How to sort common guest issues at a wedding
With a destination wedding, more attention needs to be paid to guest logistics and (unfortunately!) more budget assigned to this area than at a home wedding. We are talking about ensuring your guests have a seamless trip so they bring the positive vibes to your celebration. Transport, food, accommodation, details communicated clearly all need nailing by you, because if you don’t, your guests will be sure to tell you about it - and no one wants a call on the morning of their wedding day from a stressed-out aunt who has no way of getting from her hotel to the venue! Dedicate time and resources at the start getting this right, will help you avoid your last pre-wedding weeks being filled with a mountain of organisation and responding to a host of guest questions! We live in era of convenience, where everyone wants everything to be easy - Italy is not built for this so trust us, planning ahead is a must.
Guests are unsure where to stay
So, your guests receive your invitation or save the date - now time to find somewhere to stay. Do not let your guests go rogue, leaving them to find accommodation by themselves. It’s likely they don’t know the area in Italy and this can leave them feeling confused as where to book.
Channel that inner control-freak and give guests well-researched options. Hotels, villas etc with varying price ranges and styles to suit all.
By guiding guests, it will make transport and on the day shuttle buses far easier to organise.
Photo: Taylor-Hughes Photography
How will they travel around?
Again, options, options, options - highlight the various transport available - car hire, buses, trains, taxis - and provide them with the details. You do not have to pay for this or even organise, but clear options will help them and in turn help you avoid many individual enquiries on how to travel when they land.
What we suggest absolutely organising is the on the day transport. So the shuttles to and from the venue, pre and post wedding. Do not scrimp here! If you leave it to guests to organise, you will undoubtably get calls on the morning of your wedding day from guests who’s taxi hasn’t turned up or from someone who forgot to book transport. Save yourself from drama, book and give your guests clear instructions on how to get to the pick up points with timings.
Download our super helpful Transport Guide Now to plan out what is needed and when.
Photo: 2brides
Hungry Guests!
People love to know when and where they will be eating. Be sure to clearly tell guests which meals you will be providing and give them options on how to find or get to places for their other meals. Details of local restaurants (opening and closing times), where the supermarket is and whether you will be providing in-accommodation food (like breakfasts / snacks).
We love a helpful tool at La Lista, so grab this baby and get organised when it comes to guest meals.
Download the Catering Tool Now
Photo: Red on Blonde
Weather
Believe it or not, the weather in Italy can be temperamental - rain exists in La Dolce Vita. And even a hot day can turn into a cooler night. Hopefully your guests have some common sense and will look up the forecast; but a little help cannot hurt (and hopefully avoids texts a few days before asking for a BBC-style weather report!)
Update your wedding website a couple of weeks before with a predicted weather guide and suggestions on clothing. For ladies, you could suggest that it’s warm enough for dresses in the day, but pack a covering for the evening.
Photo: Antonia Katrina Photography
Shuttles home
Consider what time you want the shuttles to start - bear in mind your older guests or people with children. Remember the more shuttles you have, the more expensive your transport cost will be.
This is part of the wedding which we strongly believe should be organised by you. Give guests clear instructions as to what times the shuttles will be leaving. We suggest the first shuttle starts at 11pm.
Photo: James Frost
Guest Communication
It sounds basic but clear guest communication is crucial. Consider each point where you think guests will have questions and get in the advice before the questions start. How they are going to get from the airport to their accommodation, where they need to book to stay, food when they are there, timings of all events - go for information overload ideally on your wedding website (we love a wedding website!) and then signpost guests to it whenever they have a query. Happy guest = happy wedding!
Download the Guest Comms Tool from our Shop
Photo: Studio Chloe David
We are self-confessed organisation addicts - but you need to be with weddings to plan! Head over to our Shop where you will find so many helpful tools to download. Get your sh*t together now and you can sit back with an aperol, feeling smug that this wedding planning lark is so easy!
Written by Emily Jennings, marketing person and wedding day-dreamer; lover of a boho vibe and a wedding night filled with a thousand lights.
