How To Get Guests To Come To Your Destination Wedding

If you’re planning a wedding that requires travel, you’re likely wondering how to get guests to come to your destination wedding.

“Destination wedding” is a vague term. However, if you are getting married in a location that literally no one you know lives at, it counts. Even if a couple of guests live at the destination, and everyone else has to travel, it still counts. If all or the majority of your guests need to book airfare and hotel accommodations to attend your wedding, you’re having a destination wedding.

Destination weddings have a lot of positives and negatives. One negative is that your guests may not want to travel far to attend your wedding. Not only can it be cost prohibitive, but figuring out logistics and getting out of their comfort zone may make them just not want to come. If some invited guests cannot make your wedding, it may be okay with you. However, you likely do want those who are invited to join your celebration.

How To Get Guests To Come To Your Destination Wedding

This post is going to share how to get guests to come to your destination wedding. It will go into the major stressors that will make your guests inclined to decline. This post will provide tips that will help your guests get motivated to say yes, so you’re not wondering what else you could have done. Yes, it’s all common sense. And, it’s common courtesy. But I promise these tips will be effective.

Let’s get into it!

GIVE YOUR INVITEES TONS OF NOTICE

When it comes to travel, people need notice.

Not only do we get better deals on airfare and accommodations when we aren’t rushed, but there are things to figure out ahead of our travels. Pets, kids, and houses all need to be taken care of. Time off requests need to be approved at work. And, many people do not operate on debt. This means that they need time to save up for the event.

To get guests to come to your destination wedding, I suggest that you send out save the dates at least six to nine months in advance. However, earlier is okay, too. Any less than that and it may be tricky for guests to coordinate it all.

CHOOSE A DESTINATION THAT PEOPLE WANT TO VISIT

I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to spend time and money on travel, I want it to be towards a place that I want to visit.

Now, of course, this is a subjective tip. Not everyone wants to visit every place. However, there are some universal truths. No one wants to visit a place that is unsafe. This includes not planning your tropical wedding in the middle of hurricane season. Also, no one wants to visit a place that they can’t afford. Or has extreme weather. Or is so remote that they can’t communicate with their kids back home. That sort of thing.

Take into account the safety, weather, and general likeability of the destination before you plan. The better it is, the more likely guests will attend.

HAVE A SOLID PLAN FOR YOUR WEDDING LOGISTICS

Let me tell you a quick story.

I was recently invited to an event that required me to travel about 500 miles away. The airfare was expensive. Hotel accommodations were limited (and also expensive). There were no options for taxi’s or Ubers, so I was going to have to rent a car (also expensive). It was all just so much to figure out, I almost didn’t go.

Until, something changed. Some friends of mine who were also invited found some cheap airfare flights. And then they found a cute Airbnb close by, and offered to split the costs. Same with the rental car. Suddenly, the travel to the event wasn’t so overwhelming.

The tip here to get guests to come to your destination wedding is to figure out the logistics for them. Do the research on affordable travel. Map out the distance and time it takes to get to your wedding. Provide links and suggestions to keep decision making and stress low. I promise it will go a long way.

PUT ALL YOUR WEDDING COMMUNICATIONS IN ONE SPOT

With destination weddings comes risk. And, with risk, there comes mitigation plans and changes. So, make sure that all of your wedding communications are funneled through a specific channel guests can go to reference.

I recently wrote a blog post about how to communicate with wedding guests, and you can check it out here. The moral of the story is that you need a solid communication plan if you are having a destination wedding. Whether that be a social media group, an email thread, or a phone tree, you’ve got to figure it out. The more communication, the more your guests will be comfortable attending your wedding.

HAVE AN AFFORDABLE DESTINATION WEDDING

Can a destination wedding be affordable? You bet!

Look, it is easy for costs to get out of hand at just about any wedding, destination or otherwise. When it comes to getting guests to come to your destination wedding, you have to factor in the costs of travel, though. This means that if airfare is expensive to attend, guests should have the ability to save in other areas. This may mean accommodations that have breakfast included. Or, you provide for transportation expenses once guests have landed.

Find ways to shave costs for your guests, so they can afford the big-ticket items.

MAKE IT EASY FOR GUESTS TO COME TO YOUR DESTINATION WEDDING

Remember earlier when I mentioned logistics for your wedding? Let’s delve into that a bit deeper.

If you want to get guests to come to your destination wedding, you need to make it easy for them. Have a hotel picked out. One that has availability for your guests and won’t break the bank. Figure out how guests will get around, or at least get to your wedding. Have tips handy for traveling to this location. This could range from the clothes to pack, to the travel documents guests need to have to arrive.

Be sure to highlight on your wedding website, invitations, social media page, or email thread what you will provide for guests. For example, if you’re paying for the rehearsal dinner, post-wedding brunch, or any activities, let guests know. The more informed they are about what the trip entails, the more likely they are to attend.

HELP GUESTS GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER AHEAD OF YOUR WEDDING

Social anxiety is real, my friends.

Some people really don’t want to travel with strangers. The thought of meeting new people and spending lots and lots of time with them is enough to make them want to stay home. So, in an effort to get guests to come to your destination wedding, help your guests get to know each other ahead of your wedding.

Need tips on how? Check out this post.

TALK ABOUT YOUR WEDDING WITH YOUR INVITEES

When I really want someone to do something I don’t always want to bring it up. I don’t know why, but I feel like if I talk about it too much, it may make others not want to do it.

This is counterintuitive, though. If you want guests to come to your destination wedding, you need to talk to them about it.

So, in the months leading up to your wedding, bring it up with your friends and family. Especially those who aren’t sure if they will be able to come. Tell them about the plan. The destination. All the great things that you’re looking forward to. Listen to their concerns and give them as much information as you can. You’re likely to sway them your way if you don’t shy away from the subject.

MAKE A WHOLE WEEKEND OF IT

You know what is “in” these days? The “wedding weekend”.

A destination wedding is a perfect opportunity for a wedding weekend. This means that there are plans and events for everyone to enjoy, all weekend long. I wrote a whole post about wedding weekends, but the gist is simple. There is some sort of welcome party one night, a rehearsal event the next, followed by activities and the wedding one day, and a post-wedding brunch to end the weekend. Everyone eats, everyone has fun, and it’s super memorable.

HAVE A SOLID ITINERARY, BUT BE SURE TO PLAN FOR REST TIME

Okay, last one.

Travel can be exhausting. Destination weddings can have lots of expectations for guests and things going on. And, just as I mentioned above, the wedding weekend is totally a thing. Despite all that, you don’t want to make the event too crammed with events. Be sure to plan time to rest. If guests have time to lay by a pool, check out a beach, or venture out of the destination, they will be more inclined to come to your wedding. So, keep the balance of activities and rest for everyone.

THOUGHTS ON HOW TO GET GUESTS TO COME TO YOUR DESTINATION WEDDING

There are so many ways to get guests to come to your destination wedding. The key is to make it appealing. Your wedding should be affordable to get to. The plan should be solid. Logistics should be clear. And, there should be plenty of opportunity for guests to enjoy themselves and relax. Happy wedding planning!