Your Guide to Attending Weddings Abroad
A wedding and a holiday? Sounds dreamy…but potentially a little stressful. Once you get over the initial excitement of that destination RSVP, you mind will start swirling: what type of wedding clothes will you need? When do you book the flights? Though you won’t have as much to do as the wedding party themselves, there’s a lot that goes into travelling for a destination wedding. Here’s how to make sure everything goes smoothly.
1. Understanding Wedding Etiquette Across Cultures
Some destination weddings are simply for the venue – or, especially for us Brits, the sunshine – but destination weddings can also bring a new culture to the mix. Wedding traditions and etiquette vary by country, and it’s worth looking at the culture in general if you’re planning on combining the wedding with a trip, which is usually worthwhile the further away you get to avoid the jetlag. Respecting local customs in both dress and manner is a great way to make sure the wedding goes smoothly for you and your loved ones.
2. Packing Essentials for a Destination Wedding
Packing is never easy. Add in your fanciest outfits and you might find yourself in a hole of ruffles and crumpled suits. Destinations may have a few more events than your average wedding, so make sure you bring spare accessories and a variety of outfits with you. However, as destination weddings after often a larger expense than being a guest at a traditional wedding at home, make sure to pack light to avoid any extra fees. And remember to pack your passport!
3. Navigating Travel Logistics and Accommodation
How you’re travelling, when, and where you’re travelling to (and staying!) and some of the most important decisions that need to be made when going to a destination wedding. Hopefully, the couple will have provided a few suggestions, and if you’re going as a big group, make sure to see if hotels will offer any discounts for advanced group bookings. Depending on where you’re going, you may also require a visa.
4. Selecting the Right Outfit for the Occasion
Knowing what wedding guest dress to choose is not an easy task, especially if there are multiple different events over the weekend. Take into account what you have in your current wardrobe, the dress code on the invite, and factor in things like the weather of the destination you’re travelling to, as well as local customs and formality of the events.
5. Gift-Giving and Wedding Registry Etiquette
As destination weddings often require a larger budget, some couples won’t want to receive gifts, but if your wedding has requested them, make sure to see if the couple have a registry first if you’re stuck for ideas. However, if you know the couple well and have found something they’d absolutely love that wasn’t on their registry, it’s okay to get them something off the registry. If you’re stuck for a budget, you can always ask the couple, as there may be wedding customs from other cultures that you wouldn’t know to adhere to!
6. Making the Most of Your Travel Experience
Most destination weddings will be in a location that you’re eager to visit. Be respectful of the couple and leave a few days either side of the wedding, especially if you’re super close to the couple. You want to make sure you have enough energy for the wedding itself, and for an extra events that the couple may have planned – but after the wedding, make sure to take at least a few days to see all the sights in the area, and make use of the fact your friends or family (or both!) may be in a lovely new location.