Pre-wedding activity ideas

FH and I originally had a sit down dinner planed for our rehearsal, but some of our BP have suggested a pizza and bowling get-together. Maybe something like that? Everyone can eat and mingle, and they can choose to bowl or just interact.

We have a similar thing, and we're doing a sit down dinner in the lower level of an upscale restaurant.

We're doing a welcome dinner pizza party. We'll do it in a private room of a nicer pizza place, but we wanted really casual and something where people didn't feel like that had to be there for the entire event (it's a DW in London, so I expect people will want to go out either before or after!).

I'm having a destination wedding with no bridal party. Instead of the traditional rehearsal dinner, I'm planning a sunset cruise welcome event for all of the guests. I think you can do pretty much anything as long as there is food and drink available.

I think just offering a dinner would be nice, you don't have to do anything crazy

I like the pizza and bowling idea!

We are in the same situation. We are doing a brewery crawl the afternoon on the day before the wedding so people can hang out and have fun, and then a family only dinner. My dad pointed out that having a dinner with all our wedding guests is basically like paying for 2 wedding receptions. I hadn't thought of it like that until he said that but it's true!

I'd do a low key welcome reception! We had a lot of out of town guests, so after the rehearsal dinner we hosted a welcome reception that was open to everyone at the country club where most of our friends were staying. We had an open bar and it was awesome just to mingle with everyone!

I've also have friends who've informally told everyone that they'd be hanging out at a specific bar if people want to come say hi (no hosted bar or food), or you could do something simple with inexpensive food!

Thanks for all of the advice! WWLynnie, I actually really like the idea of just plopping down at a bar for a few hours and inviting people to stop by if they want. What would be the best way to let people know that this isn't a "pre-wedding event" and everything would be at their own cost?

My cousin had a "grooms BBQ". I believe BBQ is his favorite food, so he invited all who were able to attend to the venue for a BBQ.

We did pizza and karaoke!

We are just having a meet-and-greet type thing at one of the hotel bars the night before the wedding. Basically we are just putting on our website that we are going to be at X bar at X time and for everyone to feel free to stop by and say hello once they get settled in their hotels. We aren't paying for it so it's totally optional.

I don't think you need to plan anything formal.

We are doing a dinner at a local taco and margarita place.

Is this a DW? If it is, I'm sure you can find a great place to hang out and mingle with your guests! If it's not, then I would host a little party at somebody's house. 20 people isn't bad at all

Lydia, yes, we are from Pittsburgh but getting married near Lake Ontario. It seems like plopping down at a bar and having people come and go as they wish may be the best way to go. Thanks, everyone!!

Hi Kia! I am having a welcome dinner/pizza party for everyone invited to the wedding. We are having a semi-DW (about 3 hours from most of our homes). We are doing it on the beach of the lake where we are going to be married the next day, very casual, maybe have a fire, and lots of booze and mingling. Good luck!

Great ideas. I've been looking for pre-wedding ideas for my destination wedding in Florida.