Destination wedding planners make the event immense fun. They are celebration, honeymoon, getaway – all rolled into one. The excitement increases when the destination wedding will take place in a foreign country. Exotic beaches, sunsets, and tucked-away local locations – what’s not to like. To pull off a destination wedding successfully, there’s a set of etiquettes at play that you must be aware of. How many guests to invite? Should you plan their travel? When to send out invites for a destination wedding so everyone has enough time to prepare? It can be a lot. So, let’s simplify it and look at the top 5 etiquettes that you must get right to make sure your big day is a resounding success.
Choose The Best Destination Wedding Season
The time of the year you have chosen for your wedding matters a lot when you work with destination wedding planners that give you tons of option. You need to make sure that when you visit, the local hotspots would be open but there won’t be too much tourist crowd. You also need to keep the local seasons in mind. Avoid the monsoon season, the winter storms, and the sweltering heat. Focus on spring, autumn, and those early weeks of summer and winter when the weather is perfect.
Collaborating with a local travel agency can help you shortlist the most suitable time slots.
Notify The Guests Well In Advance
When to send invites is an important matter to consider when you start your destination wedding planning. If your wedding destination planners have helped you to get a location in a foreign country, your save-the-date must go at least 12 months in advance so the guests have time to prepare for everything – travel, lodging, work appointments, childcare, and whatnot. If it’s within the country, advance notice of 6 months works perfectly.
Send the wedding invites 4-6 months before the wedding date when you’re traveling to a foreign destination. For a domestic one, 1-2 months is great. The idea is to give people enough time so they can sort out their life routine in a way that attending the wedding won’t become a burden for them, and they can truly be present for you on your big day. Read this article by The Streets to know more about the cost of invites HERE!
All Inclusive Destination Wedding Packages for Clear On What You’re Paying For And What Not
Be transparent and open with your guests about matters regarding their travel and accommodation. While you want all your loved ones to be there at your wedding, it’s understandable that you cannot or may not wish to fund their lodging or travel. Therefore, as tactfully and gracefully as possible, bring to their attention that you expect the guests to be paying for their lodging, etc. themselves.
You can do that by recommending them some accommodation options or asking them if they’d like you to shortlist a few options for them. The more open you are to them and graceful and authentic, the more your guests will appreciate the clarity you are offering them.
How to Choose Affordable Destination Wedding Locations for Guests
Traveling to a destination wedding is a huge cost for most people, whether that wedding is in a domestic location or a foreign one. Therefore, do not register yourself for gifts. Tell your guests that their presence on your most beautiful day is gift enough and how excited you are to share that with them.
However, this etiquette rule isn’t set in stone. If you wish to receive wedding gifts or the guests insist about it, accept them graciously. Just be open and aware.
Offered Help by Destination Wedding Planners
Yes, planning a destination wedding is hard and you’ve got to take care of tons of things. Remember, though, that if your guests arrive at the wedding disgruntled or tired because their travel bookings messed up or their accommodation wasn’t sorted, it may dampen the day.
While you’re not obligated to, offering help to your guests to make their visit more comfortable is a great gesture. You can get your guests in touch with a local travel planner to make sure everything goes without a hitch. The travel planner can also help grab some great deals and discounts. Planning activities with your guests before the wedding can also get the celebrations going and put everyone in a good mood.
The Takeaway of GEP Services Here!
Being gracious is what it all comes down to. Treat your guests right, be open to them, and get ready to have lots of fun together.