destination vs. at home reception question

[boscobel]

Hello all,

 

I am having a dilema with my guest list. I am from a pretty large Irish family, but my fiance is from an even larger Italian family and our list, cut to the bar minimum is still at 250! We were planning on sending STD's to everyone and letting anyone who wants to come to Jamaica come. We ended up having to cut about 30 of our friends that we would really rather not cut, but due to the family sizes, it was unavoidable.

 

My issue is this - can i invite everyone to the destination and not to the reception that will be held when we come home? I am getting mixed opinions from everyone. I would think that if they are invited to one, they should be invited to the other. But my sis (MOH) had a different point of view - everyone knows how hard it is to get everyone included in the wedding, and if I can include them in the destination, I should.

 

Thoughts?

[Ashleigh]

WOW! Thats a hard one!!! I think that everyone that goes to Jamaica would think that they are a shoe in for the at home reception. Do you really think that all the family you are inviting to Jamaica will go I would have to say that I would have to invite the people that are invited to Jamaica get to go to the the reception at home, along with the others that are not getting to go. You have a huge family girl!!!!!

[boscobel]

I know, it makes it to hard! I agree with your thoughts, but I wanted to be sure, cuz my sister seems so sure that people would want to be included where they could. But I think I'd end up feeling bad if people came to Jamaica, but then weren't invited to the reception! Ugh. Thanks though for your thoughts!

[JaimeLynne]

Man, that's a HUGE family! LOL I guess the more, the merrier in this case.

 

I would say that it would be proper etiquette to invite everyone who's already invited to the wedding to the AHR. Also, if you include that there will be an AHR upon return, some people may decide this is the better option for them. So this may cut your guest list down considerably. You never know tho with DWs...

 

Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

[boscobel]

Will do. I think that means I can order my STD's right now! Yay!!!!!

[JaimeLynne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlymcmullen Will do. I think that means I can order my STD's right now! Yay!!!!!

Woohoo!

[jak27]

I agree with Jaime, in that you need to include everyone you invited to the wedding to the reception as well.

 

However, how many more people are you inviting to the reception that are not invited to the wedding? I ask because we were struggling with this as well.

 

Once we decided who to invite to the wedding, we only had about 30 people that would be "new" to the list and would be added to the reception. So in my mind, those 30 people would obviously know they were not included in the guest list for such a large wedding, but they made the cut for the reception. It felt almost worse to invite them knowing that the wedding wasn't going to be a small, intimate affair, but rather a large one. So in the end, we ended up inviting everyone to the wedding, and we're not having an AHR.

 

I don't think that made any sense, but it does in my mind!

[boscobel]

off the subject - love your bulldog! I have one also, her name is Sugar and she turns 7 tomorrow :-)

 

I decided that the people that were "maybes" are going to stay off the Jamaica list. I can revisit the reception later and possibly add them there. We don't even know if we are going to have an outside reception (which could accomodate more), or keep it indoors, since it will be June and HOT.

 

I just ordered my STD's and am so excited! Every little step makes it feel more real.

 

And btw, you totally made sense.

[Rachelle E.]

Yay! I'm glad you got that sorted out! I agree with the other girls - good advice ladies!

 

And even MORE off the subject. . .you're getting married on my b-day! SO I think that's fantastic and a VERY good day for a wedding! Lol! Congrats...have fun planning!!

[Ashleigh]

YAY!!! I just ordered my STD invites too!!! This is exciting!!!!!