How to Save Money for Your Out-of-Town Wedding Guests

Flying or driving in for out-of-town for a wedding can be prohibitively expensive. When planning a wedding, make arrangements for your out-of-town guests so they can save as much money as possible.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Schedule your wedding during the afternoon or early evening. If guests are making a 2-4 hour drive to attend your wedding, this will allow them to return home without having to rent a hotel room.

2. Schedule your wedding on Saturday or early on Sunday. This will allow your guests time to fly in and out of town without having to miss work.

3. Find family members and friends who are willing to let out-of-town guests stay at their homes, if possible.

4. Contact the airlines to find discounted airfare for wedding guests. If enough guests are flying to the wedding, many airlines will give all of them a discount. You can find out what discounts are available by calling the airlines or checking their websites.

5. Contact local hotels to find discounted rooms for wedding guests. Many hotels will allow you reserve a block of rooms at a discounted price. Look for a hotel that's inexpensive but not tacky. If you can, find a hotel close to the wedding or reception site to maximize convenience. If you can find a hotel that includes breakfast, you can save your guests even more money.

6. Make arrangements so your guests will not have to rent cars. Ask local relatives and other wedding guests to give your out-of-town guests rides to the wedding, reception, airport, and anywhere else they need to go. If you have lots of out-of-town guests, consider renting a van and finding someone to shuttle guests back and forth.

7. Host a special dinner for out-of-town guests. Along with showing your appreciation, this will save them the expense of purchasing one of their meals.

Tips & Warnings

• To accommodate different budgets and tastes, consider booking rooms at both a luxury hotel and a budget hotel.
• If you have many out-of-town guests, consider having the ceremony and the reception at the same place or at nearby places. This will make it easier for guests to get around and will reduce the need for guests to rent cars.
• Consider giving each out-of-town guest a "gift bag" of snacks, toiletries, coupons to local attractions, and other things they might need during their stay.
• Avoid getting married during a holiday or when there's a major event in town. This could drive up the price of hotel rooms and limit availability for guests.
• Don't postpone arranging hotel room blocks or airfare discounts. If you wait too long, it's possible that nothing will be avaiable.