The Art of the Welcome Dinner: How to Begin Your Multi-Day Wedding with Style
Image by Emily Rose Hamilton at Kin House
When planning a multi-day wedding, the welcome dinner is far more than just a meal. It is the warm embrace before the big “I do” and the first chance to set the tone for the weekend. The welcome dinner becomes an experience in itself. Guests can relax into the atmosphere, connect with one another, and start celebrating in a way that feels both authentic and unforgettable, yet relaxed. At The Petal Emporium, we believe this moment deserves its own creative spotlight, offering couples the chance to design a setting that delights the senses and sparks anticipation for the days ahead.
Why the Welcome Dinner Matters
Multi-day weddings have become increasingly popular in the Cotswolds, with guests often travelling some way to celebrate, it’s a lovely way to kick of festivities and catch up with a more relaxed and laid back timeline. The welcome dinner is a natural beginning to the celebrations and offers so much more than a simple meal.
First Impressions Count
The welcome dinner sets the tone for the entire wedding weekend. It is the first taste of celebration your guests will experience, so the atmosphere should feel warm, inviting, and reflective of your personalities as a couple. This could mean welcoming guests into a cosy stone barn with candlelight, or hosting a relaxed garden supper surrounded by rolling countryside. The details matter here. From the flowers that greet your guests at the entrance to the first sip of a signature drink, every element of the welcome dinner should whisper what is to come while still keeping a sense of surprise for the wedding day itself. Think of it as a stage-setter, creating anticipation while easing everyone into the celebratory spirit.
The Perfect Icebreaker
Weddings bring together people from all corners of your lives. Parents’ friends who you grew up around, work colleagues, childhood friends, extended family, and loved ones from afar may all be meeting for the very first time. The welcome dinner provides the perfect opportunity for these groups to mingle and get to know each other without the formality of the main event. The relaxed setting, paired with thoughtful food and décor, helps to dissolve barriers and create a sense of community. By the time the wedding day arrives, guests will already feel connected, which makes the atmosphere all the warmer and more joyful.
Building Momentum
Every celebration in a multi-day wedding adds a layer of energy and excitement, and the welcome dinner is the first chapter of that story. By beginning the festivities with an evening that is relaxed yet thoughtful, you create a sense of rhythm that carries seamlessly into the ceremony, reception, and beyond. Guests leave the welcome dinner not only looking forward to the wedding but also already feeling immersed in your world. It is this sense of progressio that makes multi-day weddings so magical. Each setting offers its own mood while building anticipation for the moment you exchange your vows.
Decorating Beyond the Ceremony
Your wedding day may be elegant and formal, but the welcome dinner offers freedom to be more relaxed and playful. décor can take on a more intimate and welcoming style.
Décor Ideas to Inspire
Seasonal Florals
Casual arrangements of wildflowers, styled fruits or vegetables, or potted herbs bring the natural beauty of the Cotswolds indoors. Something fresh and unique, a fun chance to go bold!
Soft Lighting
Lamps, lanterns, or clusters of candles add warmth and atmosphere to barn interiors or garden terraces.
Personalised Details
Hand-painted signage, custom menus, or table décor inspired by the events give the evening its own personality.
Layered Textures
Natural linens, rustic runners, and wooden accents work beautifully in the Cotswold setting, striking a balance between relaxed and refined.
A Different Setting
Often with fewer guests the welcome dinner allows for a more unique setting, under a tree lined walkway, in a rose garden, a beautiful orangery perhaps.
This is your chance to design an environment that complements, rather than copies, your wedding day style. Think of it as a gentle preview of what is to come.
Creating Connection Through Design
The welcome dinner is about connection and comfort. It is the moment when your guests begin to feel like one community, sharing stories, laughter, and a first taste of your wedding weekend. With thoughtful décor, beautiful flowers, and food that reflects your personalities, you can create an atmosphere that will be remembered long after the final toast.
Let’s Design Your Cotswolds Welcome Dinner
If you are planning a multi-day wedding in the Cotswolds, The Petal Emporium would love to help design a welcome dinner that feels warm, personal, and unforgettable. From seasonal flowers to carefully styled tablescapes, we create spaces that invite guests to gather and celebrate in true style.
Get in touch with us today to begin planning your wedding weekend’s perfect first chapter.
Image by Emily Rose Hamilton at Kin House