How to plan the perfect wedding welcome party
- merakimariages
- Sep 29
- 4 min read
As soon as E&C decided on doing a destination wedding in Costa del Sol, including a welcome reception (a pre-boda, as they are called in Spain) as part of the calendar became a non-negotiable. Since their main event was taking place in a traditional cortijo a little further inland, we set our eyes on a seaside venue to give the guests a chance to experience different facets of the region. As most of them would land that afternoon, ensuring the venue was closer to the airport, easily accessible and setting a laid-back vibe was key. And AMMO Marbella was just that. We take this opportunity to talk about wedding welcome receptions: one of our favourite side events to plan!
Planning: Meraki Mariages | Photography: Antonio Ordonez
The benefits of welcome parties
When it comes to destination weddings, we would go as far as saying a welcome party is a must. It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive (more on the financial side of it later in this post) - but, when else do you have all of your closest and dearest with you, free for an entire weekend? Whether you choose to host a sit-down dinner, a picnic on the beach or a laid-back aperitivo, a welcome party is a great opportunity for guests to get to know each other and for you to spend one-on-one time with each of them. The best part? It saves you tons of time on your actual wedding day as you'll have already done the hellos and thank yous.
Planning: Meraki Mariages | Photography: Antonio Ordonez
When to throw your pre-boda
The first thing you'll need to think about is when you'd like to hold your welcome party. Many couples choose to have a welcome party the evening before the wedding, but it's not your only option. If, for example, you're throwing a destination wedding and most attendees are arriving on a Wednesday or a Thursday, an early celebration could be a perfect option - no one has to think about what they'll do that night, and they can jump right into celebrating. The time is also important: there's no rule that says your welcome party needs to be a full evening event. Your guests could join you for dessert right after the rehearsal dinner, or you could opt for an afternoon coffee, or even a brunch... The options are as endless as your imagination.
Planning: Meraki Mariages | Photography: Antonio Ordonez
What and who to include
The best thing about side events is there are absolutely no rules. You may opt to invite all of your guests, or prefer to keep it intimate, only sending out the invitation to specific guests (for example, you may want to only invite guests who do not live where you host the wedding). It's important you consider how many people you anticipate before you even get into the planning, as guest count will dictate your venue choice and your budget. As for what to include - food and drinks are a must. The rest is optional! For their welcome reception at AMMO, E&C chose to hire a DJ and a photographer - and keep the rest organic. You could rent out games, involve heavy flowers and decor as well if you wanted to!
Planning: Meraki Mariages | Photography: Antonio Ordonez
Who pays for a wedding welcome party?
While some couples may cover for the entirety of multi-day celebrations, there are no rules that say the bride and groom have to rack up for all of it. For E&C, we negotiated a package with the venue (free-flowing beverages and food), and the couple covered the DJ and a portion of the food, while guests paid the remainder of the price upon entering. Everyone was still so happy to enjoy a fully planned event, and have something to do that evening!
Planning: Meraki Mariages | Photography: Antonio Ordonez
How to organize it?
1- Figure out how many guests you anticipate or would like to invite, and what is the maximum budget you're willing to spend on your welcome event.
2- Set a date and time, and include it early on on your wedding website and invitations. If you will not be covering for the entirety of the price, do mention it so your guests can take it into consideration before confirming their attendance. Most wedding website platforms will allow you to collect RSVPs for multiple events.
3- Refine your vision: Once you've decided on all the above, think about what you envision for that day and start planning for it. If you want an elaborate design, flowers, decor or a live performance, bear in mind it will require additional budget and time.
4- Secure the venue and details
Or, if you'd like a stress-free planning of your entire wedding weekend, we could do it for you. Feel free to reach us on: charlotte@merakimariages.com !
Planning: Meraki Mariages | Photography: Antonio Ordonez
The Team
Wedding planning & design: Meraki Mariages
Photography: Antonio Ordonez
Venue and catering: AMMO Marbella
DJ: Dido Beats
Wedding newspapers: Meraki Mariages
Wedding welcome reception | Wedding reception in Marbella | Wedding in Costa del Sol | Malaga wedding planner
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