As we’ve said before, hospitality is one of the most memorable things in a well-planned wedding! One great form of hospitality for out-of-town guests and the wedding party is giving plenty of opportunities for meet and greet. Weddings can be potentially awkward for people you’ve known forever separate from your social circle. Be it that long-lost junior high best friend that came all the way to share in your special time, or the estranged aunt that divorced your uncle but came to support you, it’s nice to give your guests opportunities to do a little mingling and get acquainted with a few people before the wedding day, and maybe to hang out with in between wedding week events.
If you’re doing a summer wedding, a pool party or barbecue is a great addition to the traditional bachelorette/bachelor parties, and rehearsal dinner. No pressure, no agenda besides to have a good time with the people who love you. If it’s fall, try a bonfire. If it’s spring, try a barbecue at a park. If none of those are appealing, have it at someone’s house. The beauty of an event like this is you won’t have to plan it. There are almost always people in your family or close circle of friends waiting to host something like this for your wedding week.
My favorite wedding week memory (besides the actual wedding, of course) is a brunch that a lifelong friend and her mother hosted for me at their house. She made some fancy French toast and served a nice meal, also had some homemade mini-tarts that looked and tasted amazing! It was for female out-of-town guests and my bridesmaids. They went around the room, one-by-one, as the hostess requested, and explained to everyone how we met and how we became so close. It was the most touching moment of my wedding week; the moment that, given the chance to not be in charge and not have to be concerned about any details, I was able to slow down and take in the love of the people who had traveled across the country and stopped plans just to celebrate an exciting time in my life.
You don’t have to go around the room and make everyone answer questions; but even just having everyone together with no other reason than to have fun will warm your heart and give your guests an opportunity to get comfortable with one another, since they can’t exactly hang out with you all week. It’s also a great opportunity to thank everyone who means the most to you for putting time aside and traveling to be with you at such a special time, let individuals know (publicly or privately) how special they are to you, and even to give out your wedding party gifts.
Try a meet and greet fun event the night everyone flies in, bachelorette/bachelor parties the following evening, a spa day for bridesmaid and any out-of-towners who’d like to join, and then of course the rehearsal dinner… all leading up to the wedding day! Include their wedding week itinerary (with dates, times, location/maps, and attire for each event) in the gift bag/basket waiting in their hotel rooms, or even add to the magic of your week by creating a faux newspaper circled around you, as a couple, and the events of your week!
Let IntriCutz work with you to create the stationery and invitations for your wedding week events; your plans and ideas in addition to our resources will make a beautiful package to present your guests with, to organize the agenda for your week.
