We are having a multipart "marriage experience" due primarily to the fact that our communities are spread throughout the US and overseas and the fact that we don't want to have a huge gala. We are having a very small backyard ceremony with only immediate family and 2 friends each (about 25 people total), followed by dinner...no reception. We will have an "open house" a few weeks later in Colorado where we live--it will probably be for around 50-100 friends as none of our families live in Colorado. We are having a large dinner party overseas where my fiance's family lives.
I am looking for suggestions in terms of what to do with regard to my extended family--there are about 20 extended family members on my side who I am close with--almost all of them live in Michigan where I'm from. I am torn between inviting them to the ceremony (seems like a lot to ask all of them to fly from Michigan for a simple ceremony and dinner--plus it would double the size of the simple thing we have planned, which makes our plan complicated/unrealistic) and doing something special just for them in Michigan (it would be a lot less expensive for them this way and we could do something intimate and meaningful with them, but it would mean that they are not there for the ceremony itself). Anyone have any suggestions for doing something really special for extended family on one side only? I am looking for ideas/solutions, not opinions that this is improper. Thanks!!