Help from those who are having a destination wedding but reception back at home

jeemeekim

I am having a destination weddingin the Carribbean with just immediate family and then want to have a reception back here in the states with all family and friends. I am unsure of how to go about this...

What is okay to do at the reception ? Can I still throw my bouquet and do all the traditional activities ? Do I send out save the dates for the reception or just a normal invitation ? Ideas on how to word the invites ? I am just not sure what I can and cannot do for a reception that will be two weeks after we are married.

Any ideas or help would be much appreciated

breaness

You can do whatever you want! Sarah is doing a lot of the traditional things at her AHR. Mine on the other hand, we're not doing any first dances, bouquet toss, any of that crap... BUT if we were getting married here we wouldn't anyway. It's not our thing.

I sent out save the dates for the reception and I know a few others did too. Some do just invites.

Honestly, do whatever makes you happy! 

We're getting married on Monday, October 10th, we get back on Sunday, October 16th and our reception is Sunday, October 23rd. So just under 2 weeks after we're married, 1 week after we return. It's at a banquet hall in a hotel, full catered meal, if we wanted cake we would have had a traditional wedding cake, but we prefer cupcakes. We're not having a DJ but instead having dueling pianos.

Girls on here have done everything from a backyard BBQ to a full-on traditional reception

tiffhiam

I did a DW with just close friends and family and we are doing a normal reception at home July 2nd. I am not sending Save the Dates, I am just going to send a picture card with a picture of us from the wedding saying "We tied the knot in Vegas on... And you are invited to celebrate with us on July 2nd" with the details.

I am doing everything just the same as a regular reception... first dance, dj, food, cake cutting, father daughter dance and I am wearing my dress.

sld0618

Yuppers, I'm with Tiff.  I am literally doing the whole sha-bang at home.  It's the day after we get back from Hawaii (yes, I am dumb for this, do not repeat this), and we're doing all of the traditional stuff, just no ceremony.  But I will have the ceremony on DVD and being playing on a TV by my photobooth so that everyone can "witness" my ceremony.  Do whatever you want to do, the rules are meant to be broken. 

We are doing more of a family and family friends deal for the reception because we wanted out friends to be able to bring dates, so the list had to be shorter.  We're going to do a "luau" at our house after FI moves in with me for all our friends.  It's going to just be a backyard kegger with some decor.  Then again, I'll prob have the DVD rolling in the house for people to see.

fsujen18

I agree with Sarah.  Our AHR is going to be a little more traditional.  We're not serving a meal though, more desserts and apps.  But we'll be doing all the dances, bouquet toss, etc.  In our invites we're including information about our AHR since it's 3 weeks after our DW.  Here is my AHR invite and RSVP card.  HTH's!

kimmykupcakes

Like the other ladies said, you can do whatever you want! Our wedding is going to be pretty small.  There are only 21 ppl invited and that includes us. We are inviting everyone under the moon to our AHR.  It's just going to be a backyard luau. We are sending save the dates and invitations that say something about us getting married. We will have full food, a dessert buffet with wedding cupcakes, backyard games, photo booth, photographer and dancing. I think the only traditional things we are going to do it cutting of the cupcakes and a "first dance".