Couple Hosts 4-Day Wedding Weekend at Unexpected Venue for Only $26K (Exclusive)

Maliya Tapley and her now-husband Alex met in 2019 while she was finishing her last semester of college. At the time, she was working part-time at a gym where Alex was a member — and she couldn’t help but notice how handsome he was.

To break the ice, Maliya, 26, followed him on Instagram a day before her birthday — and it worked. The two went on their first date shortly after.

What Maliya didn’t know at the time was that Alex, 27 was only in the state for six months before needing to return to college to finish his degree. Determined to make things work, the couple navigated a long-distance relationship for two years before finally moving to Northern Virginia together.

Two years later, in 2023, Alex proposed — and the couple immediately dove into wedding planning.

At first, Maliya, who works as a first responder in the Northern Virginia area, imagined a traditional ceremony. But after seeing the price tags in Northern Virginia, she quickly realized how expensive that dream could be. With both coming from large families, venues that could accommodate everyone were nearly $20,000 just for the space — not including food, decor or other costs.

The couple couldn’t justify spending so much money on a single-day event, so they started exploring alternatives. That’s when they came across videos of couples hosting nontraditional weddings — celebrations that spanned several days and focused on time together rather than extravagance.

Immediately, it felt like the perfect fit.

“We could still have a meaningful ceremony with our closest friends and family while stretching the celebration across four days instead of just a few hours,” Maliya says.

The idea built on something they had already discussed: combining their bachelor and bachelorette parties into one group trip. Once they decided on a nontraditional wedding, that concept became the foundation for the entire celebration.

Alex, a commuter scientist, began scouring Airbnb and VRBO for properties that could host everyone, while Maliya narrowed down the top contenders. Since guests were traveling from across the East Coast, the couple focused less on location and more on finding the perfect house.

They eventually landed on a lakefront property in Spooner, Wis. — complete with three houses, enough space for more than 60 guests and endless amenities.

“The lake house we ended up choosing was a perfect fit,” says Maliya. “It had room for all of our guests and plenty to do for our four-day stay.”

Because both of their families are large, they limited the weekend to immediate family, the bridal party and long-term partners only — 32 people in total. The property included a main house, a detached cottage and a bunkhouse, offering everyone plenty of room and privacy.

“The property itself had so many amenities, which was a main reason we chose it,” Maliya says. “There was a heated pool, two hot tubs, pickleball and basketball courts, disc golf, multiple game rooms, a movie theater, sauna and all the lake equipment you could imagine.”

The couple spread the festivities across the long weekend. Guests arrived Thursday for the rehearsal dinner, enjoyed the wedding Friday, and spent Saturday relaxing by the lake before heading home Sunday.

The property also marketed itself as a venue for weddings and events, which helped streamline planning. Using the owners’ recommended vendors, Maliya and Alex were able to book catering, rentals and setup from afar.

“The only things we needed to bring were small decorations that fit in a suitcase,” says Maliya. “It made everything so much easier.”

On the wedding day, the bridesmaids got ready in the detached cottage while Alex and the groomsmen took photos at the bunkhouse. Their wedding planner, Ricki Hodges of Will & Rose Events LLC, coordinated the lakeside ceremony — a 20-minute exchange surrounded by family and friends.

Afterward, everyone gathered inside for a buffet-style dinner, followed by dancing outside under the pavilion near the pool. The evening ended with laughter, hot tubs and a full moon over the lake.

“The weekend really felt like a vacation with all our favorite people,” says Maliya.

The total cost came to about $26,000 — including venue, catering and decorations — still far less than a traditional wedding in Virginia.

“For the price, we got so much more than we could have from a traditional wedding,” she says. “It was four full days of celebration instead of just one night.”

After the wedding, inspired by other nontraditional celebrations they’d seen online, Maliya and Alex decided to share their own story on TikTok — hoping to help other couples considering a similar approach.

To their surprise, the video went viral, reaching more than 1.3 million people.

“I’ve had so many people reach out asking for the property link or a breakdown of logistics and costs,” says Maliya. “A lot of couples are realizing they don’t have to spend a fortune to have something beautiful.”

And while she once worried that a nontraditional wedding might not feel “real,” those doubts disappeared the moment she said “I do.”

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“By dedicating an entire day to the wedding itself, it still felt traditional in all the ways that mattered,” she says. “We had every detail we wanted, and it was completely us.”

Looking back, she wouldn’t change a thing — except maybe the length of the trip.

“If anything, we would’ve liked to stay longer,” she says with a smile. “Everyone loved the property, and by the end of the weekend, people were already talking about coming back for an anniversary trip.”