Wedding Welcome Parties | cottonwoodcottage

Wedding Welcome Parties in Historic Genoa, Nevada

The Perfect Beginning to Your Wedding Weekend

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life.

The evening before should feel just as memorable.

Whether you're getting married at Cottonwood Cottage or another venue in Northern Nevada or Lake Tahoe, a Wedding Welcome Party is the perfect way to gather family and friends before the celebration begins.

Instead of asking guests to wait at their hotel or find something to do while you're attending your ceremony rehearsal, invite them to begin celebrating together at Cottonwood Cottage.

Tomorrow is your wedding.

Tonight is about bringing everyone together.

The wedding lasts one day. The memories begin the night before.

More Than a Traditional Rehearsal Dinner

A traditional rehearsal dinner typically includes only the wedding party and immediate family gathered around a restaurant table.

A Wedding Welcome Party creates something entirely different.

Cottonwood Cottage gives you the opportunity to welcome a much larger group of family and friends in a relaxed outdoor setting where conversations begin naturally, children play together, and guests from every chapter of your life finally meet.

Rather than limiting the evening to a rehearsal dinner, you create the first chapter of your wedding weekend.

While You Rehearse, the Celebration Begins

While you and your wedding party attend your ceremony rehearsal, your guests don't have to spend the evening waiting at their hotel or wondering where to go.

Instead, they can begin gathering at Cottonwood Cottage.

Music is playing.

Lawn games are underway.

Food is being served.

Friends reconnect.

Families meet for the very first time.

Children begin making new friends.

When your rehearsal concludes, you simply arrive and step into a celebration already filled with laughter, conversation, and the people who traveled to celebrate your wedding.

By the time your wedding day arrives, introductions have already been made, friendships have begun, and everyone already feels like part of one family.

Why Couples Love Wedding Welcome Parties

Your wedding weekend becomes more relaxed because the introductions have already happened.

Instead of spending your reception trying to greet every guest for the first time, you've already shared hugs, introduced families, and caught up with lifelong friends.

Your wedding day becomes less about catching up...

And more about simply enjoying every moment.

A Relaxed Evening at Cottonwood

Unlike your wedding day, there are no formal timelines to follow.

No ceremony.

No first dances.

No seating charts.

No pressure.

Just great food, music, conversation, lawn games, and an unforgettable evening beneath the Cottonwood trees.

Whether you envision food trucks, wood-fired pizza, barbecue, tacos, or your favorite local caterer, your Welcome Party reflects your personality while giving guests a relaxed beginning to your wedding weekend.

Popular Welcome Party Ideas

Every celebration is different.

Some of our couples choose to include:

Food Trucks
Outside Catering
Wood-Fired Pizza
BBQ Dinner
Taco Bar
Live Acoustic Music
Lawn Games
Welcome Toast
Dessert Truck
Ice Cream Cart
Family Photos
Local Beer & Wine Service

Build the evening you've always imagined.

Sample Welcome Party Timeline

5:00 PM
Wedding party attends ceremony rehearsal off-site location
Guests begin arriving at Cottonwood Cottage.

Music is playing.

Lawn games begin.

Food trucks or catering opens.

6:30 PM
Bride and groom arrive from the rehearsal.

The celebration is already underway.

6:45 PM
Welcome toast.

Dinner.

Conversation.

Family photographs.

Games.

9:00 PM
Thank your guests.

Final conversations.

Last photographs.

9:30 PM
Continue the evening together in Historic Genoa before the excitement of the wedding day begins.

What's Included

Every Wedding Welcome Party Venue Rental includes:

4.5 hours of exclusive venue use
Private access to Cottonwood Cottage
Reception patio and event grounds
Indoor dance hall
Tables and chairs
Standard table and chair setup
Standard cleanup
Permanent restrooms
On-site parking

Food and beverages may be provided by your preferred caterer, food trucks, or other approved vendors, giving you the flexibility to create the celebration you've envisioned.

Frequently Asked Questions
Do we have to be getting married at Cottonwood Cottage? No. Many of our Welcome Party couples are getting married at venues throughout Northern Nevada and Lake Tahoe.

Can we bring in food trucks or our own caterer? Absolutely. You're welcome to choose the food experience that best fits your celebration.

How many guests can attend? Wedding Welcome Parties can accommodate up to 130 guests.

How long is the event? Wedding Welcome Parties include up to 4.5 hours of exclusive venue use and conclude by 10:00 PM.

Can we bring in our own alcohol? Yes. We'll help you coordinate beverage service that complies with our venue policies.

Continue the Celebration

When your Welcome Party concludes at 10:00 PM, the evening doesn't have to end.

Many couples and their guests enjoy taking a short walk into Historic Genoa to continue the celebration together before returning to prepare for the wedding day.

It's the perfect ending to a relaxed evening—and the perfect beginning to an unforgettable wedding weekend.

Begin Your Wedding Weekend at Cottonwood

Your guests have traveled hundreds—even thousands—of miles to celebrate with you.

Give them more than a wedding day.

Give them a wedding weekend.

Whether you're getting married at Cottonwood Cottage or another venue in Northern Nevada or Lake Tahoe, we'd be honored to help you bring together the people you love before you say "I do."

Wedding Welcome Party Venue Rental

Pricing Information

Starting prices are based on the day of the week.
Final pricing may vary based on guest count and Optional Venue Additions.
Your Reserved Event Window follows our First Foot On / Last Foot Off policy. All setup, decorating, deliveries, event activities, vendor breakdown, guest departure, and removal of personal belongings must occur within the Reserved Event Window unless Early Access has been approved.
The final 30 minutes of the Reserved Event Window are reserved for venue closing procedures, guest departures, vendor breakdown, and property cleanup.
A signed Venue Agreement and required Booking Payment are required to reserve your wedding date.
All payments are non-refundable.

Your Reserved Event Window follows our First Foot On / Last Foot Off policy. All setup, decorating, deliveries, event activities, vendor breakdown, guest departure, and removal of personal belongings must occur within the Reserved Event Window unless Early Access has been approved.

A Personal Commitment

Cottonwood Cottage has proudly been family-owned and owner-operated since 2016.

We're personally involved in every event and are committed to helping create celebrations that reflect your vision while providing a beautiful, welcoming setting for your guests.

Event Insurance

All events at Cottonwood Cottage require Special Event Liability Insurance. This affordable coverage helps protect you, your guests, and our venue in the unlikely event of an accident.

Proof of insurance must be provided prior to your event. For complete requirements and coverage information, please visit our Event Insurance Requirements page.

Reserve Your Event Date

A signed Venue Agreement and required Booking Payment are necessary to reserve your event date.

All payments are non-refundable. Once your reservation is confirmed, Cottonwood Cottage removes your event date from availability and may decline other booking opportunities.

Wedding Welcome Party Package

$2,000 retainer to be applied to total invoice

Schedule a Tour

We invite you to visit Cottonwood Cottage and see why so many families, businesses, and organizations choose us for life's most memorable celebrations.

Walk the grounds.

Explore the event spaces.

See everything that's included.

The best way to experience Cottonwood Cottage is to visit in person.

Because every unforgettable wedding weekend deserves an unforgettable beginning.