A wedding welcome party is an event whose organization precedes the wedding day. A welcome party capable of turning into an evening event, such as a dinner or an aperitif, but also into a brunch or lunch if held in the morning. It is the initial occasion to welcome guests in view of the wedding celebrations. During the preparation of the wedding welcome party, the spouses can put all their creativity into play.
Many couples choose to organize this evening to replace a traditional menu rehearsal dinner. You could also have a rehearsal dinner on Friday night, a housewarming party on Saturday, and the actual wedding on Sunday. Your event can have a chic theme or it can be a simple cocktail and/or dessert or a brunch or a buffet, a more interactive event with games, experiences, a piano bar or a DJ
There are so many ideas and it’s no wonder why welcome parties have become a mainstay of the entire wedding itinerary.
If you’re thinking about throwing your own housewarming party here you’ll find tons of expert advice on how to incorporate a housewarming party into your wedding weekend.
What the Expert Recommends
Roberta d’Esposito Event Planner is a wedding planner with over 10 years of experience in the industry. She is also the owner, creative director and planner of Roberta d’Esposito Event Planner.
How to organize a welcome party before the wedding
Usually, a housewarming party will take place the day before the wedding. the times you organize the event may vary according to your personal preferences. However, regardless of when you choose to plan your evening, it will require some work and attention to detail. To help you put all the pieces together, read on below for several useful tips and advice for your party. Welcome.
Create your own theme
The first step in planning a wedding reception is knowing what you want to convey to your guests. A hint can be given by some cultural elements, by what you love, hate and dream, etc. Most importantly, though, the housewarming party represents who you are as a couple.
Dedicate yourself to the guest list
Housewarming parties are a great way for guests to meet and make friends before the wedding. The welcome party is meant to break the ice.
If you are planning a wedding in a distant destination you will need to take into account the arrival details. The welcome party is meant to welcome everyone to your wedding. If you are planning a wedding in a faraway destination you should schedule the welcome party for the day the guests arrive. Consider all travel details, including hotel check-in and time zone changes, so you have some time for everyone to settle in and rest before the party.
Set the date for the housewarming party as soon as you set the wedding date. This will help you determine other items that need planning, such as stationery, hotel room blocks, transportation, and the budget for catering and furniture.
Decide on the buffet and set a budget
If you plan to invite all the guests to the housewarming party and organize a dinner for them, then do something different than the wedding. If the housewarming party follows a rehearsal dinner, serve appetizers or desserts in single portions and have them distributed on trays or on of a buffet accessible to all.
As you choose your menu, keep in mind that the goal is for guests to be able to mingle with each other. Furthermore, the wedding welcome party can become an opportunity to have fun and present the local cuisine to your guests.
Add an experience or activity
A cocktail party can certainly suffice as a welcome event, or you can spice it up and incorporate an activity for friends and family to interact. From the organization of boat trips, mini-cruises, brunches on the beach, cooktels with armochromy and body shape activities or for holistic medicine lovers, you can plan sensory and chakra rebalancing activities or group excursions to cultural elements such as a sangeet for Indian weddings or a Shabbat dinner for a Jewish wedding and as a grand finale the “always in fashion” fireworks or musical entertainment such as a piano bar or a small retro band.
The invitations
For invitations you can give ample space to color and creativity. Also, make sure the invitations convey all the information your guests need: everything they need to know, to prepare for events
