Once a destination wedding is chosen, guests should be
notified of the event very early on in the process. Unless, the wedding is an
elopement, consideration must be given to everyone's preparations. We have,
therefore, listed our top five hot points when preparing for a destination
wedding.
Save the Date Cards are a must. Many people believe that STDC are buzzwords or
the vogue thing to do. These cards have nothing to do with being stylish or
keeping up with the times. They have everything to do with common courtesy by
letting people know that the wedding will not be held locally and thus, many
arrangements will need to be made. And the cards themselves carry a few points
of etiquette.
Do not send STDC to people that you are not inviting to the wedding. These cards are not engagement announcements. Be sending the cards, you are informally telling the receiver that he/she is invited to the wedding so please mark that date on the calendar. If cards are sent to the wrong people, not only are feelings hurt but also it could become very expensive for the engaged couple.
STDC are not substitutes for wedding invitations. You will need invitations to remind everyone and find out how many are coming.
STDC can be whatever you want them to be. They may be postcards, magnets, computer generated note cards, officially printed cards that match your wedding invitations, or they can be lovely hand written notes.
Let the receivers know that you will be sending more detailed information later.
Travel Arrangement Information is important, as guests may
not be aware of how to get to the destination. If you have been to the location
or you have requested the services of a tour operator, you will have more
accurate information on the best airlines to use, what connections are required
and what accommodations are available. While there is some dispute among wedding
experts as to whether the bride and groom should pay for transportation, it is
agreed that the couple should keep guests informed on air rates, booking
arrangements and any discounts that may be offered. The bride and groom should
make phone calls and do research on the possibilities even if their guests are
paying for their own transport.
Suitable Clothing and Required Accessories are not about making a fashion
statement or telling your guests how to dress. On the contrary, the guests will
need specific information on the location. They will need to know details about
the temperature and also rain, sun or snow at the designated time of travel.
They will need to know about the terrain. If it is a rocky area, for instance,
high heels will not be appropriate. If the days are hot but the nights are cold,
this is important in selecting proper attire. Another important point is the
type of wedding. If the bride is wearing a plain sundress and flip-flops while
the groom wears Bermuda shorts and polo shirt, the guests must know this. It
would not be fair for men to show up in suits and ladies in long gowns.
Be Considerate of Guests if they are paying their own way. If the guests are
paying for accommodations, be sure that you do not appear as though you are
forcing them to stay somewhere expensive. Gather information about suitable
properties and let the guests choose where they would like to stay.
Keep Invitees Informed. Traveling for some people is very stressful. They may
never have traveled by plane before or they may be apprehensive at a foreign
location. To keep everyone at ease and "in the loop", send periodic newsletters
so that everyone feels part of the process and so that decisions can be made.
More tips and advice for a succesful wedding abroad can be founr at Your Wedding Abroad!