Guest experience has become a major consideration for couples everywhere, whether they’re tying the knot close to home or halfway around the world.
Brides and grooms love the opportunity to provide attendees with a memorable experience, especially considering that their guests took time off and traveled many miles to be a part of the celebration.
What are today’s couples doing to ensure their guests have the time of their lives? Great question!
Spreading the news
The destination wedding experience begins well before guests touch down on the other side. Nowadays, destination couples are putting together wedding websites that cover everything a guest may need to know – accommodation details, travel info, registry links, and any other relevant resources. Guests will appreciate the one-stop shop and it will also save the couple the time of answering the same questions.
A warm welcome
Once wedding guests are handed their room keys, they are officially on vacation – it’s time to show them a great time! Welcome bags are one major destination trend that has grown significantly in popularity. The hours leading up to the wedding can be busy for the couple, but that doesn’t mean they can’t thank their guests upon check-in with a wedding kit full of goodies. This may mean including things like maps, itineraries, water bottles, sunglasses, and regional snacks – anything to add a personal touch to the pack.
Off the beaten path
Whether it’s a cruise on a catamaran or an expedition through the mountains, excursions are a great way to get the most out of a wedding getaway for both the couple and their guests alike. For many, a destination celebration doubles as a vacation so why not go above and beyond the traditional ceremony and reception? These days, couples are booking excursions with their destination wedding specialist prior to the big day, saving the group both time and money while ensuring guests can come well equipped for their adventures.
Sweet send-offs
Nobody ever wants vacation to be over. Although the couple may be jetting off for their honeymoon, their guests are headed back to the real world. Sending attendees on their way with local snacks have risen in popularity. It’s a nice way to give them a little piece of paradise as the wedding experience wraps up.
Now more than ever, the guest experience is heavily factored into the planning of events and this is especially the case for destination weddings. Luckily, with a few thoughtful considerations, guests will enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Rebecca Hochreiter is the Vice President of Marketing & Customer Engagement at DestinationWeddings.com, the world's leading destination wedding and romantic travel planning company. DestinationWeddings.com has worked with nearly 25,000 couples and half a million guests to plan dream destination weddings. DestinationWeddings.com is one of the award-winning brands in the Celebration Travel Group collection.
