Destination Wedding-engagement Party/celebration at Home?

Our DW is in October as well. We're doing a home reception when we get back from the honeymoon, about 2 weeks after wedding.

I've heard and seen most couple come back and do a reception after they get back one couple waited several months it's up to you but I would recommend after the wedding in the first month of so.

I’m getting married on Maui in July- having the at home celebration about 2 weeks later

A reception is by definition tied to an event--you're "receiving" the guests who attended/are attending an event. For a wedding, the reception is to receive your guests after they attend the ceremony. You may have also been to a "cocktail reception" after attending a speaking engagement, or a "welcome reception" before a work conference, etc.

If the event is not tied to the ceremony, it's not a reception. Your reception is the event immediately after your ceremony (even if it's just a couple guests) where you eat and drink and celebrate. You can have a "celebration of marriage" party any time after you are married, and invite anyone you want. Just make sure you don't have any wedding trappings (no "first dance", or bridal party, etc. because it's not appropriate since you're already married).

Any pre-wedding events should only include people who are invited to the wedding itself, so if the purpose is to celebrate with more people than you're inviting to the destination wedding then you need to wait until after you're married.

We're getting married in August in Colorado and then having a reception/party at home in Minnesota in October (when we have our photos and video back from the ceremony).

We aren’t doing a reception at either place, this is more of a celebration for people who are here. Okay so after the wedding? Okay we’ll probably just skip it then as I have work trips immediately after.

I habe been to a few recently before the couple gets matried for locals-not a reception. More like an engagement party. That’s what we were thinking.

Thabks for replies

Our DW is in 10 days. We are having a celebration with some family and friends in June at some point.

We had a very small DW wedding in March, then local reception in June. Give yourself AT LEAST one month in between...but 2-6 months later makes it easier to breathe & enjoy party #2.

Like I said, this is not a reception or anything like it. We aren't having a reception of any kind.

We were thinking of like just a small gathering at a bar or something for those who can't come. Nov and Dec don't work, so we'll just skip it. Thanks for input everyone.

I wanted a small-ish wedding (it's grown to 80 *sigh*) but I still wanted it to be only people I'm close to. FMIL really wanted her friends and extended family to have the opportunity to celebrate so she is throwing us a "celebration of marriage" party 2 weeks after the wedding. I'd prefer that it be further away from the wedding date, 1-2 months after, but dates didn't work out.

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That sounds like fun. Our wedding is 10 people and us, really small. People here are asking about something here so that's why we were thinking that.

Last spring a friend of mine had hers a week before her wedding-not a shower-a party for those who weren't invited to their very small wedding.

We will skip it as the holidays are really hard for people.

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I think after the holidays like in February could work! There's really no rule about how long after a party should be! Around here (Wisconsin) February is depressing because the weather is bad and the holidays are over and it's nice to have something to get excited about!!

Also, my friend got married with only her parents present (military husband) and they threw a wedding celebration a year later.

I would say do whatever you want! If you want to have a celebration for people that can't make/aren't invited to the wedding, then do it!!

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Okay maybe we'll do something like that next year. That might work.

Thank you so much!!

I lived in WI and yeah Feb is pretty cold and drab.

What about engagement parties? Do people not do those anymore?

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You don't usually throw those for yourself, usually someone would host that for you relatively soon after you are engaged. And typically people who attend are also invited to the wedding, thats good etiquette.

Were you planning on hosting the bar tab for this 'party' what about food, light bites? What ever you throw should be hosted. If that means its at 9pm and you are doing drinks and some pizza, then thats cool too.

If you want to make it a send off party and think people would come and wouldn't be put off by not being invited to Hawaii, thats cool too. We can talk about etiquette all day long, but do what works for your crew as long as you pay for all of it.

So our DW is in Oct and we aren't doing a celebration here until May. By the time we get home we are so in the holidays (and we are counting Halloween too because a lot of our friends have kids and want to do the whole trick or treating thing) it isn't working out until May because we also wanted it to be nice enough out that it can be indoor/outdoor (our place has a huge side yard for games for kids and big dance floor for adults also it's just an Italian center haha)

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No one has offered to throw us an engagement party. Most of my friends who have gotten married out of state have done their own.

"wouldn't be put off by not being invited to Hawaii, thats cool too." ---LOL this is silly to me. So many people here in Los Angeles have small ceremonies outside of L.A. destinations or even abroad and people never get put off by not being invited.

We would definitely be paying for everything.

Still thinking. Thanks for chiming in.

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That's awesome. May is too hot here----in my opinion---I don't like over 80-90---but that could work too, something in the spring.

We were thinking more of an engagement party. I understand that usually, someone else throws this for you, but since we don't have bridesmaids, best man, maid of honor etc, that hasn't been done. A few people have asked us though if we are having one.

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I'm in Ohio so it might still be winter in May... I'm kidding.... slightly lol

I'd say go for it if that's what you want! It's your wedding!!! We have huge families so we had to do something here (and I will literally find any excuse to dance the night away and also wear my wedding dress again because I don't care if it's super causal I'm wearing it again LOL). FH told me his sister did the same thing but had a celebration almost a year later so I think it's totally up to you guys!! We aren't going to call it a reception though just a celebration

I would probably wait and have a celebration after you get back :-)