At Home Reception after Destination Wedding???

@BeachDreams No because they also want to feel like a pretty pretty princess again for a day. Not enough people were there to pay attention to them at their ACTUAL wedding

@LB could not have said it better myself!

I'm not a fan of receptions after DW. I just don't get the point - just do a local wedding in the first place imo

Not to mention the added cost too of doing both

I can see how some consider the doubling up on parties as attention seeking, but that is different from gift grabby.

They're not mutually exclusive...

BeachDreams- I definitely see where you are coming from. The people I know that have done a reception after having a DW spent very little on the receptions. They wanted the gifts and attention and were fine with over inviting and not having a lot of food and booze.

If you want to have a really nice and properly hosted event than go for it. My only problem with it is the ones I've seen tend to not go this route.

Also, I guess I don't understand the point of these parties. We are having a semi DW and I would feel weird having another reception unless we were eloping.

OMG LOLOLOLOL....

I disagree.... I dont see it as gift gabby at all.... thought never entered my mind until I read it a few posts later.... I just felt like you want to celebrate your marriage with fam and friends that you both love.....

and yeah wear the damn dress again.... why not?? its your money that you are spending so.... Enjoy!!! Have Fun!!! and Happy Planning!!!

If thats what they want to call Pretty Princess (or whatever the term is) soooooooooo whattttt???

And what if the local guests aren't able to come to the local reception? Are you going to throw a third reception?

@ToBeMrsW - adults give gifts at weddings. So if you're throwing yourself another reception, you're throwing yourself another gift giving event.

Now if one of those local guests decides to host a reception for the couple, that's different.

Too many ellipses.

Lol....

Its the wonderful wonderful world of the internet and this is a very opinionated board.... VERY!!!

You have your opinion.... I have mine.... (which is pointed out soooo much on here with the whole "you cant tell me how to post line")

Doesn't make you or me right or wrong.... its just makes it DIFFERENT!!!

Oy stop yelling...

@ToBeMrsWatson

No! If you care so much about these other people and feel you need to celebrate with them, then you should have had a local wedding. Do not do this, it's rude for not inviting them to the real wedding and looks like you just want their gifts. Eww just no!

DW bride here. I'm not having a local reception, despite the pressure from family members. FH and I will be having a ceremony and reception in Shanghai. Then when we return we will be getting legally married at the court house with just my MOH and his BM to witness.

I like the idea of an at-home reception and don't find it gift grabby. It seems like at-home receptions often come about because of pressure from family to do something more inclusive than a DW, not the bride begging for attention.

On to the actual question you asked: I would wait to decide on whether to wear your dress until after your wedding. The dress may be torture, or you may not be able to wait to put it back on again. Once you're through the wedding, you'll have a much better idea of the right thing to do. I would otherwise avoid trying to make the reception feel too much like a "real" wedding--no first dance, no cake cutting, etc. Focus on the party aspects instead of the firsts--they aren't really firsts at this point.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who has posted. Some I agree with some I don't buy I appreciate everyone taking the time to read my question and post their opinions.

We are doing a destination wedding in Florida with a reception 6 weeks afterwards at home in Wisconsin. I am wearing my wedding dress again. My FH will wear what he did along with bridesmaids and groomsmen. Our theory was not all our extended family could come. So we wanted them to celebrate and enjoy with us. This was our way to do that!!!

My boyfriend and I are "eloping" (we're didn't get engaged, just decided we wanted to get married when we were on our holiday) in June to Italy with just our immediate families and 2 best friends each. No one else so far knows about the wedding except my aunts/cousins and most likely all of my parents friends because they don't know how to keep a secret (!!). We're throwing a celebration a month after when we get home at a local golf course. We're not doing any "wedding" related things other than we'll both be wearing our bridal attire, I wasn't going to but my mom and best friend convinced me because why not have another opportunity to wear your dress especially after spending good money on it. We're having a buffet dinner, open bar and plenty of dancing. My mom was pushing for speeches, cake cutting, etc., etc., etc. but last night I think she finally realized that it's a celebration we want not a "second wedding reception". We're also going to be paying for the event ourselves with some help from both parents, no gift grabby reasoning for having the after party, just a reason to have an awesome party with our families and friends.

A friend of mine got married on the beach in Hawaii with about 10 people and then had a full reception at home for 150. They did toasts and cake cutting, which we didn't do in Hawaii, and she wore the dress again.