You are all set for your wedding, with all the meticulous planning and your checklist in place. Soon you and your family will get busy with all the D-day preparations, arranging and managing various tasks and wedding vendors. In between all this hullaballoo, spare a thought to those guests who will be travelling thousands of kilometres to join you and wish you best on your big day. Well, here are a few ways with which you can make your wedding experience memorable for your outstation guests.
Save the dates
As soon as your nuptial date is decided, inform your outstation relatives and friends. This will help them to schedule their work accordingly and make advance travel booking to avoid last minute hassles.
Accommodation reservation
Make proper accommodation arrangements for your guests and make reservations in advance. The best hotels often get filled fast during the peak wedding season, so advance reservations will save you and your guests from any last minute troubles. Also, make sure the hotels or temporary stays are near the wedding and reception venue.
Differential accommodation
It is best to group like-minded people together. That is to say, reserve a block of rooms in hotel A for your relatives and a block of rooms in hotel B (or different wing or floor of the same hotel) for your friends. None of them should feel awkward on account of the other.
Transportation
Provide transportation facilities that will ferry your guests to and fro from the wedding site. It is a good idea to hire a vehicle for your guests like cabs or a bus. This will save them the trouble of seeking directions and spending hours searching for the correct location.
Welcome baskets
Arrange with the hotel authorities to present your guests with special goodies basket upon their arrival. Or, you can also prepare a special basket to welcome your guests. The basket may contain cards, chocolates, flowers, directions to the venue, map of the city, important telephone numbers, etc.
The tour of the place
If your wedding guests are arriving a day before the main ceremonies, then it would be really nice if you could arrange some local sight-seeing for them or hold barbecues or pool party. This would be especially nice for those family and friends who are visiting that city for the first time, or in case you are having a destination wedding.
Car at their disposal
Yes, we did talk about the transportation already, but other than arranging for transfers to the hotels or the venues, keep a car apart for them. They would love to have a car at their disposal in case they need to travel to a local market for some emergency, or if they want to visit some place special while in the city. They would certainly be grateful for this extra care and attention.
Post-wedding lunch
Inviting your guests to a post-wedding lunch could be a nice way of making them feel special. This also gives them a chance to be better and more intimately acquainted with you and your spouse. This will also give you a chance to show your gratitude towards them for being at your wedding and blessing you and your partner.
Memorable wedding favours
Well, this one goes for all your wedding guests we feel. Present your guests with memorable and well-thought upon wedding favours, something that will unfailingly remind them of your wedding.
So, armed with these tips you are ready to shower your care and attention at your outstation wedding guests, and receive their lovely smiles and heartfelt blessing in exchange!
Image Courtesy: Anshum M Photography