Treating Your Out of Town Wedding Guests
As if planning a wedding isn't hectic enough, you may also have friends and relatives who are coming from out of town! How are you going to deal with them?
First of all, remember to take a moment and recognize the special effort made by those wedding guests who have traveled to attend your wedding. This should make you feel more calm and thankful for having the people you love around you.
And to make it easier on you, here are some ideas to help you make your guests' stay easier without costing you a fortune!
For more ideas and tips on destination weddings click here!
Rooms
It is common in the Arab world to extend hospitality to out of town guests and host them at home. If you or other family members have enough space to accommodate your guests, that’s great. Otherwise, you may have to rent out accommodation or make reservations at a hotel.
If you are having your wedding at a hotel, then try booking rooms for your guests at the same hotel, chances are you will get a special rate.
This will show your guests that you appreciate their effort to come and attend your wedding, and will also save them all the trouble of making the plans themselves.
Transportation
You need to consider who will meet and greet the guests at the airport. It would be great if you could assign transport responsibilities to family members and friends. It is definitely better to select people who know the guests who are arriving, to put your guests at ease from the moment they land. Avoid using chauffeurs if you can to give this occasion a more personalized touch.
Don’t forget to arrange transportation for your guests to the various parties they are attending, and of course, to the wedding itself. Carpooling is very common and acceptable.
Welcome Kit
It would be really sweet of you to put together a welcome kit for your guests, which should contain all the information they might need during their stay. Consider including the following:
- Tourist information about your country, for those who are visiting it for the first time. Your local tourism board or tourist information center will be happy to provide you with a set of brochures, leaflets, or CDs.
- Directions and phone numbers of local restaurants, shopping malls, tourist attractions, and amusement centers.
- A list of taxi and car services, including phone numbers. Some guests might choose to rent cars, so be sure to provide car rental information.
- Directions to the nearest dry cleaners with their numbers, if there isn't one at the hotel.
Remember to put yourself in their place, you would appreciate it if someone did the same thing for you, so be as thoughtful as you can so they will always remember your wedding and hospitality!
