Hello dear friends of Frida Enamorada!

We are aware that planning a destination wedding can require way more effort than planning a local wedding. Not only do you have to plan the wedding itself but you have to add in the logistics and extra costs of a whole trip, and all of this together can be a bit more stressful. But, if you start planning way ahead of time then it doesn’t have to be a problem.

We know that weddings are all about the couple and their own needs and desires (as they should be) but there’s also basic destination wedding etiquette all couples should know before in order to make everything a little easier for their guests. It might sound a little confusing as it takes a little more research, but it doesn’t have to be that way, that’s why we get you all covered with this list of all the essential things every couple should know before they begin to plan their destination wedding. From doubts about trip costs to all the essential information you should let your guests know. Let’s start planning!

• Send your Save the Dates and invitations with plenty of time ahead

Your guests will need to confirm the date of the wedding with enough time to start looking for flights or planning how to get there, some of them will need to ask for time off at work, look for accommodation and even look for a nanny in some cases. Invitations are typically sent 2 months before the wedding, but for a destination wedding you should send them at least 3 to 4 months before. That means that you should send your Save de Dates at least 8 months prior to the wedding. Keep in mind that you need to give your guests enough time to plan their trip. 

• Make sure you give your guests all the information they may need

Unlike traditional wedding invitations, a destination wedding invitation should have all the necessary information involving the big event. In addition to the actual invitation, we suggest you to add an extra card that includes the wedding itinerary (with date, hour and place of each event), information about accommodation options in the area, transportation to the venue and a map. Creating a wedding Web page where everyone can see all the information they may need can also be very helpful.

• Suggest different accommodation options

Guests will have to pay for their own lodging, so one way to help them and make it easier for everyone to assist to your destination wedding is providing some recommendations on where to stay. Make sure you include different options for different budgets and be sure they are all located close to the wedding venue. Remember that anything you can do to make the trip easier for your guests will be highly appreciated. 

• Be clear about the expenses your guests have to consider

When it comes to destination weddings, guests are expected to cover for their own transportation and accommodation expenses, and sometimes it can get a little awkward trying to tackle this subject, but there are some kind ways to approach it. A friendly way to do it is suggesting different tips on how to get budget friendly rates and sharing some links to flights and lodging to your wedding Web page so you won’t have to say it directly to them, and thus it will be implicit that they will have to take charge of that part.

• Let your guests know that a wedding gift is not necessarily expected

This can be a sensitive topic for some couples but in these cases you have to be understandable. Weddings are a big expense for everyone involved, whether it's for the family helping with some of the expenses or for the bridal party that has to pay for their special outfits for the day. So now think about the guests who have to pay for transport and accommodation for an event that they might have not had in mind before.

Sure, people who care about you will pay whatever it takes to be by your side in the most important day of your life, but that doesn’t mean that you could not be considerate enough to understand that sometimes people can’t deal with everything, especially for a destination wedding where the expenses can increase very easily compared to a traditional local wedding.

So, if you have a wedding registry in your wedding page, let everyone know first that their presence is the biggest gift they can give you, so they won’t feel ashamed if a gift is not under their budget.

• Make your guests feel welcomed

A cute way to acknowledge your guests time and effort and to show them how grateful you are to them to be at your wedding, is to receive them with a rehearsal dinner so all your guests can meet and get together prior to the wedding or if you prefer it, you can have a brunch the day after the wedding saying your goodbyes to getaway gracefully.

• Add a little travel guide on your wedding Web Page

If your destination wedding is taking place in another country or state, your friends and family will have to consider different factors when planning their trip, such as the weather, time difference, exchange rates, culture, tourist attractions and some other things. Make sure to dive deep in all of this information ahead of time so you can let your guests know about it.