Welcome Event Ideas... Help!

One of my friends just had a DW at a resort in Mexico and all she did as a welcome was a happy hour type thing with apps and drinks the day before. I’m sure the wedding party and family did a rehearsal dinner that night, but the guests weren’t invited to that.

I don’t think it’s your job to entertain people the whole time they are in town. If you feel compelled you could list local “things to do” on your wedding website. Near our venue there are distillery tours, hiking trails, scenic drives, an amusement park, etc.

An optional Welcome Happy Hour with drinks & heavy apps is a nice idea. Just keep the apps flowing in case guests arrive later due to their travel that day. 4-6 pm seems a bit short but would work. Otherwise, maybe moving the rehearsal up so the Welcome event could be 3-6 pm?

Because we only had 15 guests at our DW, my family hosted a BBQ dinner at their rental house for everyone from 4-8 pm. Was really nice for guests to mix & mingle before our wedding night!

We have a similar situation. We're going to have the intimate rehearsal a d rehearsal dinner and just let out of town guests know we'll be hanging out in the courtyard of the hotel starting around 8pm. Will have some drinks and play some games. Nothing formal, but a good way to see the out of town guests.

I'm in a similar situation. I've just listed some things to do around town on our wedding website.

I was going to suggest a "cocktail hour", so it sounds like your happy hour idea is very similar.

My only suggestion would be to rearrange the order.

Maybe rehersal, rehersal dinner, then "happy hour"?

5 PM rehersal
6 PM rehersal dinner
7 PM happy hour

If you want to see most of the people, you might need more than an hour. 7pm isnt super late, and you could easily wrap up by 9?

This is where I am struggling... You all have super great ideas, I was honestly hoping for a magical solution. We don't actually want this welcome event, what we want is to enjoy the rehearsal with the small intimate group that we've chosen for our bridal party. My FMIL is very adamant about the idea of this welcome event... but also won't help plan it (I even offered to give her a list of the local restaurants that could potentially do this).

My FH and I basically aren't against seeing these out of town guests, but we both really wanted a small wedding that escalated into something much larger. We also don't want to be tied to staying out late, and we really want to be able to stay at the rehearsal dinner as long as possible. I don't think either of us have a desire to spend more than absolutely necessary at a welcome event... blah. This is the not fun part of wedding planning I guess.

Super great ideas, thank you all for responding! I love bouncing ideas off of people!

We have a lot of out of town guests too and knew we wanted to do something similar! We’re having a rehearsal lunch for immediate family and bridal party only (those who will need to be at the rehearsal) probably around 12-1pm at the restaurant my FH works at. Then going to the rehearsal around 4 (timeline is still being finalized lol). Then at the hotel where our room blocks are we’re having a welcome dinner for OOT guests, family, bridal party, and their dates. Super casual, just a buffet of popular local foods (pizza & wings), beer, and wine. We’re planning on starting it around 6 but possibly later and just having it be super open so people can come whenever they want. It’ll be a Friday night so I’m guessing some people might not get to the hotel until later.

We are doing a rehearsal dinner that is smaller, then inviting all guests to the hotel bar after!

If they are all staying at the same hotel, maybe something casual in the hotel lobby. Welcome bags with a list of things to do in the city would be another way to greet them without physically greeting them. I like the idea of all the guests mingling in the hotel bar. That's less planning to do on your part

We are having a similar situation. We are having the rehearsal in the early afternoon and then the rehearsal dinner early like 4-6p with just immediate family and bridal party.

Then we are telling people that we are having a no host happy hour at a bar in the area from like 7-9. For us we can just tell people the couple will be at X bar and feel free to come by if you'd like. I also figured that is late enough that people traveling in will probably have arrived by then, but still lets us keep the rehearsal dinner smaller.

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If you aren't excited about the happy hour idea then maybe just provide some small welcome bags with some local places for guests to get dinner that night on their own. Hopefully your FMIL comes around. It's you and your FH's day,e specially if she want's it but wont plan it.

View Quoted Comment I like the hotel lobby idea, I have little desire in seeing all of these people 2 nights in a row, and FH and I really do not want to change the plan for the rehearsal dinner.

I think ill propose pose a gathering at the hotel bar, or renting a room in the hotel near the bar for guests to go to if they want. I’m honestly confused about what FMIL is hoping to get out of this because it’s going to overlap the rehearsal dinner... also so frustrated that she won’t even help plan this side event she has determined is mandatory. She is retired, I work full time, have a side job teaching barre classes, and I’m planning the rest of the wedding with almost no help. 🙄