How Do You Accommodate Out of Town Wedding Guests?

Now that the wedding is quickly approaching, you may be wondering how you will get lodging for your out-of-town guests. As such, we have compiled some suggestions for easing their stay so that it is not a long and taxing one on them. It is crucial to recognise the significance of out-of-town visitors while planning a wedding.

A warm welcome is in order for the numerous guests who will travel great distances to share in the joy of the occasion. Here are a few suggestions for making everyone feel welcome and at ease. To give you more wedding tips, check out our post on Top Wedding Blogs to Help You find Your Wedding Suppliers.

Find A Place To Stay Near The Event Location

The closer your hotel is near the event location, the better. You should check your platform's accommodations first to see whether that's an option. Get in touch with the venue manager and enquire about any deals, special rates, or freebies they may be offering. If your venue doesn't have rooms available for guests or if they cost too much, you can select two or three hotels nearby and reserve a block of rooms at one or two of them.

You don't need to know the exact number of out-of-town guests when making reservations, but you will need a decent ballpark figure. As a rule of thumb, you should only book as many rooms as you have guests from out of town. (If you're expecting 20 out-of-town guests, for example, you might initially reserve 10 rooms and then upgrade to additional as needed.) You should know that each hotel has its own policy for reserving rooms, and that this policy may differ from one hotel to the next. In order to hold a certain number of rooms at a hotel, you may need to make a deposit and assume financial responsibility for any of those rooms that don't sell.

That's not ideal, but it could be required if your wedding is in a small town with few hotels or if it falls on the same weekend as a major festival. There is a chance that the hotel will be full before all of your guests make reservations if you choose a hotel that is more accommodating and offers a lower cost to guests without blocking a particular number of rooms.

The good news is that many hotels will hold a block of rooms at a predetermined rate and date without requiring a payment. There are plenty of options, so we advise you to begin your search as soon as possible and to have your out-of-town guests book their accommodations without delay.

Don't Hold Back Any Necessary Information.

An itinerary is one of the easiest (and most helpful) ways to show your guests a good time at your wedding. Send a second communiquè to your guests with a detailed itinerary of the festivities leading up to and following your wedding day in addition to the invitations (or include it in your invitation suite). You should also make a wedding website so that guests can see all the details in one place.

In all circumstances, make sure everyone knows the specifics of when, where, who, what, and how to participate. Describe the downtime that your guests can expect and offer some ideas for how to spend it. Travellers should be aware of any prearranged events (like a brunch the morning after the wedding) so they can plan accordingly. Because many of your guests will be flying in, it's possible that they'll incorporate your wedding into a mini-break or extended holiday.

Don't forget that there may be guests who have never been to the area before. To get your guests psyched up for the trip, you might wish to include a "travel guide" in the pre-wedding plans. If there are interesting places to see and see, for instance, suggest that your guests do so. Check to see if the local sports team will be playing a home game and if any musical or other cultural acts will be taking place, and see whether institutions will have special exhibits highlighting these events. Check out Boutique Events Group Wedding Venue for your ultimate wedding reception.

Consider Your Travel Options Ahead Of Time

There are hotels that offer a shuttle service to and from the airport, as well as hotels that will provide a shuttle service to and from certain locations upon request. Inquire about available transportation options when you call to reserve your room block. Make sure to enquire about the hotel's cost so you can inform your guests in advance of any potential price differences. Think about how your guests will get to and from the venue and the hotel if the hotel (or hotels) don't offer a shuttle service.

Which public transportation option is the most convenient, where can we catch it, and how much will it cost? Is there any kind of ride-sharing service in your town? How about matching up your out-of-town visitors with locals so they may share rides? I was wondering if you might recommend a car rental agency. Most of your out-of-town guests will be able to figure those out on their own, but it's always helpful to give them a heads up so they can make arrangements in advance and enjoy their time in your city without having to worry about logistics.

Make Travel And Lodging Recommendations.

Although it is not your job to pay for the travellers' lodging or transportation, you and your partner should provide recommendations for doing so and advice on locating affordable options. Assemble all the pertinent information (websites, street addresses, phone numbers, directions, and cost) for nearby hotels and airports and include it in an insert with your invitations or publish it separately on your wedding itinerary or a web page so that guests can plan ahead for travel and accommodations.

Think Of A Variety Of Lodging Options To Suggest To Visitors.

