Planning9 min read
Wedding Weekend Invitations: Welcome Party to Brunch
Which wedding weekend events need their own invitation, who is invited to what, when to send each one, and 14 wording examples from the welcome party to the brunch.
By The Veiloria AtelierPublished Updated
Contents
Wedding weekend invitations come in two layers: events your whole guest list attends go on the main invitation, and events for a smaller circle, like the rehearsal dinner or a family mehndi, get an invitation of their own. Send them all with the wedding invitation, or just after it, so guests plan their travel once.
Below: each event, a guest-by-event table, send dates and 14 wording examples. For the main invitation's timing, start with when to send wedding invitations.
What are wedding weekend invitations?
Wedding weekend invitations are the invitations for every event around a wedding, from the welcome party and rehearsal dinner to the wedding, an after-party and the morning-after brunch. The classic American weekend is a Friday rehearsal dinner, a Saturday wedding and a Sunday brunch (Zola, updated February 2024).
One question decides everything: who is invited? Same guests, same invitation. Different guests, different invitation.
Which events need their own invitation
An event needs its own invitation when its guest list or its host differs from the wedding's. Otherwise it is one more line in the schedule.
Engagement party
Always its own invitation, sent about six weeks ahead and at least a month before (Zola). Zola's rule of thumb: anyone invited to the engagement party should also be invited to the wedding.
Welcome drinks or dinner
On the main invitation when everyone is invited, which Zola calls customary; its own invitation when it is only for out-of-town guests.
Rehearsal dinner
Its own invitation, nearly always: the wedding party and partners, parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and sometimes guests who travel far (Zola). In the US the groom's family traditionally hosts, so their names lead.
Mehndi, sangeet, henna and other pre-wedding ceremonies
Its own invitation when it is for family and close friends; on the main invitation when every guest is welcome.
| Ceremony | Tradition | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mehndi | South Asian | 1–2 days before | Henna is painted on the bride's hands and feet |
| Sangeet | North Indian, now widely South Asian | The night before, or with the mehndi | Music and dance; families often perform |
| Haldi | South Asian | The morning of, or the day before | Turmeric paste is applied to the couple |
| Henna night | Moroccan, Turkish (kına gecesi), Arab and others | A night or two before | The bride's henna, traditionally among women |
| Milka / aqd qiran | Arab and Muslim | Days to months before | The marriage contract is signed, usually with family |
| Polterabend | German | An evening before | Guests break crockery for luck; the couple sweeps it up |
In Jharokha, mehndi draws itself around the names behind carved jaali shutters.
For customs in the wording, see cultural wedding invitations.
A civil ceremony on another day
Many couples marry legally one day and celebrate another: in Mexico the civil and religious ceremonies, in Germany the Standesamt and the Feier. Family only? Its own invitation. Everyone? Both days on the main one.
After-party
One line on the main invitation if everyone is welcome; its own invitation only for a smaller group, sent quietly.
The morning-after brunch
On the main invitation if all guests are invited; its own if it is for family and out-of-town guests. Give a window ("from 10 until 1"), not a start time.
Who to invite to each wedding weekend event
The wedding party and close family are invited to everything; local guests usually to the welcome party, wedding and brunch; evening-only guests to the evening alone.
| Guest group | Welcome party | Rehearsal dinner | Mehndi / henna | Wedding | After-party | Brunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wedding party and partners | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Parents, siblings, grandparents | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Your choice | Yes |
| Officiant and readers | Often | Often | Your choice | Yes | No | Your choice |
| Out-of-town guests | Yes | Sometimes | Your choice | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Local guests | Often | Rarely | Your choice | Yes | Yes | Often |
| Evening-only guests | No | No | No | Evening | Yes | No |
| Children | Often | If family | Often | If invited | No | Often |
Never print a smaller event on the main invitation. Evening-only guests need their own wording: see evening reception invitations.
One invitation or several?
Use one invitation if every guest is invited to every event; use separate invitations as soon as the lists differ.
| Approach | Works when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| One multi-day wedding invitation | The guest list is the same all weekend | Keep the wedding first |
| Main invitation plus event invitations | A smaller circle joins some events | Send close together, matching |
| Main invitation plus a wedding website | Many events and heavy logistics | Leave private events off it |
Our guide to wedding website vs invitation weighs the last option.
What every event invitation says
- The hosts, by name
- The event, named plainly: "Welcome drinks", "Rehearsal dinner"
- Day, date and time (a window for a brunch)
- The place, with its address and a map
- The dress code, if it differs from the wedding's
- Who is included: names, "and guest", or children
- How to reply: separately, with the wedding reply, or not at all
When to send each invitation
Send every weekend invitation with the main invitation, 8–12 weeks before the wedding (3–4 months for a destination), or within two weeks of it. The engagement party is the exception.
| Event | Send | Reply by |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement party | About 6 weeks before the party, at least a month (Zola) | 2 weeks before |
| Welcome party | With the main invitation | With the wedding reply |
| Rehearsal dinner | With or just after the main invitation, at least a month before (Zola) | 2–3 weeks before |
| Mehndi, sangeet, haldi | With the main invitation | With the wedding reply |
| After-party | With the main invitation, or announced at the reception | Usually none |
| Brunch | With the main invitation, about a month before at the latest (Zola) | When the venue needs a headcount, often a few weeks before (Zola) |
Guests who fly in then book once. For travel details, see destination wedding invitations.
