What would you call this party?

ems27

My FI is from London, and not all of his sisters are going to be able to travel over for the wedding.  We wanted to have a send-off party/wedding celebration shortly AFTER the wedding, so those sisters would still be able to celebrate (he's the first one getting married and they wanted something at home), but realized it would be delayed several months due to his Visa/Green Card, so are now looking at something mid-April (about two months before the wedding).

What would you call this party?  I've been toying with "At Home Reception for the Groom," but was interested to see what other ideas you all had!

Summer2011Bride

I'm a little confused, so let me just make sure we're on the same page.

You want to throw a party in London for your FI before the wedding that his sisters can attend? If that's what you want, I'd just call it a going away party, if anything. It couldn't be a reception because you're not married yet. And will just FI be there or will you be there too?

ems27

I'm going, as well as much of my family and as many friends as can come- and the sisters were hoping it would be a "wedding party"- they really want him to have something of an AHR.  We won't be doing any first dance/cake cutting things and it will be a cocktail party rather than particularly formal, but mid-April is the closest either side of the wedding we can do this.  

It IS also a going-away party, but it is the only wedding celebration that two of his sisters and all of his nieces and nephews will be able to attend. They're all very excited about it and devestated they can't come to the actual wedding, so I don't want to take the "wedding" element away from them.

I've just been calling it a "Pre-Wedding Party and Send Off Thing" but that's obviously a bit wordy :-)

egm900

A Reception in Honor of Ems and Ems FI's Impending Nuptials?  Obviously it's kind of long, but it would work on an invitation.  Then there can be a line that says something about Please come celebrate Ems and Ems FI's upcoming marriage and wish them a fond farewell, etc. etc. Just make sure everyone who is invited is also invited to the wedding itself. 

ems27

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_pre-wedding-parties_what-would-you-call-this-party?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:32Discussion:b7754c12-3802-468e-86c0-df609ceedfa0Post:ffb68635-2d45-447a-9f67-4f5f08d87700">Re: What would you call this party?</a>:
[QUOTE]A Reception in Honor of Ems and Ems FI's Impending Nuptials?  Obviously it's kind of long, but it would work on an invitation.  Then there can be a line that says something about Please come celebrate Ems and Ems FI's upcoming marriage and wish them a fond farewell, etc. etc. Just make sure everyone who is invited is also invited to the wedding itself. 
Posted by egm900[/QUOTE]

Invitees: Absolutely!   I'm inviting the wedding guest list to the London party and no extras :-) 

I really like the second line, sounds very nice.

planingweddinggirl

Maybe a Send-Off Party? If you don't want to call it a Going Away Party.