Start making phone calls about six months in advance to venues close to the ceremony and reception places to enquire about large-scale availability for the days preceding the wedding and to ask about special group rates. Reserving rooms in blocks at multiple hotels will allow you to get the best rate for your guests. Always consider your customers' financial capabilities while making hotel recommendations. If you want cheap flights, calling the airlines directly is your best bet. Whether you and your travel companions are all flying in from the same airport, see if you qualify for any frequent flyer discounts, group discounts, or group prices.

List Significant Places To Eat, Drink, And Play

You'll want your out-of-town guests to have lots to do while you're preoccupied with wedding preparations. So compile a list of your and your fiance's prefered restaurants, bars, and other local pursuits. You might also look into local festivals, concerts, and other activities that kids might enjoy attending. Sure, they could just use Google to identify places to go, but this is a terrific opportunity to show off your city and give your visitors a glimpse into your daily routine.

Though it's easy to locate a Starbucks for a morning brew, not everyone will be familiar with the local haunt you and your fiance prefer for leisurely Sunday mornings spent sipping lattes. And we think that a lot of them would be interested to learn that! Consider including a brief explanation of your selection criteria while making your list. It's a nice way to put a personal touch on things and show your guests they're appreciated.

Determine How You Will Get Around.

You'll need to arrange transportation for out-of-town guests who don't drive themselves (you can help those who do by including vehicle rental information alongside your hotel and flight information).

Take Care Of Everything

There are a number of options for group transportation, including organising carpools among family, renting a car or limo service, renting a few vans or a bus, or speaking with the hotel manager about arranging for a hotel shuttle. It's thoughtful to have someone pick up passengers who don't have their own transportation from the airport, especially if they are unfamiliar with the area or have anxiety when flying.

Ask for help from people you know, like parents, relatives, and friends. Make a list of visitors' expected arrival times, and have them met at the gate by people holding signs with their names on them; just be sure to let them know what you've planned, and give them some idea of who to look for.

Fun, Informative Welcome Bags

We recommend giving out welcome bags to your out-of-town guests as a token of your gratitude for making the journey to celebrate with you. The best part is that you get to use your imagination to its full potential without breaking the bank. Include some light refreshments to let your guests relax after a long day of travel. You must provide bottled water, but feel free to additionally send a local beer, sparkling wine, or other popular alcoholic beverage.

To appease everyone's sweet tooth and savoury tooth, offer both savoury and sweet food. Then, add a few touches to make it more unique, like a charming souvenir, a candle, or a postcard with postage already paid so they can send a message back home. Finish off all those treats with the fundamentals of data:

• A map
• This weekend's planned activities
• Suggestions from your area
• Data for your point of contact

Add a handwritten letter of thanks and present it all in a reusable gift bag or a nice paper sack. Your guests will appreciate the extra effort that goes into preparing a welcome bag for them. Notify the hotel staff that they must provide each guest with a bag upon check-in.

A little bit placed in their hotel rooms can help those who are suffering from jet lag and fatigue. Just think of the joy on their faces when they enter their makeshift home and find a basket of fresh fruit, a tin of regional chocolates, or a bottle of sparkling wine waiting for them.

Your gift can range from a free massage at the hotel spa to a simple plate of baked chocolate-chip cookies, depending on your financial situation. The point is to show your gratitude for everyone who made an effort to be there with you on your big day.

Leave another copy of your wedding schedule, local brochures, and tourist maps in guest rooms, as well as any other pertinent information (phone numbers of the bride and groom's families, names of other guests staying at the hotel, nearby hot places to check out, etc.). Hire extra help to package and hand out all these delicacies at your wedding. A handwritten note to each visitor thanking them for attending the celebration is the last touch.

To What Extent Are You Able To Keep Them Occupied?

You may have a lot to worry about in the days leading up to the big event, but your out-of-town visitors may not. Don't just abandon them without giving them something to do. Make sure there isn't too much downtime by hosting a welcome party before the rehearsal dinner, and don't let too much time pass between the ceremony and the cocktail hour or reception. Invitees who plan to spend the evening before the ceremony should be given suggestions for how they might participate in the festivities. You can hold a get-together at a restaurant or pub, or you can ask a friend or relative to organise a gathering like a backyard BBQ or pizza party so that everyone can meet one another. In fact, it's recommended that you throw a less formal rehearsal dinner and invite everybody who might be in attendance. Give your self-entertaining guests a break by providing them with a list of your favourite local restaurants, stores, and theatres.

