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What is a wedding after-party, and why have one?
To state the obvious, a wedding after-party is a party that takes place after the official wedding ceremony and reception are over. Beyond that, though, the specifics are up to you. Some after-parties resemble receptions only later in the night, while others seem more like birthday parties or other typical weekend parties. Since wedding after-parties are still a relatively new phenomenon, there aren’t really any ‘rules’ to follow. You can make the party whatever you want it to be!
An after-party is a great choice if your guests are night owls or party people in general, or if some of your guests have travelled for the wedding and will be planning to catch up with other guests over the course of the weekend.
Today we’ve teamed up with US company Birthday Bottle Service to bring you a run-down of the four main ‘styles’ of wedding after-party: spontaneous, low-key, the ‘true’ after-party, and wedding 2.0.
1. Spontaneous after-party
This has traditionally been the most common type of after-party style, with guests, members of the bridal party, or the bride and groom themselves deciding that they don’t want the festivities to end and deciding to head somewhere else afterwards. Nothing is officially planned, nobody is officially invited, it’s completely organic. This is fine, but it can be a little tricky. Some guests might assume they missed an invite to something and feel offended, but if a large number of guests are interested in coming along it can be very difficult to find somewhere that can accommodate everyone without notice.
Who should be invited, when and how?
Since a spontaneous after-party is, well, spontaneous, you won’t formally ‘invite’ anyone. As the reception is dying down, you might spread the word to anyone you want there via your bridal party or your family. If you want to make sure everyone feels included, have the MC or the band make an announcement letting everyone know what’s happening.
Where should I hold it?
This can be the easiest or the trickiest thing about holding a spontaneous wedding after-party, depending on how many people are coming along. For a small group it’s no problem. Just like any Friday night, head to a nearby bar or club and keep the party going. If a lot of your guests are likely to attend, you’re going to need to do some phoning around before you go anywhere.
What do I need to plan?
While the truly spontaneous after-party is possible, it’s not necessarily desirable to do things completely off-the-cuff. If you think you might have a spontaneous after-party, make sure you have access to your wallet and perhaps even a change of clothes to make things a little more practical. You could also do some research into what venues near your reception venue tend to have space without needing to book or queue for hours.
2. Low-key after-party
Some couples decide to keep the celebrations going with their bridal party or their immediate family only, perhaps just over a bottle of champagne in a hotel room or with drinks in a nearby bar. It’s no big deal, just a way to spend a little extra time with the people close to you who helped make the day happen.
Who should be invited, when and how?
Who you choose to include is entirely up to you, but the usual suspects include your bridal party, immediate family or best friends. You won’t need to send out physical invitations or anything, just let them know (beforehand or even on the day) that they’re welcome to come hang out afterwards.
Where should I hold it?
Where you choose to hold your low-key after-party really just depends on how many people are included and what exactly you want to do. Most commonly people opt for a hotel room, a nearby bar or club, or a favourite late night eatery.
What do I need to plan?
Think location, drinks, food, money, transportation and a change of clothes if you need it. If that’s an overwhelming task to add to the wedding planning list, you might want to think about asking a friend to take care of this for you, or asking your wedding planner to organise this small extra for you.
3. The ‘true’ after-party
A ‘true’ after-party is a planned party held after the wedding, similar to a birthday party or other standard party. Usually this is held in a function room, bar or club, with a tab or bottle service package arranged ahead of time. This is where a company like Birthday Bottle Service can shine, making everything super easy for you. With a service like this, everything is taken care of for you. While it’s still the couple’s big day, the focus of the party is very much on socialising and having a good time. Usually the bride will get out of her gown and into some party clothes to help set this tone.
Who should be invited, when and how?
Think of the ‘true’ after party as though you were planning a normal birthday party. How and when would you normally extend birthday invitations to your guests? Typically guests should be given 4-6 weeks of notice that a party is happening, via written invites or an event on social media. As for who is invited, it’s entirely up to you. Some people choose to keep it to just friends around their age who they think will enjoy kicking the party on into the wee hours, while others extend the invitation to everyone and allow people to choose for themselves whether or not they wish to attend. As long as it’s clear that this is not part of the wedding as such, people shouldn’t feel pressured to attend.
Where should I hold it?
Since an after-party like this is disconnected from the wedding itself, you can plan it completely separately from the wedding and have it take place wherever you like. Popular venues include bars, night clubs, function rooms and similar spots.
What do I need to plan?
Again, think of this like planning a birthday party. Make sure you have planned a venue, food and drink, and music or other entertainment. Many people choose to hire an event planner or bottle service (like Birthday Bottle Service) and set up in a function space so that they have full control of the event, while others hold their after-party in an existing venue to cut down on the amount of organisation required. Just remember to keep noise restrictions and licensing in mind when you make your plans.
4. Wedding 2.0 after-party
Some people choose to plan a wedding after-party that is essentially a second reception. Everyone is invited, it’s catered and there’s probably decorations and activities. It’s very much a part of the day’s wedding festivities, and it was probably included on the wedding invitation itself or on a separate card in the wedding invitation suite. The bride is almost definitely still in her gown, and the couple is still the centre of things.
Who should be invited, when and how?
If the after-party is part of your wedding festivities, everyone who was invited to the reception should also be invited. As for when and how you invite them, there are two ways to go about it. Option one is to include the after-party on your wedding website or on the wedding invitation, on a separate card within your wedding invitation suite. Option two is to simply say ‘until late’ on your wedding invitation without specifying that the reception will be in two parts. This keeps the element of surprise on your side while also giving guests the opportunity to organise babysitting for the night.
Where should I hold it?
A wedding 2.0 after-party is usually held at the same place as the reception, just in another room or section of the property. This might mean a different function room in a hotel, or moving from outside to inside on a farm property. That leaves staff free to pack up tables, place settings, chairs and other things while you have cocktails and drinks elsewhere. You might also head to a separate venue near the original one, so long as it is close enough nearby. This is your best option if the reception venue is not zoned for late-night noise.
What do I need to plan?
If you have a wedding planner, ask them to organise a wedding after-party that is an extension of the reception. If not, speak to the venue about the possibility. If they’re not able to provide this service, start looking at what is nearby. Function rooms will usually be your best choice for accommodating your entire guest list, but make sure you consider things like food, drink, and entertainment when you make your plans. A bottle service like Birthday Bottle Service, or another event planner can help with this part of the day, even if they weren’t involved in the rest of the wedding.
So those are the four main styles of wedding after-party. Think about what you want to take place and who you want to be present, and make your choice accordingly. Of course these are just general categories. Don’t be afraid to riff on them, blend them together, or do something completely new. After all, it’s your day, and your friends and family!
Whichever kind of after-party you are planning, it’s important to make sure the planning process doesn’t interfere with planning the actual wedding! The best way to do this is to outsource the after-party to someone, be they a very trustworthy friend, a party planner, or a company like Birthday Bottle Service. The lovely people at Birthday Bottle Service provide party packages in the US to make everything easy: you get the venue, drinks and staff, along with other extras. All you have to do is select your venue and package, confirm with their representative, and then show up ready to have a good time. With a 5-star Yelp rating, you know they’re good, which means you can relax and trust them to do their job and make your event perfect. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
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