Reception 3 Days Before Wedding

My daughter is getting married in Hawaii Sept 9th., and it will be attended by close relatives only.

We want to have a reception for the couple, but the perfect time for the family is the Sunday before her Wednesday wedding.

The grooms family will be passing through our state that weekend which is a holiday weekend and better for the rest of the out of town guests to attend. The couple is staying in Hawaii by themselves for a week after the wedding, so afterward does not seem feasible.

Is it unacceptable to have the reception before the wedding? The date they have set for their wedding is special to them.

Do you suggest they do a "commitment" ceremony before the reception? Do you have any advice as to what to say to the guests that ask?

Our Thoughts

Congratulations on your daughter’s engagement. It doesn’t get any better than having a destination wedding in Hawaii!

Yes, it is acceptable, and you should have the reception the Sunday before your daughter’s wedding. It sounds like this is the best possible scenario for everyone involved.

If a guest were to ask why you chose to do it this way, simply be honest and explain the situation. You want as many people to be there as possible, and this is the best way to do that.

A ceremony isn’t necessary, but it is an option if your daughter and her fiancé would like to have one.

You have a great opportunity to have some fun with the reception if you want. Call it a “Send Off Party” or another catchy name.

Since they are getting married in Hawaii, have a luau complete with leis, a pig roast and signature tropical drinks. Taking it another step further, hire hula dancers to teach the guests how to dance.

You don’t have to go crazy with it, but adding a tropical flair to the reception would make it unique and a lot of fun.

An idea for gifts could be to collect money for honeymoon activities like a spa day or flowers and champagne for the room when they arrive.

We would love to hear more about the upcoming wedding and their engagement. You could always add them to our wedding engagement story page.

To Your (Daughter’s) Wedding!
Danielle & Stephen