Planned activities for destination wedding, how many?

I'm not planning a destination wedding, but I would think that the welcome dinner would be enough. If you want to host the brunch, go for it, but I don't think it's a necessity.

We are doing a destination wedding at the beach. After the rehearsal dinner we will have drinks and dessert back at the hotel's restaurant for anyone who wants to join. The day after the wedding FH and I were planning on hanging out at the beach anyway and decided to invite any of the guest who want to come. Since a lot of the guest are family we haven't seen in a long time, we wanted to get more time in with them while we could.

I think a welcome dinner and post wedding brunch sound great but I wouldn't do more than that. Maybe provide some links on your website to local things to do and places to eat and let people do their own thing.

I'm planning a DW in cancun. I would like to do a day pool party on Friday and then a "rehearsal" dinner. And sunday maybe a breakfast. Since the hotel is all inclusive maybe we all just sit together for breakfast?

I think with such a small group, the day after brunch isn't necessary. It's not like you won't be able to spend some time with each of your guests at the wedding reception.

I also wouldn't worry too much about informing guests of things to do. It's not terribly hard for them to find this stuff out on their own. It's a nice thought, but I don't think it's really worth your time.

As a guest I'm not a big fan of post-wedding activities. I don't know it just seems kind of anti-climactic. I love just walking away from the reception feeling warm and fuzzy and remembering the bride and groom in their finery until they get back to the real world.

I think the brunch would be a good idea but its is not necessary at all, your guests will not be expecting it.

I'm a destination bride getting married down in FL in 5 days (AHH) we are doing a welcome party after our rehearsal dinner for 2 hours wine/beer with a fire pit and s'mores and then after we will head inside to the hotel bar where our guest will then have to pay for their own drinks. We are also having a post wedding breakfast as many guests are flying out on Sunday and it will be nice to say goodbye to everyone.

Maui is so diverse! Give your guests ample free time because the choice activities will be different for different people.

I had a destination wedding with 26 guests. We originally planned a BBQ for the next day but canceled it so people wouldn't have to be on a schedule and make it to something. I'm glad we didn't have it. We told everyone we were having a beach day the next day and they were welcome to come. Some did some didn't. Some we met up with later for mini golf. I think three events to attend is overkill at a dw. I would need some alone time and some time to go on my own adventures while I'm on vacation. I think your rehearsal and wedding day is plenty. Just keep people in the loop about what you're gonna be up to. Btw, your fire pit, snores and drinks sounds wonderful!

I agree that the welcome dinner is enough. Normally I love an after-wedding brunch, but your guests may want to sleep in on vacation and I agree they will want plenty of time to enjoy their vacation!

I think the welcome party is sufficient. I think they will appreciate it and also the free time they have alone to vacation. Maybe include some tourist attractions they can do on there own time like @MN mentioned. I am planning a DW in St.Lucia and I am just doing a welcome party for guest to show appreciation and at the same time allow them to be free to enjoy there vacation.

I don't understand. Unless you're requiring people to be at anything, how are you overbooking people? I think a welcome cocktail/dinner and farewell brunch would be lovely and if I felt like I wanted to do other things instead, I would simply decline those events on the RSVP.

I don't know where you're staying but if you're looking at doing things that need tickets or anything (I remember needing to book my luau in Hawaii) you could add your "schedule" to your website with links like "join us" that would take the guests to the ticketing page themselves. You could also just add your schedule to the website and note which events are included and which aren't, but you'd have to carefully word it. Something like:

Thanks for the tips ladies!

We are also facing the planning of the luau optional activity. Typical Maui luaus are very popular and have to be booked a few months out. We could provide a link on the website for tickets but how do we denote we are all in the same party? Otherwise I may have to set a deadline and a PayPal so we can buy all the tickets together.

I don't think the brunch is necessary. Some people might want to sleep in or hit the beach (you included).You could just tell some people that you plan to have breakfast at a certain place and time if they want to meet up with you.

I wouldn't book too many group activities. We're having a DW too, and I've already had some of our guests (including my parents and members of the bridal party) tell me how excited they are to do different activities they've planned for themselves. It's their vacation too, and the things FH and I might want to do aren't necessarily the same things they want to do. We plan to let everyone do their own thing as much as possible, and if anyone happens to want to join us, that's fine too.

Personally I don't love post-wedding brunches. Your guests were up late the night before celebrating, dancing the night away, and probably having a few drinks. While the brunch is a nice though, I know I appreciate the option of sleeping in the next day.

We are having a DW and will be there for 7 days. We only put together 2 excursions that we made completely optional. One was during the night and one was a 6 hour catamaran to the island. I think if you plan too many things you'll start to realize that you yourselves won't feel like you get to relax. If anyone wants to do something they can plan it on their own

View Quoted Comment I am having a DW in Saint Lucia as well. At your welcome party did you have dinner and drinks or appetizers and drinks or just drinks?