Accommodating family in two states

Where do you live?

Can you afford to move it across the country?

Can you afford 2 weddings?

I had a friend with a similar situation. She lived here in Seattle but was originally from Minnesota. Her DH was from Seattle. She decided to elope here in Seattle and threw two receptions. One here and one in Minnesota. It worked out better for their situation.

Could you find a location in the middle?

I live in NY and FH is in Canada. We have family and friends all over. We are marrying in my hometown.

We're having our wedding where we live, FH is from texas and im from California. Wedding and reception will be in Texas

Either have it where you live and have everyone travel to you, or have it in a central location. Not everyone will be able to travel, but that's a fact no matter what location you choose.

Almost no one has ALL their family in one state.

Pick a place. Do one wedding.

We are having our ceremony and reception where we live, and then my mother is throwing us a celebration of marriage where I'm from (500 miles from where we live)

I am sorry about his dad and your grandma. Unless I misunderstand, they are about 240 miles apart. Can his dad not get in car for that long? Some people will have to stay overnight. I would not do two ceremonies in your situation.

We don't have a convenient spot for more than 3 people, so we're just getting married where we currently live. Everyone would have to travel anyway, and this makes planning much easier.

That is such a bummer but I really would just have a wedding in one location (pick a city!). It will be so so so so so much easier in you guys, unless you have unlimited funds. Also, you can do a videographer and show the video to the grandparent that can't make it! That is what we are doing my grandparents understand and didn't cause any fuss that they wouldn't be able to attend. Good luck!

I feel you! Try two different countries! Eek! Anyway, the feedback we got from friends was it's better NOT to meet in the middle or go somewhere else. If you do that then everyone has travel costs as opposed to roughly half your guests. We calculated which family could afford travel/ would make the trip. Good luck, it's not easy

Maybe there is one who you expect to be a part of the wedding party? If that's the case, I'd do it there, be sure it's filmed properly, then hand deliver a copy of the video to the other individual, and have a mini viewing party/quasi second reception depending on the number of people who'd like to be there.

Don't have two weddings. Our wedding was a 2 hour trip for most of H's family and a 2-3.5 hour trip for most of my college friends. The majority of the ones we invited came to the wedding. Figure out where you want to have it and people will come to you.

We are having our wedding in the Asheville area, where we currently live now but I have immediate family in Seattle (where I'm from) and extended family in NJ that is coming. My grandma is getting up there in age and starting to diminish in ability to travel so the shorter the better for her and then she gets to see my family in WA who don't see her often. I'm trying to be as accommodating as I can be because they are coming from farther out. FH's family is local so no hard travel for them.

Cater to your VIPs. I know grandparents are important but in this case I think it may be his dad is the VIP. Also you'd be surprised, if you ask family members will step up. I got married in my home town and I talked to my aunts who worked out how to transport my 95 year old grandma to be there so my dad didn't have to drive 2 hours on my wedding day to get her.