Three days on the Croisette: a sample wedding weekend in Cannes

Planning the shape of the weekend

A wedding in Cannes rarely lasts a single day. Guests fly in from several countries, often stay four or five nights, and want to experience the Riviera as well as the celebration itself. Thinking of the event as a three day programme, with a welcome, a main day and a farewell, helps everyone plan travel and gives you more time with the people who have come so far.

The itinerary below is the one we would build for a guest list of around eighty, staying mainly in hotels along the Croisette. It works best in June or September, when the sea is warm, the evenings are long and the town is lively without being overwhelmed. Treat it as a template to adjust rather than a rule.

We have kept the times realistic, allowing for the slow pace of Mediterranean afternoons and the fact that nobody on the Riviera dines before eight.

Friday afternoon: islands and a long lunch

Start gently. Guests arriving on Thursday evening or Friday morning will want sunshine, not speeches. At midday, charter boats leave the old port for Île Sainte-Marguerite, a fifteen minute crossing past moored superyachts. On the island, a beach restaurant hosts a long lunch of grilled fish, tomato salads and chilled rosé.

Afterwards, guests can swim from the rocks, walk the shaded paths through eucalyptus to the fortress where the Man in the Iron Mask was held, or simply doze in the shade. Boats return at around five, leaving time for a rest before the evening.

If the Mistral is blowing, we switch to a lunch at a beach club on the Croisette instead, so the welcome never depends on the sea.

Friday evening: a rooftop welcome

For the first evening, keep things relaxed. A hotel rooftop overlooking the bay is ideal for an informal drinks party with canapés, a DJ and the lights of the Croisette below. Dress code can be smart casual, and it is the perfect moment to introduce families who have not yet met.

We recommend finishing by eleven. The next day is long, and guests who are still adjusting to a time difference will thank you for an early night.

A small touch that guests always appreciate is a welcome bag waiting in each hotel room: a map of the town marked with your favourite cafés, a bottle of local rosé, sun cream, a fan for the ceremony and a printed schedule with pick up times. It answers the questions people would otherwise text you about all weekend.

Saturday: getting ready and the ceremony

The morning belongs to the couple. Hair and makeup take place in a suite with a sea view, while the photographer captures the details. Many couples schedule a private first look on a quiet terrace or in the gardens of the Villa Domergue, away from the bustle of the Croisette.

Guests spend the day at the beach or the pool. At around half past six, they are collected for the ceremony. A symbolic ceremony on a private beach, with the sun slipping behind the Esterel, is the moment people remember most. Twenty five minutes is plenty: readings, vows, rings and a celebratory exit as the music swells.

Champagne and canapés follow on the sand while the photographer takes the two of you for twenty minutes of golden hour portraits along the shoreline.

Saturday night: dinner and dancing

Dinner might be served at long tables on the beach, lit by lanterns, or in a palace ballroom with doors open to the sea. A Riviera menu of Mediterranean starters, line caught fish and a citrus dessert keeps things light enough to dance afterwards.

Because beach music generally ends around midnight, we often plan a move indoors for the late party. A ballroom or nightclub booked for the after party keeps the energy going, and late night snacks such as socca or mini burgers appear around one in the morning.

Speeches work best between courses rather than all at once. Two short toasts after the starter and the rest before dessert keep the evening flowing and stop the kitchen from holding hot plates while the best man finds his notes. A string trio during dinner can hand over to the band or DJ as the cake is cut.

Sunday: a farewell with perfume and pastis

On the last day, guests are tired but happy. A late brunch at a Croisette beach club, with fresh fruit, eggs and pastries, is the easiest way to gather everyone one final time.

For those with a later flight, we organise a visit to Grasse, half an hour inland, where perfume houses offer workshops in creating your own fragrance. Others might wander the market at Forville, try a game of pétanque in the square or take a final swim before heading to Nice airport.

Keep Sunday optional. Some guests will be leaving at dawn, others will want to stay on for a few days of holiday. A loose plan, with brunch as the only fixed point and a list of suggestions for the afternoon, respects both groups and means nobody feels they are missing out.

What we have learned

Three things make a Cannes weekend work. First, transport: book drivers and shuttles early, because traffic along the coast can be slow in summer. Second, rest: leave guests free time each afternoon, or they will be exhausted by Saturday night. Third, a weather plan for every outdoor element, including boats.

Above all, let the Riviera do some of the work. Cannes is beautiful, warm and easy to enjoy. A programme that gives guests time to soak it up will feel more generous than one packed with activities from morning to midnight.

Finally, think about the budget across the whole weekend rather than the wedding day alone. A generous island lunch and a simple rooftop welcome can cost far less than an extra hour at a palace, yet guests often name the island as their favourite moment. Spend where memories are made, not where the invoice is largest.