First off, some guests may feel snubbed if they are not invited to the actual wedding. They feel they should at least have been offered the invite even if they can’t hop a flight to Jamaica. They may also feel that you only invited the “good” people and that they are second string. To avoid hurt feelings you should consider the wording on your invitation. If you are going to send out invitations to your post-destination reception before your off-site wedding, you will not want to include the exact date and time of your reception back home. For instance, you should say something like, “Joe and Rita are going to be married June 8^th in Hawaii. A reception will be held in Milwaukee on Friday, July 7 at 9:00.” Notice, you are giving the guest just enough information to say the wedding will take place off-site but not so much that they feel you are flaunting it in their face that they are not invited. The wording above makes it seem like everyone has been invited to the wedding reception back home and hence, the guest is not missing out on anything.

While there are various schools of thought on exactly when you should host that post-destination party, it’s usually a good idea to schedule it for within a month of your actual wedding. However, if you live in an area of the country where it is going to be extremely cold or the weather is prohibitive and may ruin your party, then by all means, stretch the date to a time when it’s nicer where you live. But most people will find it odd if you don’t have your reception within at least a few months from your wedding date.

Make sure you enlist the help of a family member or friend back home to mail your wedding stationery & invitations while you are at your destination on your honeymoon. The invitations should arrive in your guests’ mailboxes while you are away so that the announcement that you were just married remains fresh. So have Aunt Barb take your invitations to the post office while you’re gone and you can rest easy on your honeymoon knowing you’ve taken care of everything.

Prepare your invitations well in advance with the correct wording and you’ll have one less thing to think about. You might choose to do an informal set of invitations if the reception is going to be an outdoor barbecue. Or, you send something formal if you’re going ahead with a very upscale reception. Just have your date set in advance for the reception. The worst thing you can do is run off and get married in a tropical destination thinking you’ll plan the reception when you return. You’ll have so much to do when you get back that the plans may fall behind and you’ll end up not scheduling your reception (or not being able to get a venue) for six or seven months after the wedding. This will make guests feel left out. By the time half a year rolls around, the excitement of the initial celebration will have faded in the minds of your guests and they may feel forgotten.

So a good rule of thumb to stick with is to invite everyone in writing before you leave for your wedding. Have everything booked and ready to roll for within a month of your actual wedding date. Of course you can take care of wedding favors and other little details when you return, but don’t hold off on booking a band or hiring a caterer until you return. Have your reservations etched in stone at the restaurant or hall so that there are no unpleasant surprises when you return home to pick up your reception planning again.

Helpful Article: How to Announce that You Have Eloped

Planning the perfect wedding is like trying to make dreams come true – very difficult to pull off or just plain impossible. For many couples, the ideal wedding is in an exotic location – perhaps it’s somewhere you've been hankering to visit for ages and at last you have the excuse, or maybe it’s somewhere that played a key role in your relationship.  The pressure on this once-in-a-lifetime occasion coupled with the distant location can make the process of planning it very stressful.

Here are some handy hints to take the stress out of planning a long-distance wedding:

1. Research is the key: you think you finished hitting the books in school? Far from it! The key to a successful long-distance wedding is in the preparation. Start your search by asking around for referrals. These can be from local family or family members, the Chamber of Commerce, the phonebook or online references. You won't have easy access to potential wedding vendors, so it's essential to make the most of your time and use an appointment system.
2. Take care of the logistical details as early as possible. This includes choosing the location and date, local caterers, the reception venue, salons and a hotel for your out-of-town guests. An inexpensive (or free) hotel shuttle service is also a big advantage. It's essential to check with the city about local marriage requirements – there’s no greater dampener on wedding plans than delayed residency requirements and waiting periods.
3. Accept any offers of a helping hand. If it is at all possible, hire a wedding planner in your chosen destination. Their knowledge of the city will be invaluable, and they will be an indispensable resource for sourcing venues and vendors. When meeting local wedding planners for the first time, it's important to ascertain if they share your vision for the wedding. It's also helpful if you're able to get in contact with any of their previous long-distance clients.
4. Try and make at least two visits to your wedding destination in the lead up to the big day. Compile a schedule of wedding vendors, venues and planners to visit - as you won't have a minute to spare! Visiting the destination in advance will help keep the stress levels under control, and will also help make sure you're getting exactly what you want for your wedding.
5. Choose a place that is special for you and your partner. Don't plan a long-distance wedding to make friends or family happy! It's your big day, and yourchoice of dream location, whether it's the other side of the world or in your home town. With more and more couples meeting over the internet through online dating, picking a location for the wedding day can be even trickier, but ultimately it's a decision you will have to make together. There is always the option of having a second, informal reception on your return, which allows a compromise between cities or even countries.

So, whether you've been dating in your home town and wish to sample more exotic climates for your special occasion, or you've maintained a long-distance relationship where you've been separated by borders and just want to simplify the whole thing by finally getting hitched to start your life together, or if you're an international couple that have met and been dating in Bristol, Boston, Berlin and want to take it that one step further - a long-distance wedding could be on the cards. Just get planning soon!

Once the Save the Dates are sent begin brainstorming ideas for bringing the flavor of the destination into your wedding invitations. What is it that you love about your destination? Perhaps it’s the beauty of the area, the culture, the weather, the food…  Incorporate that special design or motif that resonates with your style and the locale. Sprinkle it throughout your wedding stationery. From the Invites to the RSVP and Enclosure Cards, to your Favors and Thank Yous, your wedding look will be consistent and you’ll generate incredible excitement with your guests about traveling for your big day!

Enclosure Cards are your Friends! Use them to include pertinent info: currency, airport and shuttle, average temps, reception times, local attractions… What else?

Welcome Baskets help guests feel special and right at home! Have them waiting in the hotel rooms when your guests arrive. Here are a few ideas of what to include:

• welcome note
• a wedding itinerary
• tickets to a local attraction
• toiletries: lotion, cotton swabs, sunscreen, travel sewing kit, mini-mani set, clear nail polish
• for the guys: shavers, shaving lotion, shoe polish
• Mini champagne bottles
• water bottles

What else?

Happy Planning

Destination Wedding Invitation

Image: wedding invitation design by MagnetStreet Weddings