Pre-Wedding And Post-Wedding Get-Togethers

You can also make your out-of-town visitors feel at home by inviting them to parties before and after the wedding. Is spending time in nature something you and your fiance enjoy doing together? Before the wedding, suggest that guests spend a day or two outdoors together, doing something active like hiking or kayaking. Do you enjoy visiting breweries on the weekends? Invite your friends over for a beer in the middle of the afternoon. Some couples have even done away with the rehearsal dinner all completely, opting instead to host a meal for everyone in town. Not even the farewells from your guests at the reception should be the last sign of the celebration. Invite your guests to an after-party at your favourite pub if you're a night owl or don't want the celebration to finish. We also think a day-after brunch is a great way to say your farewell to guests who are still in town and to celebrate the conclusion of your ideal wedding weekend.

To Create A Visual Timeline Of Events,

Making a thorough timeline of your wedding events is one of the best methods to reduce stress and the amount of calls to your point of contact. A visual timeline is essential whether you're hosting festivities over a few days or just on the wedding day itself.

Include the event's name, the venue's name and address, the event's date and hour, as well as any specific attire requirements. So that your guests can find all of the information they need in one place, it is also a good idea to include the time and location of the ceremony and reception.

Make sure your out-of-town guests know in advance if they are invited to any pre-wedding or post-wedding activities so they can bring the right apparel. I can't even begin to guess where to begin. Wedding timeline templates are easy to find on Etsy, where you can also find other lovely printables to use as a starting point for your own designs. Looking for the Top Wedding Planner in Melbourne? Look no further and check out our ultimate list of Wedding Planners here. 

Get Your Playlist Together For The Trip

You and your future spouse may make it a date night before the wedding to comb through your music collection and burn CDs or prepare a Spotify playlist of your favourite songs to play throughout the weekend. It's the kind of unexpected sweetness that will make your out-of-town guests' entire journey day more pleasant, whether they're flying or driving.

Create A Complete Website For Your Wedding.

You have your hotel blocks reserved, your transit plans mapped out, your agenda finalised, and your recommendation list at the ready. The next step...? Create a wedding website with all the details! You got it, it's all true! And that's despite the fact that you made checklists and itineraries that guests could print out and put in their bags.

We can guarantee that your out-of-town guests will make extensive use of your wedding website, so it's important to include all the pertinent information there. When in doubt as to whether or not an element should be included, assume its inclusion. You can double-check your work by using this helpful wedding website checklist we've compiled for you.

Be Sure To Let Them Know How Much They Mean To You.

Keep in mind that the purpose of these daring visitors' journey is to meet you. In the midst of the celebration, take them aside for some quality one-on-one time, or use the cocktail hour or the receiving line to express your gratitude for their presence. Raise a glass during toasting time to honour the guests who have travelled far to be there, and think about hosting a special event for them, such a brunch the day after the wedding.

Post-Nuptial Brunch

Brunch after the wedding could be a lovely way to wrap up the celebrations. It's a great time to say goodbye to visitors and appreciate their efforts. In the event that the happy couple has already left for their honeymoon, the parents or the maid of honour should act as event coordinators.

Conclusion

Recognizing the relevance of out-of-town guests is a must when organising a wedding. The many visitors who will be travelling long distances deserve a hearty greeting. Here are some ideas to help your guests feel at home while they're visiting. There are many of hotels that will hold a block of rooms at a set pricing and date for free. Get the word out on the when, where, who, what, and how of it, and make sure everyone is on the same page.

If the venue and hotel don't offer a shuttle service, plan ahead for your guests' transportation needs. Your job description does not include covering the cost of lodging or transportation for out-of-town guests, although you and your partner should make suggestions in this regard. Six months before the wedding, start making calls to find out about large-scale availability on the days leading up to the big day. If your out-of-town guests don't have a car, you'll need to make transportation arrangements for them. Reach out to the individuals you know for assistance, such as parents, relatives, and friends.

Create a schedule detailing when guests are anticipated to arrive, and have greeters waiting with signage at the entrance. Instruct the front desk to give each guest a bag when they check in. Put wedding brochures, maps, and itineraries in guest rooms. Include a thank-you note written by hand and deliver the whole thing in a reusable gift bag or a pretty paper sack. Whether your wedding celebrations will span multiple days or take place on a single day, it is imperative that you have a visual timeline of the events.

