Setting the Stage for the Best St. Louis Wedding Weekend Ever
Images by: Kara Volle Photo / Blush Classic Collection
When you start dreaming up your wedding vision, your mind probably jumps straight to the big day—the jaw-dropping bouquet, all your favorite friends and family and that epic reception reveal. But what if we told you the tone for your unforgettable wedding weekend actually starts a whole day early?
Think of your wedding not just as a one-day event, but as an unforgettable weekend experience. The absolute best way to kick off the wedding weekend vibes is with a fabulous rehearsal dinner and welcome party. It sets the tone, gets everyone excited, and honestly takes a whole lot of the pressure off the main event!
If you're on the fence about adding another event to the calendar, here are three reasons why hosting a pre-wedding celebration is a total game-changer:
1. It’s the Ultimate Icebreaker
Your wedding day is going to be a beautiful whirlwind, and you’ll want to spend every second dancing and celebrating. Hosting a rehearsal dinner or welcome party gives old friends a chance to catch up and new friends (and families!) a casual, relaxed setting to mingle. By the time the wedding morning rolls around, your guests will already feel like one big happy family, making the wedding day energy absolutely unmatched.
2. Time for the Heartfelt (and Hilarious) Moments
We love a good reception toast, but timeline constraints usually mean only a select few get to grab the mic. A pre-wedding party is the perfect opportunity to share those extra-meaningful sentiments, funny childhood stories, and inside jokes. It’s an intimate space where more loved ones can toast to your love story without a ticking clock.
3. A Warm Hug for Out-of-Town Guests
If family and friends are traveling to celebrate you, there is no better way to say "we are so glad you’re here" than welcoming them with open arms (and maybe a cocktail!). It gives your out-of-town guests something fun to do the night they arrive and shows them just how much you appreciate them making the trip.
Rehearsal Dinner vs. Welcome Party: What’s the Difference?
If you’re wondering how these two events differ (and if you need to host both!), you are definitely not alone. While they both kick off the weekend festivities, they have totally different vibes. Here is the breakdown:
The Rehearsal Dinner: Intimate & Sentimental
Traditionally, the rehearsal dinner takes place the night before the wedding, right after you finish practicing your walk down the aisle.
The Guest List: This is usually kept small and intimate, reserved for your immediate family, wedding party, and those directly involved in the ceremony.
The Vibe: Because it’s a smaller group, it’s the perfect time to visit your and your betrothed’s absolute favorite local restaurant, rent a cozy private dining room, or even host a themed dinner at your wedding venue if they allow early access. It’s all about sharing cozy conversations, and soaking in the quiet excitement before the big day.
The Welcome Party: Festive & Inclusive
Think of the welcome party as the official opening ceremony for your wedding weekend!
The Guest List: Everyone is invited! This includes all of your out-of-town guests, local friends, and anyone who has arrived in town early for the wedding.
The Vibe: Unlike the sit-down nature of a rehearsal dinner, a welcome party is usually a more casual, cocktail-style event. It’s a chance for you to mix, mingle, and hug all your guests before the wedding day, so you don't feel rushed trying to greet every single table during your reception.
Styling Your Pre-Wedding Events
Just because it’s the night before the wedding doesn’t mean your decor needs to take a backseat! These events are the perfect canvas to try out fun design ideas that might not fit your main wedding day aesthetic.
Styling the Rehearsal Dinner: Warm, Intimate, and Glowy
Since rehearsal dinners are typically smaller, sit-down affairs, the goal is to make the space feel cozy and welcoming.
The Decor Secret: It’s all about centerpieces and candlelight! Think low, lush floral arrangements that encourage conversation across the table, paired with an abundance of votives.
Make it Meaningful: This is a great opportunity to pull in elements of your love story. If you’re hosting at your favorite Italian spot, we can design around rich textures and warm tones. If you’re doing a fun theme, your flowers can reflect that destination or vibe!
