Hello! We're having a wedding ceremony and reception in a relatively accessible place for where our family members/friends live. In fact, we're probably going to have 85-90 people out of the 125 we invited, which is quite a bit for DW I think! We decided to have a destination wedding because we wanted a smaller wedding, which we sort of got. Anyways, so my fiances parents invited about 16 of their friends (all of which are coming, and this actually led to me and my fiance having to cut some of ours due to venue size, but that's a different story!) Now my fiances parents are talking about having another party when we get back (they live in a different city) for their friends that were NOT invited to the wedding. I feel like this is kind of rude to a) their friends who will feel like b-listers and b) my parents, who are throwing us a lovely wedding. Obviously, I would never argue about this with FMIL and would put on a smile and attend, but I can't help but feel like this is a tiered reception and uncomfortable with the whole thing. Is this improper etiquette to have a party like this??
Re: Etiquette for "celebration of marriage" parties??
A reception for family, friends and neighbors to celebrate your marriage is perfectly okay.
Many people still have a bride's family engagement dinner or party and another with grooms family, and a shower held by MOG for family and friends in their locale in addition to any wedding party or bride's family showers.
The only time I have ever heard such a groom's family hosted second reception considered in bad taste is if there is no distance issue.
Then it comes off as 2 families who are not civil enough to work together on one, when they live close together.
It is a presentation of an already married couple.
The term reception is not just for weddings. It is a social term for a planned gathering, whether for a president or political person, the new college president, to show off a newly built building, for people who have lived abroad for a couple of years and now have returned, OR to present a couple married some distance away.
It is not in any way any part of the wedding. That is over with.
Hosting a second wedding reception is not.
No wedding dress. No wedding related traditions. Gifts are not expected. Your FILS simply greet their guests and introduce them to you, the newly married couple. (Receiving line works best.) Refreshments are served.
I'm with @MobKaz