Destination wedding ideas

[zoebartlett]

We saw some beautiful places this past weekend up in the mountains and we''re considering some of them for the DW we''d like to have. Here''s our thoughts on how the weekend will look like. Right now it''s a little sketchy so I could use your help. Since this is a little long, I''ve highlighted specific questions I have.

Friday: Guests arrive. We really want a BBQ that night, but this depends on where we''re having the wedding. If it''s outside on the grounds of one hotel we''re considering, (where we''d need caterers), it''s possible to do this. If we don''t do a BBQ, guests would be on their own for dinner. If this is the case, I''d like to have dinner with my family (aunts, uncles, etc.) somewhere.

Saturday: Wedding/reception. We''d like to have a brunch reception but my mom doesn''t think this is a good idea for a DW. She thinks if you''re asking people to travel a good distance to attend a DW, you can''t just serve them brunch. My mom thinks it should be a dinner type of meal, either buffet or a sit down dinner. I don''t see why this seems to be a big deal. I''d like to do a buffet style brunch, with a carving station, etc., but this all depends on who caters. What do you think?

At some point after the reception is over (how this is to be determined, I have no idea), I want people to feel comfortable changing and then enjoying the day any way they wish - - hiking, climbing the nearby falls, kayaking, etc., playing ball in the field, or just lounging around the grounds.

Would the guests be on their own at this point on, or should we plan on doing something else on the grounds of the hotel we''re thinking of? I''d love to do s''mores, etc., but I''m not sure if this is possible.

Sunday: Once again, would guests be on their own? Some may want to leave earlier in the morning, others may choose to get breakfast at another hotel right up the road that we will recommend. If guests go there for breakfast are we obligated to pay?

Sorry for the long post! I have some idea of what we want the day to look like but we could use some help with the highlighted parts. Thank you!

 

[neatfreak]

Well, I don''t know what is proper and not to step on toes, but I think you can do what you want in most situations these days.

All I can do is tell you what we''re doing:

Guests will hopefully arrive on Friday, there are suggested hotels, but since it''s in San Francisco we want people to choose a hotel at their pricepoint, so we aren''t requiring anyone stay at a particular hotel and will offer a range of options. We''ll have a dinner, something casual, for anyone who wants to come on Friday night. Kind of a welcome dinner.

Then that evening there will be very tame evenings out for anyone who wants. My parents will offer something (maybe get dessert or coffee in North Beach or something) for the older and younger folks, then my FI will go out with the boys, and I''ll go out with my girlfriends. Modified bachelor/bachelorette parties if you will.

Saturday we will have the short ceremony at 12 and then walk over to the reception, which is a 3 course seated lunch at a great restaurant. There will be an open bar too for anyone who wants it. The restaurant overlooks SF Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge, so we''re pretty excited AND especially excited because it was so affordable that we could rent a cable car!!!

After the lunch/reception (which is technically from 1-4pm) we rented a cable car to take everyone on a city tour. We''ll go over the Golden Gate Bridge, take pictures, drink, and have fun for a few more hours. Then the cable car will drop guests off either in a central location or at their hotels assuming they are staying at one of the recommended ones or one that is in the area.


Then on Sunday, we probably will extend an invite for people to join us in Napa or Sausalito for a wine tasting or something like that, but it will be an informal invitation and many people will probably be flying home that day anyway.

So that''s what we''re doing. As for covering costs:

1. We are covering the lodging for our 2 best friends (MOH and BM) but that is mostly because we don''t know if they could join us otherwise. Since they''ve managed to budget to be with us, the least we can do is offer them free lodging. But then again, we''re all poor graduate students, so that''s why we''re doing it for them. I don''t think people expect this, but it''s nice if you can.

2. We''re covering the Friday dinner, Saturday lunch, liquor, and cable car rental. Unless something changes, we''re not covering a brunch or anything the day after, but that might change.

Hope that helps!

 

[mercoledi]

Hiya, I also don't know what's proper, but we recently went to a DW in a SMALL town in a national park in NY. We arrived Fri. afternoon and were on our own for lunch. Dinner was a big buffet-style BBQ meal at the groom's summer house. Saturday we were on our own for breakfast and lunch, then the ceremony was that night and there was dinner, dancing, etc.

The only catch was that there were only two restaraunts (one breakfast counter-style diner and a bar, less than 20 seats each) and neither was good. That diner got our buisness 3 times. While I truly never thought of it before, some sort of warning or organized meal option would have been appreciated. Many people stayed in rental properties with kitchens and could cook on their own, but we were in (again, one of two) a motel.

That having been said... if i were going to a DW in a more developed area, I think the opportunity to wander and explore would be more appealing than several wedding-associated catered events. You don't want to make it too cruise-y, right?

I think in your case a "welcome dinner" BBQ the night before and a heavy brunch would be great. I personally love brunch and think that those two meals are plenty of thanks for everyone travelling.

Good luck!