You and your person have finally decided to officially plan the destination wedding of your dreams and you’re so excited to introduce your guests to a fabulous weekend full of adventure and exploration. We love that a destination wedding is the best way to give your guests an excuse for a vacation and you get a vacation with all of your favorite people, what else could you want?!

But before your guest descend upon a new city, you’ll need to make sure they have pertinent information that will ensure all of them get to the wedding safely, securely and ready to party the night away.

Your wedding planner should be able to help you with verbiage and guidance to make not only your experience but your guests experience memorable. If you haven’t hired your planner yet, we’ve got you!

Travel/Airport/Getting Around Information

This may seem like a no-brainer but adding travel information is a bit more complicated in this post Covid world we live in.

The things you want to list on your website are the following:

-Closest airports to the venue and approximate distance to the venue or hotels

-The most up to date Covid travel policies to and from the location your guests might be traveling to. You’ll want to put as many disclaimers on your website as possible to remind them to keep checking online up until the date of their departure just in case new travel bans/policies are enacted before they are about to leave

-Are there any tips for getting through customs/security faster? If there are pre-registration forms you can send to your guest online or health questionnaires, make sure you have a link on your website for them!

-Are you booking a shuttle that will be available for guests? Make sure you let them know and state clearly how the drivers will find guests. Will they be standing outside of security with a sign that says “*insert your name* wedding” or will they just be in the parking lot with a sign? This will allow for the least confusion!

-Does renting a car make sense to get to your location? If so, recommend the local options and when/where to book to get guests the best rates and make it easier for them to find the locations at the airport. Some airport rental car locations are tricky or hard to find so any little bit helps! You could even recommend people flying in on the same flights carpool together if possible

-Are ride-share apps like Uber and Lyft available? If this option is available and cheap, you may want to recommend this on the website so guests are prepared and if they haven’t to download the app. Be sure to add your referral code so you both get a free ride!

-Is there a designated location at the airport for ride-share pickup that is not convenient or hard to find? You’ll want to mention this or even add a diagram that helps them get there quickly so they spend the least amount of time possible at the airport! For example, is the ride-share across the highway from the airport? Is the ride-share pickup in a separate parking lot?

Money

-Most banks will charge foreign transaction fees which are usually around 3% depending upon the bank. Make sure your guests know to either plan on using a credit card with no fees, travel perks or taking cash out beforehand

-If the location takes USD, the hotel has a good exchange rate or withdrawing from a local ATM is the best bet, make sure you list out those details so guests know when to prep

-Exchange rates vary from place to place. Call your hotels in advance and see what their exchange rates are and if they are cheaper than a standard withdrawal from an ATM

-Make sure to list next to local activities/things to do if it’s better to have cash or card as well as tipping etiquette for the region including hotel staff, dining and any excursions/activities

-Be sure to remind guests to keep their money secure, tourists no matter the location are often the victims of crimes of convenience for not paying attention to their surroundings!

Weekend Schedule

-You obviously want to list your wedding schedule, but are you planning an epic welcome party or fabulous farewell brunch? Make sure guests know not only the date, time, and location but also the dress code, terrain and what to expect from food and beverage. If you’re just serving light apps and drinks, make sure your verbiage suggests to eat dinner before arrival.

-Are you planning on doing an excursion or activity one of the other days? If you’d like your guests to feel free to join, mention how/when they can sign up or where they should meet to attend

-Make sure you list your dress code for each event so guests don’t show up in their wedding clothes to a hiking adventure to see a waterfall!

Things To Do

-Recommendations on places to eat, drink, hike, shows to see, markets to shop at etc. are always helpful for guests to feel comfortable to venture out on their own.

-If you are staying on a resort property that has free activities or you are going to participate in something, let your guests know so they have time to sign up! List the weekly schedule or send a link to the page where those activities are listed and let guests know if they can sign up in advance and if they should!

-If you can list a range of things from varying price points, this would be best. From $0-pricey, give your guests a range and let them decide what they would like to participate in.

Regional Things To Note

-If you’re flying guests into a tropical climate, be sure to recommend the basics like sunblock, bug spray, sunglasses. If it’s a colder climate be sure to remind them to bring a jacket or coat they might not need at their departing destination.

-Is this area famous for something? List it on the website! Guests may not always go out of their way to search the unique attributes of the area and could miss something really fun (outside of the wedding itself, of course!)

-Is there a language barrier that might be tough? Adding a few greetings, pertinent questions (Hello, How are you, thank you, no, goodbye can you help me? how do I get to ____ hotel? I don’t speak the language, do you speak english? Where is the bathroom? Where is a taxi? Where is the hospital? Do you accept credit card?) etc. are always helpful nudges your guests can start practicing before they arrive!

-Are there cultural norms to take into consideration such as attire, certain gestures or colloquialisms to avoid. If your guests don’t know much about the region, they might end up embarrassed or offending someone by accident. It’s always helpful to offer up these helpful notes so they are aware.

-Is there an emergency number in the country or a certain protocol they should follow if they find themselves injured or in trouble? List this on your website and suggest guests add it to their phone contacts list ahead of any emergency situations.

-Is there wi-fi at the venue or hotel? Let guests know if they want to connect and avoid roaming charges

-Does there tend to be a backup during peak times at the local airport? If you want to make sure guests don’t miss their flights, make sure they know that traffic, lack of transportation or other factors could be at play and to plan accordingly.

Last but not least, what are the covid testing/vaccination requirements for where your guests are traveling to or from? Maybe there are no requirements to get into the country you are hosting your wedding but what about heading back home? It’s helpful to list as many details as possible on your website to make sure guests don’t call you in a panic even after the wedding is over!

While this list isn’t completely exhausting it should be a good start to things that will help you plan a destination wedding that not only gives guests a leg up on comfort and convenience but will hopefully also limit the number of phone calls you get with the same questions over and over again!