Out of town ceremony/reception

[nomilou]

I am still in the early planning stages of my wedding, and here is my issue...
My parents live in the town I grew up in about 5 hours away from where I am now, I am in college, but will be settling where I am now after I get married. My fiance is from this area as well. I want to have the wedding here, but I know that I want to invite a lot of people from home. What should I do, should I have a wedding somewhere inbetween the 2 cities or just do it here and realize that almost half of the guests will have to drive 5 hours to get here?
Someone suggested that we have a reception here and in my hometown as well, but then I feel like at the wedding I wouldnt have many "guests of the bride"
HELP! suggestions?!

[Blusher]

I think that if you have the wedding where you are now that the people who really care about you won't mind the drive. but some might need to take off work or w/e to come so you might not have as many coming...
but getting married 1/2 way in between wouldn't really be special. it would just a spot (like its not anybody's ;hometown") so I dunno.......sorry, I'm not any help. Check out venues and which ever you like best go with that. You only get married once (hopefully) so your home friends should be willing to come for the big day!!! Good luck

[WebLady]

I don't think there is really any etiquette regarding where to hold the wedding. If your family is paying I would try to make it easier on them and have it close to where they live.

In most cases I would say have the wedding were the couple lives. However, if you are saying that most of your side is 5 hours away, but FH's side is where you guys live now; then I would think it would be nice to find a happy medium and look for somewhere in between.

But I suppose even with out of state or destination weddings, close friends and family will come if given enough notice. So send out "save the date" cards well in advance, so your guests will have plenty of time to make arrangements.

I would try to look for hotel deals for the out of town guests. And if you are having out of town attendants (wedding party) I think you should pay to put them up.

You could also choose to have maybe 2 receptions; one where you live after the wedding, and then one in your home town after the honeymoon.

:goodluck:

[mj512]

You could also choose to have maybe 2 receptions; one where you live after the wedding, and then one in your home town after the honeymoon.

:goodluck:

That was going to be my suggestion.

Also you probably shouldn't expect too much gift/money wise from guests who would be traveling 10 hours round trip. They may still feel like they have to, so for guests traveling that long you may want to put a little card in there saying something along the lines that their gift to you would be their presence and that is enough of a gift for the two of you or something like that. Worded differently probably but something along those lines. At least I would appreciate that as a guest driving 10 hours.