Sentimental Welcome Party with S’mores, Ice Cream & Bride Wearing Her Mom’s Wedding Dress
Looking for a meaningful way to honor your mom and her wedding dress without wearing it down the aisle? Be inspired by this sentimental idea: the bride chose to wear her mother’s wedding gown for the couple’s wedding welcome party. This heartfelt touch brought a layer of personal history and emotional significance to the entire pre-wedding celebration.
We’re so excited to share real inspiration from Paxton and Lee’s meaningful wedding welcome party complete with cozy cocktail hour details, lush dinner florals, s’mores by the fire pit, an iconic ice cream cart and all the thoughtful touches that made their pre wedding celebration feel personal, fun and unforgettable.
Paxton and Lee hosted a joy-filled evening for their loved ones as guests arrived for the wedding weekend. The celebration began with a relaxed cocktail hour on the lawn, complete with signature drinks, string lights, and mingling. Next up, their guests gathered indoors for a sit-down dinner beautifully styled with luscious floral designs. The couple and their designer, Jaclyn Watson Events, created an atmosphere that was both elegant and cozy.
Just wait until you see the fun touches Paxton and Lee planned for after dinner! From s’mores around the firepit to a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream cart and live music, the evening become a memorable kickoff to their wedding weekend.
We are so excited to share these gorgeous images captured by JP Elerio and all the inspiration from this sentimental and celebratory welcome party.
Photo credit: JP Elerio
Don't get stressed - get Let's Get Rehearsed’s FREE rehearsal dinner guide packed full of everything you need to plan a welcome party, from saving money to celebrating the night before the big day!
Guests arrived to a beautifully setup garden and lawn for a chic cocktail hour. The lawn was decorated with tables topped with unique floral tablecloths and small bud vases filled with simple blooms. The area was also lined with pairs of white Adirondack chairs, perfect for relaxing.
Paxton’s wedding welcome party attire was special and sentimental. She wore her mother’s wedding dress for this evening event. What a perfect way to honor her Mother and this important dress without wearing it for her wedding day. Your wedding rehearsal dinner or welcome party are a great opportunity to wear outfits like this that have a special meaning behind them. If you’re considering this option, check out our advice on altering your mother’s wedding dress for your rehearsal dinner.
Once inside, everyone was greeting with gorgeous table setting including large floral designs filled with lush blue, white and green flowers. The wood tables were accented with a simple white chiffon table runner, more blooms in vases, and tall candles in glass hurricanes.
During the formal sit down dinner everyone enjoyed a number of toasts for the couple to kick off the wedding weekend. To keep the party going after dinner, the couple and their guests enjoyed a gathering back outside.
First, they were greeted with music from a live band! Next, everyone enjoyed a sweet treat from the Ben & Jerrys ice cream cart, complete with toppings of their choice and classic ice cream cones. Paxton and Lee’s puppy joined the party for the evening, too. To close out the night, everyone loved s’mores around the fire pits!
Thank you to Jaclyn Watson Events for planning this events and to JP Elerio for capturing this sentimental wedding welcome party and sharing these images with us…
The following event professionals contributed to this real wedding rehearsal event:
Photography - JP Elerio
Planning and Design - Jaclyn Watson Events
Floral - Lilly of the Valley
Linens - BBJ La Tavola
Rentals - Rain Or Shine
Venue, Catering & Bar - Taconic
*********
This sentimental wedding welcome party included the perfect three steps to any great party: a welcome cocktail hour, a gourmet dinner, and post dinner music and treats under string lights.
Thank you to JP Elerio , Jaclyn Watson Events, and, of course, our sweet couple, for sharing these gorgeous images of this pre-wedding celebration with all the fun packed into one evening!
Ready for more wedding welcome parties to inspire your wedding weekend? Be sure to check out our real wedding rehearsals and welcome parties to see more ideas, inspiration, and important planing tips.
About Let’s Get Rehearsed!
Welcome to stress-free and easy wedding rehearsal dinner planning and ideas! Let’s Get Rehearsed is the best, most helpful planning and inspiration resource for all things wedding rehearsal dinners, wedding welcome parties, and the night before the wedding celebrations. If you’re in rehearsal dinner planning mode or looking for unique ideas, check out our real rehearsal dinner and welcome party photos, rehearsal dinner ideas and inspiration, advice for planning a wedding rehearsal dinner, and a rehearsal dinner printable and download shop.
Don’t forget to visit the Let’s Get Rehearsed Shop where you can find fun and affordable wedding rehearsal dinner invitations, wedding welcome party signs, printables, digital downloads and more.
Let’s Get Rehearsed is all about getting you rehearsed before the wedding, so you can get to the celebration!