Move-In Day Guide
Move-In Day Guide
Highlights
Move-In Day is typically Friday; arrive at your scheduled check-in time (usually 3pm)
Unpack décor directly into its destination rooms/areas and settle into your suites.
Run a ceremony rehearsal (often 4–5pm); we’ll guide the process in your chosen location(s).
Enjoy a rehearsal dinner or welcome party—rooftop, front porch, or combo indoor/outdoor.
If alcohol is served to non-overnight guests Friday, a bartender is required.
Before bed: lay out attire, confirm rings/license, and take a moment to soak it all in.
Move-In Day—usually the Friday before your wedding—is when the excitement really kicks in. It’s the day you arrive at Rixey Manor with your family or wedding party, and all those décor items you so carefully packed. This guide will walk you through what to expect on your move-in day and how to make the most of it.
Arrival and Check-In
We’ll coordinate with you on what time you can arrive on Friday. In most cases, that is 3pm - if you are not booked to stay overnight your contract will show your window. We’ll have the Manor clean and ready for you. When you get here, we’ll do a quick check-in, show you to your rooms (see Bedrooms at Rixey for a refresher on room setups), and give you a brief tour to reacquaint you with where things are. We’ll also review the weekend schedule one more time so everyone knows, for instance, when the rehearsal is and what time dinner will be.
Unpacking and Setup
After checking in, it’s time to unload any remaining items you brought. If you did an early drop-off earlier in the week (see Drop-Off Instructions), much of your stuff might already be here.
Personal Settling In
Get comfortable in your assigned suite/room. Hang up the wedding dress and bridesmaid gowns (we have plenty of hangers and garment racks, and a steamer if dresses need de-wrinkling). Same for tuxes or suits—hang them so any wrinkles fall out. There’s an iron and ironing board if needed. Place your toiletries in the bathrooms, put snacks/drinks in the kitchen (we stock some basic breakfast items and a fully loaded snack box for you, and there’s a fridge for anything you brought). Essentially, treat the Manor like your home for the weekend—unpack a bit, relax, and settle in.
Rehearsal Run-Through
Typically, Friday late afternoon or early evening we’ll hold your ceremony rehearsal. Usually this is about 4pm or 5pm, but we’ll have scheduled it with you. Gather the key people—wedding party, parents if they’re part of processional, and of course your officiant. We’ll go to the ceremony site (front lawn or rooftop or ballroom, whichever you’ve chosen as Plan A or Plan B if weather dictates). We’ll line everyone up and do a walk-through of the processional and recessional. Your coordinator (Isadora or team) will run this, working with your officiant (if they are present). It usually takes about 45 minutes to practice entrances, where to stand, and any special elements (like if you have readers or unity rituals, we’ll practice where those folks stand, etc.). This rehearsal is important for calming nerves and ensuring everyone knows what to do on the big day. If someone in your party can’t attend, we’ll fill them in on Saturday.
Note: If weather is iffy, we might rehearse both outdoors and the rain-plan indoors just so everyone is prepared. But we don’t usually set up chairs for rehearsal; it’s more about spacing and cues. If it’s on the front lawn, rehearsals are great because you can practice walking on grass or stairs. If ceremony is in the ballroom (indoor), we practice walking through the doorway aisle. Rixey’s advantage is we have multiple beautiful ceremony spots—by rehearsal time we’ll decide which we’re using based on forecast.
Rehearsal Dinner / Welcome Party
After the rehearsal, it’s time to celebrate! Most couples host a rehearsal dinner or welcome gathering on Friday evening. At Rixey, you have a few options (and you can mix these if you have a larger crowd):
Option 1: Ballroom. The ballroom is awesome for all group sizes regardless of the weather.
Option 2: Front Porch Dinner. Our front porch can seat about 30 for dinner, and it’s covered and fairly weather-safe. This is great for an intimate dinner (wedding party and immediate family). We’ve seen charming setups with string lights and a long table on the porch. It gives a cozy, Southern feel and protects you from light rain.
Option 3: Combo Spaces (House/Patio/Porch). For larger groups or a more casual mingling, you can use the first floor of the house, the back patio by the bar, and the front porch all together. For example, you might have food trucks park outside and guests can spread out between the patio and inside rooms. This is great because it’s weather-flexible—people can be outside if nice, or come indoors if not. We’ve done s’mores on the patio and buffet dinner in the dining room—very relaxed and fun. If it rains heavily and you have a big crowd, Ballroom rehearsal dinner is the rain backup. It can accommodate everyone no problem; we’ll just set up tables in there last-minute if needed. So don’t worry—if you plan outdoors and it pours, we’ll move into the ballroom and still have a wonderful time.
Please Note: The Tent is often filled with rentals - so while dinner there is possible it isn't usually recommended unless full catering are available to help.
No matter which scenario, we recommend keeping Friday night fairly low-key. You’ll be tired from the week and big day ahead! But definitely enjoy. Many couples say the rehearsal dinner was as fun, if not more, than the wedding itself because it’s intimate and you actually get to talk to people. Feel free to incorporate personal touches that night—slideshows, gift exchanges, toasts. As with Saturday - we recommend and sometimes require extra sets of hands to help with set up and breakdown.
Friday Night
After dinner, sometimes the wedding party or friends hang out a bit—maybe a cocktail on the rooftop or around the fire pit (s’mores time!). We encourage you to get a good night’s sleep, though! One unique thing at Rixey is you have the whole property, so you can continue festivities without worrying about “closing time” at a bar - although all outside guests must have left by 9 PM unless you pay to extend. Just keep noise reasonable if it’s late (out of courtesy to anyone trying to sleep and our minimal neighbors—see House Rules about quiet hours). Some couples have set up lawn games or a casual bonfire on Friday night for whoever wants to linger. Others do a strict “everyone out by 8, we’re going to bed!” approach. It’s your call.
Bartender on Friday
Reminder—if you do have guests beyond the on-site overnight folks drinking on Friday, you’ll need a bartender per our policy. We can arrange one easily (it would count as an extra staffing fee). If you’re just having a small family-only thing and you want to self-serve some wine, that’s fine. The rule is mainly about larger gatherings. Let’s say you have 50 people at a welcome party on Friday—yes, get a bartender and maybe a simple bar setup (beer, wine, a welcome cocktail). That way you’re not playing bartender yourself and liability is covered. If you have questions about this, we’ll discuss at Final Walkthrough.
Final Prep Before Bed
Before you hit the hay on Friday, try to disconnect and relax. We know it’s easier said than done, but maybe take a quiet moment with your partner or your best friends. Enjoy the calm of the Manor at night—the stars, the quiet sounds of the country. This is it, you’re here, everything is in place.
We often find that couples who take some time to soak it all in on Friday—perhaps a slow dance in the empty ballroom or a cheers on the porch swing—are more present on Saturday. So carve out that little moment.
Sleep
We’ve prepared the beds with cozy linens (and yes, we have extras if needed). The estate is yours and it’s peaceful. Get some rest—tomorrow the magic happens!