Wedding weekend invitation wording: 14 examples
Two per event, one formal and one relaxed. For the main invitation, see our wedding invitation wording guide.
Engagement party invitation
1. Formal, hosted by parents
Mr. and Mrs. Laurent Dubois
request the pleasure of your company
at an engagement party in honor of
Margaux Dubois and Henri Lefèvre
Saturday, March 6, 2027, at seven o'clock
Kindly reply by February 20
2. Relaxed, hosted by the couple
We're engaged, and we'd love to celebrate with you. Drinks at our place, Saturday, April 17, from 6 p.m. Tell us you're coming by April 3.
Welcome party invitation wording
3. Formal
Yasmine and Idris
welcome you to Marrakech
Friday, October 8, 2027, from seven o'clock
Mint tea, music and supper in the riad courtyard
Garden attire
4. Relaxed
You made it. Find us at the hotel bar on Friday from 7 p.m.: the first round is ours, no speeches, no dress code.
Rehearsal dinner invitation
5. Formal, hosted by the groom's parents
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Whitfield
invite you to a rehearsal dinner
in honor of Eleanor and Lucien
Friday, June 11, 2027, at half past seven
The Linden Room, 22 Harbor Street
Cocktail attire · Kindly reply by May 21
6. Relaxed, hosted by the couple
After the rehearsal, dinner is on us: Friday, June 11, 7:30 p.m., at Luca's on Main Street. Reply by May 21.
Mehndi and sangeet invitation
7. Mehndi, formal
With the blessings of our elders
the families of Anaya and Kabir
invite you to the mehndi
Thursday, December 2, 2027, from four o'clock
Wear something bright
8. Sangeet, relaxed
Friday night is for dancing: both families have been rehearsing, and you may be pulled onto the floor. Sangeet, December 3, from 7:30 p.m.
Civil ceremony invitation
9. Formal, family only
Ximena and Karim
invite you to their civil ceremony
Thursday, May 13, 2027, at twelve o'clock
The Civil Registry, San Miguel de Allende
Lunch with our families follows
10. Relaxed, everyone, both days
We're marrying twice, and we'd love you at both:
Friday, September 24, at noon: the civil ceremony at the town hall
Saturday, September 25, at three: the church ceremony and dinner
Kindly reply for each day by August 13
After-party invitation wording
11. Formal, one line on the main invitation
Dancing continues at the Cellar Bar from eleven o'clock
12. Relaxed, its own invitation, for friends
Still standing at midnight? Follow the music to the pool house: late-night tacos and our friends' playlist until 3 a.m.
Wedding brunch invitation
13. Formal, hosted by parents
The families of Amara and Ren
request the pleasure of your company
at a farewell brunch
Sunday, September 26, 2027, from ten until one o'clock
14. Relaxed
One more coffee before you go? Brunch is served Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the hotel garden. Stay ten minutes or three hours.
One design for the whole weekend
A matching invitation for each event tells guests these belong together, and makes a smaller invitation feel like an honor, not an afterthought.
Matching invitations
A riad welcome dinner, a Champagne toast, an after-party with an instant camera:
On Veiloria, an invitation for another event, such as a welcome party or brunch, is $55 on every plan, or the equivalent in your currency (see pricing): a second invitation in your design, shared only with the guests you choose. Events everyone attends can sit in the main invitation's sections, updated free until the wedding.
Personal links per guest
With the guest list manager (included on Premium and Bespoke, +$65 on Essential), each guest gets a personal link that greets them by name, and you see who hasn't replied.
Sources
- Zola, "How to Plan a Wedding Weekend" and "Ultimate Wedding Weekend Timeline" (both updated February 5, 2024); checked October 19, 2026.
- Zola, "A Guide to Rehearsal Dinner Invitations" (updated July 1, 2025); checked October 19, 2026.
- Zola, "Who Do You Invite to an Engagement Party?", "8 of the Best Engagement Party Invitation Ideas + Tips" and "Fun Post-Wedding Brunch Invitation Ideas" (all updated February 5, 2024); checked October 19, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need separate invitations for the rehearsal dinner?
Yes, in most cases. The rehearsal dinner is for a smaller circle (the wedding party and their partners, close family, sometimes guests who travel far), so it gets its own invitation. Only one open to every guest belongs on the main invitation.
How do you word a welcome party invitation?
Name the hosts and give the day, time, place and dress code. Formal: "Yasmine and Idris welcome you to Marrakech, Friday, October 8, from seven o'clock." Relaxed: "You made it. Find us at the hotel bar on Friday from 7 p.m."
Who should be invited to the welcome party?
Usually the whole guest list, especially at a destination wedding. If you invite only out-of-town guests and family, give the welcome party its own invitation so local guests aren't left wondering.
When should you send rehearsal dinner invitations?
Send them with the wedding invitation or shortly after, at least a month before the dinner. Ask for replies two to three weeks ahead so you can give the restaurant a final number.
Can you put several events on one wedding invitation?
Yes, when every guest is invited to every event. List each with its day, time and place, wedding first. If any event is for a smaller group, send it separately.
How do you invite only some guests to an event?
Give that event its own invitation, sent only to those guests, and leave it off the main invitation and any public wedding website. Keep its wording warm rather than secretive.
