Wedding Guest Accommodations

Six to nine months before the wedding, send Save the Date cards to guests who will need to make travel arrangements. Include as much information as possible so they are able to make plans.

Let out of town guests know about area attractions and locations of points of interest. Maps, guide books and directions are helpful for those unfamiliar with the area.

Consider setting aside a block of hotel rooms, if you have many guests from out of town. Most hotels, motels and inns offer special rates if a block of rooms is needed. When you call to reserve rooms you may find some hotels require a deposit, while others may simply offer rooms at a special rate until a specified date. If a certain number of rooms are reserved for your wedding, some hotels will offer the bride and groom a free room for their wedding night or a free meeting room for your gift opening the day following the wedding. These are items to definitely ask for if not offered by the hotel.

Consider leaving small gifts at the hotel for your guests. Special goodie bags or baskets can be left at the hotel’s front desk to be given to the guests when they check in. These thoughtful packages may include candy, snacks, bottled water, a gift certificate to a nearby restaurant, an area tour book, a map, or even a simple card thanking them for coming so far to attend your wedding.

Include out of town guests to as many of the pre and post-wedding festivities as is possible. Inviting them to the rehearsal dinner, a special brunch or the gift opening as budget allows is a thoughtful way to acknowledge the distance they traveled. If a golf outing or other special activities are planned, consider extending an open invitation to distant travelers. Usually the bride or groom’s family, depending on whose friends and relatives they are, will entertain the out of town guests prior to or following the wedding day.

If you are having a formal reception, carefully plan the seating arrangement. Place guests in comfortable situations with those they know or those with whom they share similar interests.

If the reception dinner guest list includes children, consider offering ‘kids meals’. Your younger guests will enjoy them and they are usually less expensive.

When giving toasts, remember to include a ‘thank you’ to everyone for attending your celebration.

Send hand-written free thank you cards for every gift received. Verbal thank you’s, emails and form letters must be followed up with a hand-written personal note.

Keep in mind that out of town guests may have spent hundreds of dollars just to get to the wedding, they certainly deserve the extra attention to help them feel welcome!