the plan is that we move up north in August - dh's birthday is in September. most of our friends are spread around the south. what should I do? If we were down south we would probably have a party at home, or maybe in a pub or bar, or maybe dinner in a restaurant. and at midnight (ish) most people would go home, some would stay overnight, some might stay with other nearby friends.
but come the summer we are going to be a 3-4 hour drive away for most of our friends. we would be able to put up a handful (2 families, or 3 couples) overnight but no more. on the plus side we will be living in beautiful countryside - the kind of place people would actually like to spend a weekend and the kind of place with plenty of b and bs. but a long way for a party...expensive if people are paying for b and bs...difficult with kids etc etc although, on the other hand, many of our friends bemoan the dearth of wedding-based country get togethers now that we are all old...so maybe it would be welcomed (and a friend did similar for his 30th and we all trekked to Yorkshire for it...)
so do I invite people to something at/near our new place anyway? or should I book something in London which would be reasonably convenient for most - dh and I would have to stay with friends or at a hotel and possibly leave dds with my db and sil. (which might leave them feeling excluded - but we could perhaps have a small family thing at new place up north). or should I move his birthday and have a combined 40th/leaving London party?
any other ideas?