Ask the Experts: On the Mark
When we get stumped, we turn to master bridal consultant, owner of Philly’s The Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants and wedding etiquette guru extraordinaire, Mark Kingsdorf. This issue, he tackles the sticky situations that can arise when planning a destination wedding.
Q: Should we invite all of our guests with a date, since we’re asking them to travel and get a hotel room, etc.?
That depends on the size of the wedding. Presumably one of the reasons to have a destination wedding is to keep it small and less expensive. Take it on a case-by-case basis.
Q: What activities are we obligated to provide for our guests, outside of the reception?
Do some research and provide options of things to do and places to eat in their welcome bags, and at least invite everyone for hosted cocktails after the rehearsal. Anything else is just nice to do.
Q: We really want people to come to the wedding and not spend more money on a gift. Is a “No gifts, please” line on the formal invite weird?
Don’t put that on the formal invitation; put it on a wedding website, or in any other materials you might be sending to your guests beforehand. Just get the message out early, before the gifts start coming.
