Make a Weekend Out of It

In Michigan we have many gorgeous cities and towns that draw brides and grooms to hold their nuptials here. In many cases, these venues are chosen because of sentimental reasons, childhood memories or family vacation homes. The Michigan lake shore has a large array of beach rental houses, resorts, lodges and banquet facilities to choose from. Many of these venues have on-site lodging available for you and your guests as well, making them ideal for entertaining large groups.

A major question that arises when hosting guests for a destination wedding is how much do you need to entertain them? Your location will help to determine how many pre-scheduled events you will need to host. If you are within walking or short driving distance to a nice town area that your guests can go into to eat or shop, you will not need to host every main meal. If the venue you are using for the wedding has restaurants or is a Bed and Breakfast this will help as well. Hosting a casual welcome dinner the night before the wedding for any guests that have already arrived is a great idea. For any of your closest friends and family sticking around the next morning, I suggest having a small intimate brunch, even possibly using this opportunity to open any gifts you may have received.

On the day of the wedding most guests will be on their own earlier in the day due to the wedding itself being such a large event that. This is a great time for them to adventure out and see why you chose this area for your big day. Putting together a welcome basket for the guests is a very courteous touch, including favorite restaurants, shops, and locations for them to check out; include a map and mark these locations. Another favorite thing of mine is to include locally made products in these baskets, such as wine, fudge or even fresh produce.

When planning a destination wedding, do not feel that you need to have an itinerary for your guests’ every moment. Plan a couple of things as a group and then give them freedom to explore on their own. By doing this they may make memories of their own in your wedding location and might consider it in the future for their own special event!