Destination Wedding Dinner

You should cover the post wedding dinner for sure. Especially since folks are traveling for your wedding and incurring all those additional expenses.

I can’t imagine traveling for a wedding and then being told my dinner was on me. I would cut any pre-wedding event (because those are unnecessary) before I’d ask guests to pay for their dinner following the ceremony.

I agree with PP - cut the lunch before you cut the dinner. The reception/ dinner after your ceremony is how you thank your guests for taking time out of their own busy lives to attend your wedding. This is even more important with destination weddings because your guests have taken even more time off, have travelled a great length, and have incurred a large financial burden for your wedding.

Yes, it’s wrong to expect people to travel (to a very expensive destination) for your wedding and then not even provide them with a meal.

Yes, it’s wrong for a destination wedding to ask guests to pay even more money. Skip a Friday event. Host a welcome meal Saturday (lunch or dinner), before your Sunday wedding.

When is the dinner? Saturday or Sunday? It’s not clear if you mean a third pre-wedding event or a reception. If it’s the former, just don’t host dinner Saturday and let people do their own thing. I wouldn’t do drinks and cake at your condo Saturday night but I think it could be fun as an after party Sunday.


If it’s the latter, you absolutely need to have a proper meal after your ceremony.

I would skip any formal welcome meals or farewell type brunches if you don't want to pay extra. This is what we opted to do. We plan on winging this type of activity because we don't know who will be where or when they will be arriving. Our idea is to just go grab pizza with whomever is in the area. Now we will most likely pick this tab up because it isn't costly, but if it were a restaurant where people had free reign to order whatever they wanted, probably wouldn't pick up every tab. In any event, make sure you provide some type of celebration meal for your guests.

I'd cut one of the pre-wedding events and pay for everyone's dinner after the ceremony. I think inviting people over for cake & drinks is totally fine.