Planning a celebration back home after destination wedding

At this point, since it's not your wedding, I wouldn't wear your dress and I wouldn't hire typical wedding vendors.

The vendor thing I say because you'll get it cheaper if it's just for a party rather than a wedding reception.

As for the invitations, I don't know the etiquette, but I'd invite those who didn't make it to the DW.

Do whatever you want to do! If you want to get another wear out of your dress, do it! Something like this is completely up to you and you will find a great deal of differing opinions on this subject and what to do or not to do on this forum. I do recommend keeping the word wedding out of any communication you have with any vendors as you will probably get lower prices. I suggest searching these message boards and also looking online, you will find a lot of information because having a DW and the a reception when you return is becoming a more common thing

As for invitions, search reception only invites and you will find MANY examples

I wouldn't call it a reception, since your reception is the party immediately following your ceremony. You are "receiving" your guests and thanking them for attending. I'd get invites that say this is a "celebration of marriage." I would avoid all the wedding trappings at the party - dress, cake cutting, dances, etc. I'd hire a DJ, get some catering, open bar, and have a damn good party!

Thanks for the input guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wear your dress -- your guests want to see it.

DH & I were invited to an after-the-fact reception for the son of a friend. Son wore a tux & his bride wore her gown. Food, drinks, music -- the only thing missing was the ceremony.

That's a good point Nancy, thank you. I want guests to still feel the experience of a wedding without all of the typical wedding venue "pressures" and formalities. You bring up a good point, thank you for the input!!!

What Princess Consuela said. You'll already be married, so it shouldn't feel like a wedding, because it's not a wedding.

This is more related to courthouse weddings, but is also relevant here: http://forums.theknot.com/discussion/1036614/legally-married-now-having-a-real-wedding-stop-here-first-aka-the-ppd-faq-thread

I'm doing the opposite of you- destination wedding to my country (US) and a 2nd celebration in FH's (Spain). We're having a cocktail party for the 2nd one instead of another formal, sit down dinner. I'm wearing a champagne colored evening gown instead of my dress again, although FH will be wearing his tux to both. We're not going to do another ceremony or most of the traditional stuff. Just a party with a ton of food, drinks and dancing! We're having a videographer at the wedding though so we'll be projecting video of the ceremony and such. The invitations will say something to the affect of, you're invited to a cocktail celebration of our recent nuptials...something like that. But in Spanish, lol.

I'm so jealous!! I wanted to elope to Italy to get married. But my mom has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, and I can't do that now. I bet it's going to be beautiful!! I plan on at least having my honeymoon there. Or if I can't then one anniversary.

Have a party. I think it's ok to wear your dress again if you really want to. I mean, who would care? Most people might enjoy seeing you in it. I wouldn't say vows or have a ceremony but anything other than that, why not?

I haven't read the post from TK about the PPD party - not sure if the KNOT POLICE agree with that and I don't care. Just do what feels right. Most people can make rational decisions if they think it through and know their peeps.

OMG, I just read the absurdly stupid FAQs from the Knot.

I am rolling on the floor, laughing my ass off. Like WTF?? "No, you can't do that!" Who says?

Oh man, I miss the OGNay. Where's Nay? (Love the new Nay too but OGNay and her "Wedding Police" thread was AWESOME.

I can't even deal with TK...they always seem like their more judgmental than they are helpful that's why I'm on weddingwire instead haha.

I'm not trying to replicate the wedding or reception, but I still want people who can't make it to the wedding feel just as important as a guest than just thinking it's an everyday party if that makes any sense. Yes in essence it will be just a party but not a regular ol' party lol...Christine your plan sounds awesome!!!!

Do what ever you want as long as you let the guests k ow you are actually married and don't lie about it it is totally all about you guys and your guests.

I went to a celebration from somebody that got married in another country and she was wearing her dress and she said she was so happy to be able to wear it twice. They had a cocktail hour, then a dinner and then dancing. So it was a normal 'party', but just to celebrate the couple.

We had to have our wedding in another state (because at the time, ours didn't have same-sex marriage). We both wore our dresses for our at-home reception. We played a video of the ceremony, had copies of our programs available, used the chuppah (wedding canopy) from our ceremony over the cake table, and had music, dancing, and a photobooth. We wanted to include our guests in the experience as much as possible, although they already knew that this wasn't the actual ceremony.