Styling the Welcome Party: Casual, Friendly, and Exciting
A welcome party is all about movement, so the decor should feel effortless, fun, and totally you. Whether you’re hosting at a cozy Airbnb, a local park, or using a separate space at your wedding venue, the vibe should scream, "The party has officially started!"
Embrace a Theme: Welcome parties are the absolute best place to lean into a playful theme. Thinking of a "Welcome to St. Louis" brewery night? A chic, retro cocktail party? A taco and margarita fiesta? Perhaps a “Gateway to the West” BBQ? Let’s design florals and greenery installations that bring that specific vision to life.
Decor Ideas for Mingle-Friendly Spaces: Since guests will be standing and chatting, swap large centerpieces for high-top cocktail table arrangements, bud vases scattered across the bar, and fun focal points—like a floral-framed welcome sign or a photo-worthy backdrop where guests can snap pictures.
✨ Pro-Tip from The Flower Lab: We are all about getting the most out of your beautiful blooms! Many of the decor elements from a welcome party—like statement signs, custom backdrops, or collections of bud vases—can easily be repurposed for your actual wedding day cocktail hour. Talk to your florist about how to design pieces that can pull double duty so you can enjoy them all weekend long!
The Ultimate Hack: Merging Your Rehearsal Dinner and Welcome Party
If you are looking at your wedding budget or timeline and thinking, "I love both ideas, but how do I pull this off?"—we have a brilliant solution for you. Merge them!
You don't have to choose between an intimate dinner and a big, inclusive party. Instead, host a hybrid event. You can start the evening with a private, sit-down dinner for your immediate family and wedding party. Then, at a designated time (say, 7:30 or 8:00 PM), open the doors to the rest of your wedding guests for a casual, cocktail-style welcome party!
To do this successfully, you just need a venue that can easily transition from intimate to party-ready. Look for spaces like restaurants with rooftop bars, wedding venues with multiple adjacent spaces, or local breweries with private rooms.
To help you get inspired, here are some incredible, budget-friendly spots right here in Saint Louis City that are perfect for a hybrid celebration and keep venue/food minimum costs around or under $3,000:
Rockwell Beer Co. (The Grove): Known for its fun, breezy, and flexible spaces, you can book their private industrial brewhouse or part of their famous outdoor patio. It’s the ultimate spot to transition from a cozy bite to a lively, beer-garden-style welcome party with plenty of great STL brews to go around.
Schlafly Tap Room (Downtown): For a space dripping with historic charm, Schlafly offers private rooms like the Club Room or the North Bar, complete with original brick walls, large windows, and city skyline views. It easily fits a seated dinner that can effortlessly flow into an open bar/cocktail hour for late arrivals.
a.casa (South City): Tucked away on South Kingshighway, this chic, intimate event space feels like a trendy urban home. It features sophisticated interiors and a lovely outdoor courtyard, making it incredibly easy to host a private family meal inside before letting the rest of your guests join the party indoor-outdoor style.
Square One Brewery & Distillery (Lafayette Square): If you want a cozy, historic vibe, their second-floor private party room is perfect. You can host an intimate sit-down dinner with their scratch-made menu, and then expand the vibe into a lively cocktail hour featuring their house-brewed beers and spirits.
Let’s Get Your St. Louis Wedding Weekend Started!
Whether you choose a quiet dinner, an all-out welcome bash, or a fun hybrid of both, the goal is simply to celebrate your love surrounded by your favorite people. And no matter the venue or the vibe, the right decor and floral touches will tie it all together beautifully.
Ready to start planning the florals for your big day and your pre-wedding festivities? Reach out to us at The Flower Lab—we can’t wait to bring your weekend vision to life!
✨ Pro-Tip from The Flower Lab: Don’t forget that our Flower Collections can also be re-purposed to a morning brunch after the wedding. They truly are the solution for all your wedding weekend needs!