If you're a night owl or just don't want the festivities to end, throw an after-party at your local bar. The majority of your guests will be coming from out of town, and they will use your wedding website to plan their vacation. To show your appreciation, you may throw a special event for them the day following the wedding, like a brunch. It's an ideal opportunity to thank guests for coming and bid them farewell.

Content Summary

1. As the wedding day draws near, you may be worrying about where your out-of-town guests will stay.
2. Recognizing the relevance of out-of-town guests is a must when organising a wedding.
3. Many people will travel long distances to be there to celebrate with you, so please make sure they feel welcome.
4. What follows is a list of ideas about how to make everyone feel at home and comfortable.
5. Make your lodging arrangements so that you are close to the venue. You should book a hotel that is as close to the venue as possible.
6. When making bookings, you won't need to know the precise number of out-of-town guests, but you will need a good approximation.
7. Guests from out of town shouldn't take up more rooms than they need.
8. In the event that you go for a hotel that is more accommodating and offers reduced costs to customers without limiting a specific number of rooms, there is a potential that the hotel will be full before all of your guests make bookings.
9. The good news is that most lodging establishments will hold a block of rooms at a set fee and date without charging anything up front.
10. One of the simplest (and most useful) methods to show your guests a wonderful time at your wedding is to provide them with an itinerary.
11. In addition to the invites, you should also send your guests a second communiquè outlining the events leading up to and following the wedding (or include it in your invitation suite).
12. You may want to include a "travel guide" as part of the pre-wedding preparations to make your guests excited about the trip.
13. When making your lodging reservation, don't forget to ask about transportation possibilities.
14. Provide Hotel and Transportation Suggestions.
15. Although it is not your responsibility to cover the cost of the travellers' housing or transportation, you and your partner should suggest ways in which they can do so and offer suggestions for where they can find good deals.
16. Make it easy for guests to make travel and lodging arrangements by compiling all the necessary details (websites, street addresses, phone numbers, directions, and cost) for nearby hotels and airports and including them in an insert with the invitations or publishing the information separately on your wedding itinerary or a web page.
17. Make a list of your favourite places to eat, drinks, and activities in the area to share with your fiance.
18. Out-of-town guests who don't have a car will need to be driven to their accommodations.
19. Reach out to the individuals you know for assistance, such as parents, relatives, and friends.
20. Gift Bags that Amuse and Inform As a way to show your appreciation to those who travelled to your celebration from afar, we suggest sending them home with a welcome bag.
21. You can help your guests unwind after a long day of travel by providing some small refreshments.
22. Include a thank-you note written by hand and deliver the whole thing in a reusable gift bag or a pretty paper sack.
23. Guests will remember the thoughtful gesture of a welcome bag long after their stay is over.
24. Instruct the front desk to give each guest a bag when they check in.
25. The objective is to express your appreciation to those who take the time and effort to celebrate with you on your special day.
26. Include any additional information (family contact numbers, names of other guests staying at the hotel, nearby hot spots to check out, etc.) along with a copy of the wedding itinerary, local brochures, and tourist maps in the rooms of your wedding guests.
27. Hire extra help to package and hand out all these delicacies at your wedding.
28. You may have a lot to worry about in the days leading up to the big event, but your out-of-town visitors may not.
29. Don't just abandon them without giving them something to do.
30. Make sure there isn't too much downtime by hosting a welcome party before the rehearsal dinner, and don't let too much time pass between the ceremony and the cocktail hour or reception.
31. You can also make your out-of-town visitors feel at home by inviting them to parties before and after the wedding.
32. Invite your friends over for a beer in the middle of the afternoon.
33. If you're a night owl or just don't want the festivities to end, throw an after-party at your local bar.
34. To Create A Visual Timeline Of Events, Making a thorough timeline of your wedding events is one of the best methods to reduce stress and the amount of calls to your point of contact.
35. Make sure your out-of-town guests know in advance if they are invited to any pre-wedding or post-wedding activities so they can bring the right apparel.
36. Create A Complete Website For Your Wedding.
37. Create a wedding website with all the details!
38. We can guarantee that your out-of-town guests will make extensive use of your wedding website, so it's important to provide all the pertinent information there.
39. Honor those who have made long journeys to be there with a toast during the reception, and consider throwing a special event for them, such a brunch the day after the wedding.
40. Wedding Reception After Party Perhaps a wedding brunch is a great way to end the festivities.
41. It's an ideal opportunity to thank guests for coming and bid them farewell.