We are in the era of the wedding weekend—a days-long celebration in which there are multiple events to attend. Enter: The wedding welcome party—an event that’s meant to kick-off the celebrations with a bang. It’s a moment that marks the start of all the festivities to come and brings together that perfectly curated guest list of your nearest and dearest for the first time. Best of all? Since this event doesn’t have a traditionally dictated structure like a reception or even a rehearsal dinner, couples can really tailor the party to their liking. This soirée might be the most informal of all wedding events—but it can also be one of the most fun.
The to-be-weds can host a themed event, bring in a live music performance, or even turn the celebration into a dance party. Hosting a destination wedding? Use the welcome party as an opportunity to introduce guests to the locale by showcasing the region’s cuisine or even renting out a popular destination in town for the festivities. The options are endless and yours to decide.
Want to know all the details about throwing a perfect wedding welcome party? Read on for expert tips and advice.
Who Is Invited to the Wedding Welcome Party?
Welcome parties were originally designed to celebrate with and thank the guests who traveled to the wedding from out of town. However, times have changed. “People may think locals don’t have to be invited, but they’re mistaken,” explains event and wedding planner Marcy Blum. While your wedding guests might not have to RSVP “yes” to the fête, they should definitely receive an invitation to this celebration. “The welcome party is a great icebreaker that sets the tone for the weekend,” notes Blum. “It’s the first time the guests are seeing each other [and] many guests may not know or only have heard about each other.” Think of it as a perfect forum for friend groups and family to connect so that they can freely let loose together on your reception dance floor.
To invite guests, you can include a dedicated invitation along with your mailed wedding invite. Many couples also choose to instead send a Paperless Post invitation or include details of the event on their wedding website. One detail to keep in mind for your invites? “The wedding party should always have an end time—which usually doesn’t exist for the wedding day,” says Blum. “The goal should be for guests to have fun, but still have a good night of sleep. You do not want guests hungover for the wedding.”
How to Plan Your Wedding Welcome Party
When you first begin to think about your welcome party vision, you should also consider your plans for both the rehearsal dinner and the wedding day. “Think of the wedding as a three-day ensemble piece and plan each event with an eye to the other two days,” advises Blum. “The welcome party should be styled and designed to have a very different vibe.” Don’t be afraid to infuse this celebration with extra personality and a fun dress code. “We like to be thematic with the welcome party so it has a different formality than the wedding day,” says Blum. “We’ve done an ‘80s cover band, had a General Store where guests could ‘shop’ instead of giving a welcome bag at a wedding in the Lowcountry, and we’ve done aperitivo stations in Italy, which allows for casual food items like pizza or calzones to be served.”
Along with finding a venue that fits your aesthetic, put guests first by making sure the welcome party is reasonably close to your hotel block. If possible, you can even provide transportation to and from the event. Another priority for venue selection is to ensure the space has enough room for everyone to mix and mingle with each other. “You want guests to be able to walk around and meet people,” says Blum. “We also find that welcome parties are a great place for toasts to take place. Most people are standing, which allows toasts to be shorter and go by faster!”
This goal of creating a flowing party also contributes to the menu for the night. “For the most part, we never do a seated meal for the welcome party,” explains the planner. “It’s an opportunity for couples to be adventurous with the food and serve something completely different than the wedding day. Do passed tasting plates, heavy hors d'oeuvres, or even a dessert and champagne event to welcome guests.”
To limit the number of travel days for guests, some couples will schedule the rehearsal dinner on the same day as the welcome party and, occasionally, at the same venue. In this situation, Blum says timing is crucial to ensure there is no overlap. “It can be very awkward if welcome party guests start to arrive and see the rehearsal dinner happening. They should be in separate and different spaces,” she shares. If a couple wants to book one location for the entire night, make sure to section off the rehearsal dinner to a private room at your venue. “If the rehearsal dinner is still happening or running late, we always send an emissary from the family, who is clearly in the inner circle, into the welcome party to be there to greet guests and host while waiting for the remaining rehearsal dinner party to join.”
