It’s true that your wedding is all about you — it’s supposed to be your dream day, after all. However, you’ll be surrounded by your loved ones that traveled from faraway places to see you say “I do.” That’s why you want to make the day special for them too. We’ve got some ideas for making your destination wedding guests feel the love from you!
As a bride or groom, you can make plenty of gestures to show your guests how much you appreciate them for supporting you on such a huge life step. Here are eight of them:
1. Take the Website Seriously
In our tech-centric world, it’s a necessity for soon-to-be-married couples to build a wedding website. There you will provide guests with all the information they need to know before the big day. Along with the venue, you can tell them where to stay, what to do in their downtime and who will be in the bridal party.
There are ways to make the required website even more special — and helpful. Start by designing it so it represents your wedding theme or color scheme. Then, make sure you include everything a guest would want to know, from driving directions to registry information to the activities we already mentioned. With that, you’ll be a massive help to your attendees, even if you’re out of touch on the days leading up to your wedding.
2. Host Pre- and Post-Wedding Events
This is especially true if you’re planning a destination wedding. A pre- or post-wedding event will give you a chance to spend more time with everyone who comes to your wedding. For some, this may mean giving everyone an invitation to the rehearsal dinner. If you want something more budget-friendly, try planning a meet up for drinks and appetizers at a local bar or have brunch the morning after the wedding.
3. Make Transit a Breeze
Some weddings and receptions take place in the same location, but you may not be that lucky and for destination wedding guests, that can get tricky. Instead, your guests must trek from one spot to another to attend all the day’s events. Rather than making them responsible for their transportation, hire a bus to shuttle them around. Your guests will appreciate it — the less logistical thought required to attend a wedding, the better.
4. Choose the Hotel, Too
This works in tandem with tip No. 3 — if everyone is staying in the same place, you can easily pick them up, too. Even if transportation isn’t in the budget, you should still reserve a block of hotel rooms to make travel easier on your guests. They’ll know they’re staying in a location convenient to the weekend’s events, and they’ll likely get a discount for reserving within the block since hotels incentivize these types of big-group stays.
5. Whip up a Welcome Bag
The wedding gift is probably already on your radar, but a wedding welcome bag shows your guests you’ve thought about them from the start of the weekend to the end of it. Plus, they can enjoy their initial gift — and potentially find it useful — before the big day.
Make sure you select destination wedding guests’ welcome bag fillers that suit your wedding destination and activities. For example, it might be helpful to throw a small canister of sunscreen into the bag if you’re having a beach wedding. No matter what, there are some go-to treats that’ll suit any occasion, including candies, handmade gifts and a hangover relief kit.
6. Make Sure They’re Comfy
Is it supposed to rain on your wedding day? Will you be walking down the aisle outdoors, even though it’s brisk? Think of all the accessories that would make your guests comfortable at your wedding and be sure you have them on hand. Stock up on umbrellas in case of rain or hand out blankets ahead of your outdoor ceremony so no one’s cold — those details will mean so much to your guests.
7. Say Hell
At the very least, you should make a point to greet each and every one of your destination wedding guests. Some brides and grooms might skip the receiving line or forego reception greetings for dancing. You should definitely enjoy your wedding and all the moments you’ve planned. However, it’s up to you to make your guests feel welcome and important — greeting each one is a simple way to do that.
8. Plan a Unique Event
Finally, you can go above and beyond for your guests by doing the same for yourself. Rather than treading a beaten path, choosing a completely unique wedding venue, menu and other features will engage everyone. In other words, they’ll be thrilled to have traveled from far and wide to attend your one-of-a-kind nuptials — and you’ll be glowing because you’ve planned your perfect day.
