once in Sandusky, I maintained that eagerness, visiting Lake Erie, trying Culver's custard, and exploring Marblehead Lighthouse.

To manage expectations, I've learned to treat each wedding trip as an introduction to a place

A few years ago, I planned my first post-wedding trip to Miami after a friend's West Palm Beach ceremony.

Although I enjoyed Miami, I chastised myself for everything I'd missed in the Palm Beaches. Beyond visiting the Norton Museum of Art, I saw little of West Palm.

Since then, I've adjusted my expectations. I have neither the time nor energy to do everything I'd like to, so I regard wedding trips as city introductions rather than the end-all-be-all of tours.

This mindset has minimized the pressure I place on my vacations and inspired future travels.

Even when weddings are close to home, I embrace the art of the staycation

Last summer, I attended a wedding on Lake Canandaigua, just an hour from my Rochester, New York, apartment. Although I could've commuted, the venue had been on my radar since moving upstate, so I booked a room.

That decision was well worth the hotel cost. I jumped in the lake countless times, caught up with college friends, and sipped riesling: the Finger Lakes' claim to fame.

That wedding also sparked my interest in exploring the other Finger Lakes and refreshed my perspective on my surroundings.

I try not to jam-pack my schedule after the wedding festivities are over.

I'm planning on attending a wedding at the Chicago Botanic Garden soon. Although I'd initially planned for an extra day in the city, I realized my hotel was actually an hour away from the city center.

In order to conserve my energy, I've since adapted my trip to tour Chicago's North Shore and the chic, much closer suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois.

Beyond those activities, however, I'm leaving the rest of my day open. After a weekend of wedding events, I'll likely feel worn down and ready to recharge. Although weddings are structured to the hour, wedding trips can balance out the frenzy of a celebratory weekend.

This story was originally published on August 13, 2024, and most recently updated on July 23, 2025.