Out of Town Wedding Guests

Chances are there will be guests coming to your wedding that live hours or even entire states away. At my own wedding, at least one of the guests came from as far as Germany! Here's the deal: Out of town wedding guests know what they are getting into when they decide to travel to a wedding, so you are under no obligation to provide them with goodie bags, care packages, or other presents. Don't feel like you haaaaave to splurge on your wedding guests.

But if you want to go above and beyond helping with travel arrangements and accommodations, go nuts!

Send out a wedding newsletter early on, via e-mail or snail mail. Make sure your wedding newsletter includes information like the date of your wedding, the location of your wedding, the names and phone numbers of local hotels, restaurant suggestions, and stuff to do around town if you expect they'll be staying for a few days before or after the wedding.

You may also want to include rental car information for those traveling by air, as they will have to leave their cars at home. If you can afford it, arrange to have a car service pick them up at the airport. It's a nice way to welcome them, and helps your wedding guests avoid getting lost.

Provide your wedding guests with transportation to and from the wedding, e.g., a hotel shuttle bus or van. You can even rent a charter bus if it's in your budget! This is a really nice gesture for your out-of-town guests that don't know their way around your city or town. It is also good for any elderly guests that might have trouble driving.

Place wedding-themed gift baskets or gift bags in your wedding guests' rooms before they arrive. You can work this out with the hotel fairly easily. Include food, candy, any local "delicacies," a bottle of wine or mineral water, tourist information, a map, and a special thank you from the bride and groom. Some brides and grooms include fun stuff like rubber duckies!

Consider inviting your out of town wedding guests to the rehearsal dinner or a post-wedding brunch. It is a nice way to make them feel included in the proceedings, and it keeps them from spending too much time locked away in hotel rooms.


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