Wedding Planning - Welcoming Your Out Of Town Guests

Your out of town guests will be traveling a distance (very possibly a great distance) to witness and share in your very special and exciting day. Whether these guests have visited the area on many occasions, or it's their first trip into your town, it's always important to help make them feel welcomed to the area. It doesn't take much to do a little extra for your out of town guests, and we're certain they'll appreciate your extra thoughtfulness.

There are many ways to welcome your out of town guests and help them feel at home. Here are a few helpful ideas:

• At least a month before your wedding, it's a good idea to compile hotel accommodation information and rental car details, and send this information to them. Make sure you've blocked a certain amount of rooms with the hotel you've chosen in your area for your guests. Though you are responsible for paying the accommodation expenses for out of town wedding attendants, you are not responsible for paying the accommodation expenses for all of your other out of town guests. They will certainly appreciate the legwork you've done for them though. You may also wish to list several attractions in the area that you think they may be interested in visiting-- museums, parks, theaters, theme parks, restaurants, malls, etc. This is especially helpful for those who will be staying in town longer than just for the wedding weekend.
  
  
• Contact the hotel your out of town guests will be staying at and inquire about any transportation services they may provide (to and from the airport, and possibly for getting to the church on the wedding day). The hotel may also provide tours of the area or other trips. All of this information is definitely worth checking into for your guests.
  
  
• You can instantly add a welcoming touch to your out of town guest's hotel room by putting together a small welcome basket that can be placed in their room before they arrive. Anything you'd like to add in the basket would be appropriate-- it's up to you. Some ideas for the baskets are: fruit and/or other small snacks, souvenirs from the area, a city map, brochures on several area attractions, wedding itinerary with important phone numbers (include phone numbers of other relatives they know), and possibly some coloring books and packs of crayons (or any other inexpensive toy/trinket) for any guests that may have children accompanying them.
  
  
• The evening of the rehearsal dinner is also a great time to include your out of town guests-- especially if they are close friends or family members. Those hosting the rehearsal dinner may wish to send out invitations, or you could add the rehearsal dinner time and details in the wedding itinerary.
  
  
• You may or may not have already considered holding a Day After Brunch (held the morning/afternoon after the wedding day). Your attendants, close friends/relatives and out of town guests are usually on the invitation list for this event. Any close friend or family member may wish to host the brunch at their home, backyard or in a restaurant. This special get-together event provides the perfect time for you to relax, stress-free, on the day after the wedding and spend a bit more time with your out of town guests before saying goodbye and scurrying off to your honeymoon. After all, you may not be able to see some of these guests again for a long time-- the brunch will give you those extra valuable moments to make precious memories with those you love most.