African American Weddings

meet and greet and farewell dinner?

hey ladies, i know ive been MIA...i needed a wedding break!!


for the newbies... im getting married in april of next year on a wednesday in las vegas!! I would like to do something with our guests the night before the wedding and everyone can meet and hang out. Orginally we were going to do a double decker bus tour at 8pm for three hours....after i thought about this, I realied there is a 3 hour time difference from cleveland, where everyone would be flying from. Im sure people will be tired after being in an airplane and the time difference or will probably wanna do there own thing.

We cannot afford to have another dinner on top of the reception for everyone, so we were thinking to just tell the guests that we are going to margaritaville (inside of our hotel) the night before the wedding and they can join if theyd like, and im thinking of having cupcakes or a treat for everyone. We also planned of telling guests where we planned on eating dinner the night before we leave, again with another treat. I feel bad for asking people to pay for there own meals if they decide to meet up with us. I feel like we should do more for everyone besides the reception and the welcome bags for traveling all of that way.

Am I thinking too much? am I doing enough for the guests? I dont want to occupy all of their time because I want it to be a vacation for them and not just our wedding.  Both dinners are totally optional.


We invited 60 people but dont expect that many to show, maybe about 30, if that.

Re: meet and greet and farewell dinner?

  • I personally think what you are doing is fine. You are providing them dinner at the reception...that's cool! Don't overspend or over think it. Guests will be pleased and have fun. They probably will want some time to do their own thing as well so try not to have many planned activities like you said as this will be a vacay for everyone. I would, however, (which you already may be doing) is giving them ideas on places to have fun, eat, shop, etc, etc. 

    Please don't feel bad that guests to have to pay their own meals outside of anything wedding related.  You can only do what your budget allows. Plus, if they were on vacay you wouldn't be paying for their meals anyway ya know! 

    Cha
    click here to view our Amazing Love wedding website Anniversary
  • I can understand where you're coming from because I feel the same because we are asking people to travel and they're paying so much to come!

    Could you do a gathering at a pizza spot and order 4 pizzas and sodas?

    If not what you;'re doing will be fine!
    577906 10151197172303105 844768324 n Follow Me on Pinterest www.shoplovelivelearn.blogspot.com Anniversary
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_meet-and-greet-and-farewell-dinner?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:400Discussion:dd37eac0-d32b-4d25-b93a-f9dbe9b0e963Post:e10967e9-d901-46d3-a040-fa856f7bec39">Re: meet and greet and farewell dinner?</a>:
    [QUOTE]I can understand where you're coming from because I feel the same because we are asking people to travel and they're paying so much to come! <strong>Could you do a gathering at a pizza spot and order 4 pizzas and sodas?</strong> If not what you;'re doing will be fine!
    Posted by M1ssJ[/QUOTE]

    <div>This is a very good idea and cost effective! Yay M1ssJ...not to mention I love pizza so maybe Im biased to this idea. LOL!</div><div>
    </div><div>Cha</div>
    click here to view our Amazing Love wedding website Anniversary
  • !there isnt ONE pizza place that is close to us on the strip! The reception is at a buffet so I dont want to have everyone meet at another buffet. Im thinkin just have everyone meet if they want to and maybe ill give everyone cupcakes or better yet,  get a grooms cake :-)

    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_meet-and-greet-and-farewell-dinner?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:400Discussion:dd37eac0-d32b-4d25-b93a-f9dbe9b0e963Post:51bafeaf-fcbc-4398-b666-85b80f02395e">Re: meet and greet and farewell dinner?</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: meet and greet and farewell dinner? : This is a very good idea and cost effective! Yay M1ssJ...not to mention I love pizza so maybe Im biased to this idea. LOL! Cha
    Posted by CreoleBride30[/QUOTE]
  • I think there is a pizza place on the strip, its been 7 years since I lived there.  What you have planned is fine, if you had a wedding in your home town, people would pay for their own meals the day before and after.  Why don't you all hang out like tourist and see the sights Las Vegas has to offer and take pictures that you can share with them later. 
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_meet-and-greet-and-farewell-dinner?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:400Discussion:dd37eac0-d32b-4d25-b93a-f9dbe9b0e963Post:376c5d44-1340-411a-99ec-64bd4d08423d">Re: meet and greet and farewell dinner?</a>:
    [QUOTE]<strong>I think there is a pizza place on the strip,</strong> its been 7 years since I lived there.  What you have planned is fine, if you had a wedding in your home town, people would pay for their own meals the day before and after.  Why don't you all hang out like tourist and see the sights Las Vegas has to offer and take pictures that you can share with them later. 
    Posted by Yolie1098[/QUOTE]

    I second that belief. I hazily remember eating some on the strip last summer when I was there... at ...4 am....after.....

    UMM lemme just google help ya
    577906 10151197172303105 844768324 n Follow Me on Pinterest www.shoplovelivelearn.blogspot.com Anniversary
  • From Yelp on the Strip:
      Pizzaria de Enzo

    The Venetian
    3355 Las Vegas Blvd S

    Las Vegas, NV 89109
    Neighborhood: The Strip
    (702) 414-3500


    Grimaldi's
    Fashion Show Mall
    3200 Las Vegas Blvd S, Ste 1540

    Las Vegas, NV 89109
    Neighborhood: The Strip
    (702) 778-8777
    http://grimaldispizzeria.com/

    The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
    3708 Las Vegas Blvd S

    Las Vegas, NV 89109
    Neighborhood: The Strip
    (702) 698-7860



    577906 10151197172303105 844768324 n Follow Me on Pinterest www.shoplovelivelearn.blogspot.com Anniversary
  • wELL.. you know that  I am getting married in Vegas also... I plan on the night before going out to a bar(minus5) because I want to see it.. and I am going to invite whoever wants to come, but I had not planned on paying for that.. We are having the insuite reception so they will have everything there covered.. I am providing transportation to and from the ceremony at CoF...Other than that..I really wanted it to be a vacay for people(adult vacay).. so they can go and do whatever they want.. Yes I did room blocks.. but I did it at three diff hotels so they can do whatever they want..

    Do not feel obligated to pay for EVERYTHING in Vegas... It definitely gets expensive.. and I dont think people should expect you to pay for ALL of their activities and meals..you are fine.. Dont let this one thing stress you out!!!

    You know Vegasgroom will tell you the same..Smile
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards