Destination weddings are amazing for a lot of reasons, but can also be hard to plan. When taking into consideration that your guests are traveling to be there with you, it’s important to make them feel relaxed and like they’re on vacation. You want the logistics to be handled and the party to start IMMEDIATELY. Below are some easy things you can do (ranging from decor to vendors) that will add personal touches and let your guests know how much you appreciate them being there, while also imprinting your personalities throughout the weekend.

Welcome Party:

If you read my previous post on rehearsal dinner vs welcome party, you know that I opted for an intimate rehearsal dinner, followed by a welcome party for all gusts. One of my planning errors was not asking about capacity spaces for ALL venues, including the rehearsal dinner spot. Well into the planning, I learned that our dinner space could only hold half of our guests, making it impossible for us to invite everyone. That being said, everyone had traveled for this occasion, and I felt it necessary to thank them through a night of shared cocktails and food. A welcome party is an amazing way to do this. We had family and the bridal party begin with us on the beach before dinner, where there was a canoe filled with booze, live music, and beach games. Then, this group moved inside for dinner and speeches. After the speeches concluded (around 8pm), we opened the room up and connected it with another space, allowing for all 150 guests to mingle, eat passed desserts, and drink from our open bar.

I strongly suggest a welcome party, as it’s not only a great way to thank guests for traveling all that way to celebrate with you, but also is a perfect time to catch up with them. The hours of conversing and mingling the night before the wedding allowed us to enjoy Saturday night to its fullest (on the dance floor), without needing to “make our rounds” and say hi to everyone.

Hand Written Welcome Notes:

This was something I decided to do as a personal touch, and I’m so glad I did. Yes, this took hours, but was well worth it. I got “Thank You From The Happy Couple” cards from Target and wrote each couple a hand written note, welcoming them to our destination, and telling them how much it meant to have them there. We were lucky enough to have our hotel staff put each note in that couples’ room for when they arrived, but if this isn’t an option, I’d suggest putting it in their welcome bags and making it clear which welcome bag belongs to which couple.

Save The Date Luggage Tags :

These are the CUTEST idea for save the dates, or even for exit gifts! Celebrate the fact that your guests are traveling (and likely boarding a plane) to get there. Put your names, wedding date, or even a cute saying like “distance makes the heart grow fonder” or “the adventure begins” so they can use the tags for years to come!

Welcome Bags:

When it comes to a destination wedding, welcome bags are an awesome way to welcome guests, give them a taste of the local area, and include your own personal touches. I love the idea of having:

“Do not disturb” signs for the door
Local goodies (our wedding location was known for its salt water taffy, so we had a few pieces in each bag)
A hangover kit
Sunscreen (if tropical)
An itinerary for the weekend events
A contact card so people know who to call with questions (*NOT THE BRIDE)
A card with your favorite spots to check out (restaurants, attractions, shops, etc)
His/Hers favorite snacks

Read about my tips for creating the perfect welcome bags here.

Globe Guest Book:

Instead of a picture book, have your guests sign a globe! It emphasizes the fact that they’re all traveling from afar, and is such a fun keepsake for after the wedding!

Ceremony Guides:

Let’s be honest…the only time someone is reading a ceremony guide is when they’re trying to figure out how many more prayers are left until they can get a fresh glass of champagne. With this in mind, I designed my ceremony guides to entertain guests as they waited for the ceremony to start. We put a map on the back, stating how many states were represented by guests there that day. We also put some trivia questions like “who said I love you first,” “who is the better cook,” and “who is going to cry today” (answer to that last one was my dad).

Wedding Week:

Why confine this momentous occasion to just two days?! More than likely, if your guests are traveling from afar, they are considering the trip to be a vacation. Therefore, we planned events starting the Wednesday before our wedding, and invited anyone to join us along the way. To read more about our wedding itinerary, click here.

Our week consisted of a bonfire at the hotel on Thursday night, a bridal party dinner on Thursday, tennis, beach yoga, golf, and bike riding for everyone on Friday, etc. This allowed us to start seeing guests a few days before the chaos of the wedding, and to spend quality time with everyone. We got a ton of feedback stating that they all felt like they were on vacation, since they were able to stroll to the beach during the day and had the freedom to explore the island, but also the structure of where/when to meet us for activities if they so desired.

Tip: Throw a Farewell Brunch on Sunday! It’s a great way to say good bye to guests before they take off and to give them some food/mimosas before their flight home.

Transportation:

Make it easy! If most of your guests are traveling without a car and your wedding events aren’t at the hotel, consider having a trolly or shuttle pick them up. Taking the thought out of it for them will absolutely make them feel more relaxed and taken care of. Sure, an Uber ride is easy enough, but part of the destination wedding fun is not having to worry about logistics!

Tip: Put the trolley/shuttle phone number and pickup information in your welcome bag, on your wedding website, and even a sign in the hotel. Make sure guests can get this information wherever they are so they don’t have to contact you!

Sharing Flight Details:

One thing I absolutely wish I had done was create a public Google Doc with columns for “guest name and count", “Arrival airport” “Arrival day and time” and “Contact Phone #.” We had a ton of guests reach out to us the week of the wedding and ask if we knew who else was arriving around the same time as them so they could share an Uber. I wish I had included this Google Doc on my wedding website and encouraged guests to reach out to each other to organize shared rides to/from the airport.

Photos Around The Hotel:

Something our hotel allowed us to do, which I would highly recommend, is put photographs around the space. We had pictures from our engagement shoot as well as with family/friends who were staying there, so it felt extremely homey and cozy! It truly felt like they were staying at our house! If your hotel doesn’t allow you to do that, find places you can put pictures or personal touches! Maybe the local coffee shop will let you put a picture or a welcome note to guests by the cash register!

A Guide To Creating Your Destination Wedding