After a Destination Wedding ceremony...

I think you'd have to have some sort of reception with those who attend the DW unless it's just your FS and yourself. Maybe keep the DW small and just do a dinner after with those who are closest to y'all? Then have the bigger reception when you get home.

Who are you planning on inviting to the DW??? I’m doing a DW, no party/reception after.. all of it at once.. . so if I was in your shoes I’d keep the DW guestlist to a minimum(10 tops) or elope there.... a lot of resorts give you a free wedding for the 2 of u and or 10 guests... whoever you invite to the DW might not go and spend $$ knowing you plan on having a reception locally later.. I know I wouldn’t..

I’m actually doing a DW and our reception is included in the price of our wedding package. We plan to do a beef & beer type reception when we get back but completely informal. I will be inviting everyone who came to our DW though.

Keep your DW small (check with your VIPs first to see if they would/could go--DWs are expensive for guests). Your local reception could be as simple as "cake & punch," a catered BBQ lunch, or a full-on formal affair.

You *may* want to do the local reception at least a month after your DW... ours was three months later but because both our DW and local receptions were huge DIY events, we were exhausted and seriously sick after our mini-moon (hubby was sick during) for several weeks. We wish we had made our local reception 4-6 months after our DW. But our DIY stress/ambition was our own fault.

You should provide a meal for your guests after the ceremony. Going to a nice restaurant and just having dinner, on you, would be sufficient.