4 top etiquette tips when planning a wedding abroad

Having a wedding abroad is every couple’s dream. The weather, the view, the outfits - it’s the perfect wedding that you’d dream of. Unlike a local wedding, however, it’s a lot harder to have everyone you wish to be there attend. This means some people have to be cut from the guestlist for the sake of keeping the wedding party within reason.

This can sometimes put you in an uncomfortable position as it means not everybody to attend, but it’s the sacrifice that you wish to have in order to have the wedding that you dreamt of from the beginning. When you’re having a wedding abroad, there can be some top tips that you can follow to ensure you don’t offend friends and family. Here are 5 to consider:

1. Make it as easy as possible for guests to attend

If you have your wedding in a far away destination, it’s unlikely that all the guests on your list will be able to attend. Your accepted attendees are lower, meaning less of the people that you want there won’t be able to attend. Think about this when you’re thinking about your selected destinations. 

Similarly, consider the date that you’re looking to book the time for. There will be dates in the calendar that are considered busy too, whereas dates that are around school holidays etc. will be ideal to ensure that as many people can come as possible.

2. Create a helping hand for them

Considering you’ve been at the forefront of organising the wedding, you’ll have a rough idea of how to get there and ideal locations near the venue. Think of it a little as planning your own hen party or stag do abroad. You’ll be searching for suitable flight details and accommodation around the area, so create a fact sheet that includes these suggestions. You may have seen some Algarve villas around the area or seen an airline that offers great deals. Providing them with these details can give them a rough idea of how much they’ll be spending and where they need to stay.

3. Request optional gifts

Having your guests able to attend your wedding in the first place is a gift in itself. Adding gifts to the additional luggage amounts and the fear they could smash or break, make bringing gifts optional for your guests to make things easier. It saves them trying to stuff it in their overloaded luggage or having to pay extra to get it on the plane.

4. Consider the transport they’ll be taking

Your guests have travelled a long way to come to your wedding and make efforts to attend. With a lot potentially being spent on flights and hotels, for the day of the wedding why not consider a favour and provide transportation for them to go to and from the venue? Or better yet, try to arrange the venue in an area that’s easy for everyone to get to without the use of transportation. This can help them to save a lot on expenses and makes it easier for them to get to the wedding.