Welcome drinks afternoon before wedding weekend
Hey y’all,
Hoping for some recommendations for a welcome drinks Friday before a late February Sat wedding date. We anticipate about 40-50 people. I really don’t want to do a formal buyout somewhere and honestly would prefer to just open a tab for our people at a bar, hang for a happy hour from 4-6 then bounce to do dinner with the family. Most guests from out of town so this is more of a “come say hi and hang for a bit after you arrive to town” vibe than a rehearsal dinner or anything. Im looking at ~$1500 budget. (Adding here: I am former industry, so rest assured I would be in touch for a heads up for whatever place we land on, and our crew tips very well as most of them are also industry in a different city)
Thoughts so far:
- Park hang: if the weather isn’t terrible, have people meet at city or Audubon park and gather with some ice chests full of beer and wine. Pros- free, access to parking; cons- lights, weather, bathrooms for old people
- bar big enough to accommodate: there are elders in this group that will need to be able to have a normalish bathroom and seating. I’m realistic about parking, though it would be very sick to have a place with parking so I don’t have to hear the Texans complain about it :) So places that would be easy and fun for a young crew may not work (I.e. Frenchmen is out)
- hotel bars: how reasonable would it be to just have people show up to a hotel bar like the Roosevelt or carousel at the montleone or smtg? Just grab seats for the elders… kinda hoping the post-Mardi gras date means the bars may be a little quieter than a regular Friday night
Would love to hear rec’s and ideas!