Welcome Reception

That sounds like fun! Can i come lol

Ours is on new years she and we are starting at 8 also. Self-serve taco bar, sangria, margaritas, and cerveza.

We did a welcome dinner for everyone who came the night before. We ended up having about 25 guests (out of 40 total). I wanted something completely different from the wedding which was formal so we had a very casual dinner at the BBQ restaurant that was within walking distance from the hotel. It was a relaxed atmosphere.

Are your guests coming from OOT? If so, they may still be in dinner mode around 8 p.m. My dinner started at 7 p.m. and I had a few people come a little later because of the drive. By the time we were served it was probably close to 7:30 or so. Could you do a dinner instead? Otherwise, they may be coming from dinner so won't be too hungry for savory foods.

New Year's *Eve*

That sounds like a perfect way to get guests together and an extra little thank you! Our guests are all traveling pretty far, so we're doing a welcome dinner at an Italian restaurant with some drinks provided to give our guests another meal.

I'm going to a baseball game!

We are doing a welcome party instead of a traditional sit down rehearsal dinner since 95% of our guest list is from out of town. We rented out one of our favorite restaurants and are expecting about 150 people. We will have passed appetizers, food stations, and two bars. The restaurant is just requiring a $9,000 food and beverage minimum. Our rehearsal is at 4 and then welcome party from 5:30-9:30 and we expect it to be a come and go thing. I’m really excited about it and I feel like it will give us a chance to greet our guests and we can just enjoy our wedding day without having to make a lot of small talk. Our wedding photographer will also be shooting at our welcome party.

View Quoted Comment Yeah the time is so tricky. I really don’t want to do dinner. Whaaa whaaa! For the demographic I think 90% will be suprised to see savory food and would have ate around 6pm lol. I also thought of a dessert reception but didn’t know if that was ok? Champagne and dessert reception? Two hours or so just to say hello and provide more touch points. Most of the guests are coming from NYC or Charlotte to DC.

View Quoted Comment Now this sounds lovely, but I’m unwilling to pay for it. Long story short my parents backed out of paying for it as I wouldn’t turn it into my sister 22nd birthday party, they made it clear they didn’t want to celebrate us. But with that I won’t let them ‘steal’ the reception from us. We were looking at a BBQ dinner before, but Indont want to pay for it, but still want to have something that is hosted.

View Quoted Comment Oh this is fun! So your wedding is on 1/1? Is the plan for the welcome reception to go to 1am?

View Quoted Comment

Yep! Key Largo does fireworks on new years eve, and our wedding isn't until 4 the next day, so we'll go for it! 😀

View Quoted Comment

This sounds epic!!! Can't wait for the BAM!

View Quoted Comment That sounds awesome! I wish I wasn’t such a grandma... I could never stay up that late then get up and be perky the next day lol!

That sounds great!

I would do 8 so you'd have a couple hours to hang out with your guests but then sneak out to bed if you decide to do an early night to get up for the wedding the next day. Can you do a small mix of savory and sweet? Like a few desserts and some dips? I feel like at 8pm I wouldn't expect much in the way of food.

We are doing a Welcome Dinner for everyone staying the night before the wedding. It will be a full Maine Lobster Bake. After that we are doing a Welcome Party with smore's, beer/wine and my MIL is going to rent a Karaoke Machine. It will be in the pub/deck at the Inn we rented for the Wedding.

We always make a weekend out of most of the weddings we are invited to because we normally don't see other family or friends that are invited very often. I think a rooftop Welcome Party sounds awesome!

View Quoted Comment Desserts and dips, I like that!

The lobster bake sounds fabulous!