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Welcome Party Before Rehearsal Dinner??

sarahwallace79sarahwallace79
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in Louisiana-New Orleans

We are considering having a welcome party between our rehearsal (which must be before 4 pm) and our rehearsal dinner.  Would it be awkward or tacky to invite everyone to the Welcome Party and then leave them all behind for the rehearsal dinner (just wedding party and family)?  The only reason we're considering it before the rehearsal dinner is because the rehearsal is so early, and we want to allow OOT guests who aren't at the rehearsal dinner to eat at a restaurant of their choice.  What do you girls think?

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Re: Welcome Party Before Rehearsal Dinner??

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    hughe046hughe046
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I have decided to do a Welcome Party after our RD (thanks for the suggestions Knotties), that offers desserts.  At a bar/restaurat, small/inexpensive, desserts, etc.  We are so tapped out on our budget that we are not providing alcohol, but its just more of an open house, stop on by to the place we will be thing.  We are doing it after our RD- but...I think the younger people will be on their way out to dinner/drinks, the older people may be coming back in- perfect for either!  If you let them know ahead of time, the people who want to come will make their plans around it!  I just hope I can get some of those 'hey havent seen you in 20 years, lets catch up on it all right now" convos the night before the wedding, so I can hostess a little less and party a little more.
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    arhatcharhatch member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    FI and I are planning to meet some of our OOT-ers at Pat Os after our rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.  If your rehearsal is early why not do it after that way you don't have to leave your guests?
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    becker.amandabecker.amanda member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I would think it'd be a little awkward if you met guests between the rehearsal and RD and had to leave them. We had a party after the RD and it worked out great - people came for our second line parade at 8:30pm and the party was from 9pm to 12am. We notified them through an insert in our invitation so people knew to make early dinner reservations that night in order to join us for our second line parade by 8:30pm. It worked out great and we had over 100 people attend!

    From experience, I think you would feel really rushed during the welcome party if you have it before dinner. I would say, just do an early RD, then welcome party after!
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    AnneMargaretAnneMargaret member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We also have to have our rehearsal at around 4, which I feel like is a really weird time.  So we're doing a rehearsal lunch instead of dinner.  We'll have a late lunch (2 ish I think?) and then go to the church for the rehearsal.  That way we can go in and get a good night's sleep.  (Kind of boring, I know, but I don't want to have bags under my eyes for my wedding!)  Plus, lunch is cheaper than dinner.  You could do a lunch, rehearsal, and then Welcome Party.  I wouldn't do the party in between, I feel like it would be awkward.
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    sarahwallace79sarahwallace79
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I think we've decided not to do a welcome party.  Instead, my fiance's father (his parents are divorced) is having a brunch for his friends the morning of the wedding.  That way, they can all catch up before the wedding, and we don't have to leave anybody out or host a really big additional event that could get expensive.  I was also hesitant to plan so many events the day before thew edding, when I'll probably want to relax as much as possible.
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