Top Tips: Destination Wedding Invitations Etiquette

A destination wedding can require a little bit of extra attention to be given in certain areas such as guest list, sharing travel information and travel budgets. Here are some handy hints and tips to make sure it all runs smoothly:

1. When to notify guests
With destination weddings, you will need to announce the date and start communicating it to guests far in advance. Depending on how far they are expected to travel you will need to give them anything from 5 to 8 months. Save the dates have become very popular for this where you may not know all the details yet but just want to give the guests a heads up or maybe a link to a wedding website that you will be updating ongoing. At Appleberry Atelier you can match your save the dates to your invitations right from the very beginning.

2. Communicating the details online
Wedding websites are a good way to get across all that extra travel information that you feel you may not be able to do in the invitation. Moposa is a good example of a site that allows you to create free wedding websites.

3. Communicating the details on paper
If you would rather stick with paper why not send a booklet style invitation. This gives you the extra space to say it all. The invitation should go out 3 months in advance if you have already sent a save the date.

4. Who to invite
Naturally, a destination wedding gives you much more discretion in limiting your guest list. Invite guests that you know cannot attend as it will show that you did want them there.

5. Excluding children
Remember if you exclude children from the invitation expect that they may have to decline. Leaving children at home is pricey. For tips on “Adult Only” invitations click here.

6. Itinerary and arrival plans
If you will be having a welcome dinner make sure to invite them on the invitation. This will save you a lot of effort later.

7. Gifts and destination weddings
It’s a bit of an awkward one and depends on the individual circumstances but often destination wedding couples feel a bit uncomfortable accepting gifts due to the financial strain. If this is the case make it clear on the invitation…”Your presence is a gift enough”.

8. Post-wedding parties
If you will be holding a reception at home post-wedding then you will be needing to send invitations for this too. If the reception is soon after your return, make sure to have all this sorted before your wedding. The party can be anything from a formal affair to a garden BBQ depending on the couples taste or budget. Make sure to reflect this in the invitation.