There is a particular magic to the morning after a wedding. Everyone is still together, still in that warm glow of the day before, and suddenly there is nowhere to be and nothing to do except enjoy it. The day 2 pool party has become one of the most beloved additions to the modern wedding weekend and when it is done well, it is genuinely unforgettable.
Here is how to plan one that feels as special as the wedding itself.
Set the scene before anyone arrives.
The best pool parties feel effortless, but that effortlessness is always designed. Custom pool floats in colours that echo your wedding palette, towels laid out with a small personalised gift, a drinks station ready to go the moment guests arrive. The details that say "we thought about you" are the ones guests notice and talk about for years.
This is also where bespoke merch earns its place. A custom embroidered towel or a tote bag filled with essentials (SPF, an embroidered Cap, a personalised Fan) transforms the pool party from a gathering into an experience.
Think about the hours, not just the highlights.
A pool party that runs from 11am to 4pm has a natural rhythm. Arrival, brunch, the laziest middle hours, then a slow wind down. Plan for each phase rather than just the moment everyone jumps in. A grazing table that gets refreshed through the morning. Music that shifts in energy as the afternoon deepens. Shade options for the guests who need them.
The couples who get this right are the ones who think about how their guests will feel at every point of the day, not just at the peak.
Carry the wedding aesthetic into a more relaxed register.
The day 2 pool party is an opportunity to keep the wedding feeling going without the formality. You don't need structure, you need cohesion. Custom printed cups or bottles, bespoke Napkins, Coasters & Cocktail Napkins, a signature cocktail named after the couple, a playlist that threads back to the night before.
Custom pool floats are one of our favourite details for this. Branded or personalised, they photograph beautifully and give the whole space an immediate sense of occasion. Designed around any aesthetic, from minimal and tonal to bold and playful.
The favour they take home from day 2.
If you gave a favour at the wedding itself, day 2 is a chance to do something a little more relaxed and fun. A custom embroidered cap. A tote to carry everything home in. Something that nods to the whole weekend rather than just the day.
The guests who are still there on day 2 are your closest people. It is worth marking that.
If you are planning a wedding weekend and would like help with bespoke merch for any part of it, email ashleigh@gigiandolive.com
