Hospitality at First Sight: Meaningful Ways to Greet Wedding Guests
Boo Creative
Your wedding is a heartfelt experience, not just for you, but for every guest who walks through the door. And it all starts with how you greet wedding guests and care for them throughout your wedding. First impressions leave a lasting mark, and setting a tone of warmth, gratitude, and joy as guests arrive will elevate your celebration from the very beginning.
Whether you're hosting an intimate gathering or a grand soirée, here are ten meaningful ways to welcome your wedding guests with genuine hospitality and style.
1. Create a Beautiful Welcome Sign
Set the scene with a custom welcome sign that reflects your personality and theme. Beautiful signage eases guests into the experience with comfort and clarity and sets the tone for all that is to come.
Here are just a few of the ways that couples at Legacy Hill Farm enhance their guest experience through thoughtful signage:
Welcome Sign (placed along path to fountain courtyard)
Timeline Signage (viewable near fountain courtyard for the beginning of event and moved to the bar patio for the evening)
Shuttle Information Signage (placed in restrooms & at the bar)
Custom bar signage highlighting signature cocktails and providing clarity for what is being hosted for the event.
Dessert flavors when there are a variety of desserts being provided with special designation for gluten free and other dietary considerations.
2. Offer Signature Welcome Drinks
Greet guests with a refreshing beverage, fruit-infused water, or a signature cocktail. This simple gesture says, “You’re important here,” and gives them something delightful to sip while they mingle.
At Legacy Hill Farm couples frequently open their bar 45 minutes to one hour prior to their ceremony to provide guests with refreshments prior to the ceremony. Many modern weddings will invite guests to bring their beverage from the bar into the wedding ceremony for guests to enjoy and sip on throughout the ceremony.
3. Thoughtful Seating
Invite your guests into conversation through providing them with comfortable lounges where they can gather and enjoy time together. At Legacy Hill Farm couples frequently enlist Hello Wildflower to create inviting lounges to compliment our venue spaces.
Here are just a few of the spaces at Legacy Hill Farm where lounges are frequently used:
In the Barn Loft Welcome Area
Along the path to the Ceremony Site under the tree with twinkling lights
On the Bar Patio
Throughout the Pavilion
Outside near the garden and trees
4. Live Music
There’s something magical about being welcomed by live music. A string quartet, acoustic guitarist, mariachi band, or talented singer creates a beautiful ambiance that instantly elevates the moment.
At Legacy Hill Farm live music is frequently used to create memorable moments during:
Guest Arrival
The Wedding Ceremony
Social Hour
The Evening for Dinner and Dancing
5. Offer Cozy Comforts
Provide blankets, parasols, or fans as needed, depending on the season. Thoughtful touches like these show your guests that you’ve considered their comfort. Providing these details in beautifully styled baskets or displays elevates the experience from helpful to luxurious.
Pro Tip: Keep your guests comfortable throughout your event by communicating clearly prior to the event about the season and event experience. On your wedding website or in the invitation prepare your guests for an indoor / outdoor experience and encourage them to dress accordingly.
6. Interactive Guest Stations
Whether it’s a Polaroid guest book, a calligraphy message station, a creative guest book experience, a photo booth, a s’more station, or a simple “Date Night Jar,” offering interactive stations helps guests feel part of the story. These moments create connection and plenty of photo ops.
Hiring a live painter is another inspiring guest experience that will amaze your guests and provide you with a priceless keepsake of your wedding day.
7. Personalized Notes
Guests love thoughtful personal moments that are infused into a wedding day.
Want to absolutely wow your wedding guests? Leave each of your guests with a personal note. As part of this personalized experience couples will often provide table assignment information as well.
8. Provide a Host or Hostess
Traditionally a host and/or hostess was chosen by the couple to provide a personal warm welcome to guests as they would arrive to the wedding.
A family member or close friend that personally knows your guests and will look out for their comfort will always be appreciated.
9. Shuttle Services
Although not required at our venue, most couples do book shuttle services for their guests to enjoy. This incredible guest experience makes safe transportation convenient and relaxing.
Most Legacy Hill Farm couples arrange for a shuttle to stop at one or a few of the nearby hotels where guests will be staying.
10. Nearby Accommodations
Delight your guests with a wide range of nearby accommodations so that they can build out the getaway experience they desire.
Legacy Hill Farm is conveniently located near Red Wing, Hastings, and the Twin Cities. There are a vast amount of nearby hotels, airbnbs, and even the Treasure Island Resort & Casino.
Where Luxury Meets Heartfelt Hospitality
At Legacy Hill Farm, you’re not just inviting guests to a venue—you’re welcoming them into an experience. Every thoughtful greeting, every carefully chosen detail, contributes to a day that feels luxurious, warm, and deeply personal.
Because the best weddings don’t just look beautiful, they feel like love from the very first hello.
With You, For You.
Legacy Hill Farm
