Host a post-wedding celebration to include those who didn't attend your destination wedding!
At some point, just about every destination bride feels a little torn between being able to invite everyone to her wedding at home and only being able to host a relatively small number of guests at a wedding abroad. After all, having a destination wedding often means that some of your dearest well-wishers won't be able to leave home.
The solution: Host a fabulous celebration for those who didn't attendance your nuptials. The event can be an intimate, informal affair or a formal, full-scale wedding reception! Either way, with the right mix of details, they'll experience the sights, sounds and flavors of your wedding destination!
Tempt Their Taste Buds!
Start by creating a menu with an international flair. Let your menu reflect the flavors of the destination you were married in. For instance, if you were married in the Caribbean, design a menu featuring the tastes of the tropics. A rustic Tuscan wedding calls for a rich Mediterranean cuisine. Hire a caterer that can create authentic dishes or a sampling of ethnic appetizers that your guests will love.
Engage in a Little Show & Tell!
Have plenty of pictures on hand or allow guest to screen the video footage of your wedding. If you are hosting your reception at a large venue, set up a projection screen and have the video or still images loop throughout the duration of the event. Another cool idea is to take the best pictures from your weddings to a local print shop or Kinko's and create posters. Create a "gallery-style" post-nuptial celebration with the "art" prominently displayed around the space.
Dance to the Beat of a Different Drum!
Play a fun blend of music that features the rhythms from the region you visited. Or simply spin a collection of world music that celebrates cultures from the region you were in. Putumayo Records offers a vast selection of world music form every corner of the globe.
Let Them Eat Cake!
What better way to make guests feel like they are part of your wedding than a traditional cake cutting ceremony? Order a wedding cake that ties into your theme. If your wedding was a seaside event, have your cake designer create a wedding cake adorned with edible seashells. If you'd set off to Paris for your wedding, serve croquembouche.
Give a Token of Love!
Give your guests a keepsake favor that shows you were thinking about them. These gifts can be simple trinkets that reflect the culture, customs or art your destination. Consider gifts such as framed postcards, magnets or small containers labeled and filled with ethnic spices. Box the seasonings along with a popular recipe.
