Did you know that one out of every four weddings today is a destination wedding?
With this shift towards a different way of doing ‘I Do’, a new set of rules and expectations is emerging.
Today I thought we would chat about destination wedding etiquette, and specifically the important things you need to know when it comes to who pays for what.
Neesha & Mike’s Cancun wedding
Should I pay for my wedding guests’ travel expenses?
Absolutely not!
I would actually be very surprised if anybody expected you to.
You might run into an issue with a friend or family member who has fallen on tough times, and who can’t afford to come. Or you might have a few guests who kinda hate you for having a destination wedding because your location is super expensive to attend.
How you deal with these situations is, of course, your choice, however, it can be dangerous to pick and choose who to help.
How would your other wedding guests feel if they found out you had paid for somebody else, while they were scraping together the funds by themselves?
Rather than footing the bill for anybody, it’s better to prepare yourself for only half of the guests you invite to attend your destination wedding.
Lindsay & Rob’s Riviera Maya wedding
Should I pay for my wedding guests’ to have day passes to our all-inclusive resort?
Yup. You should.
There are loads of reasons that a wedding guest might not be staying with you at your awesome all-inclusive resort, but consider how tacky it is to have them pay to travel for your wedding, and then get slapped with another bill for the day pass to your resort to see you get married on the beach.
Not cool.
I appreciate that this an extra expense that can be hard to swallow, but any expenses that are directly related to your wedding day festivities should be covered by you, including the wedding meal, drinks, and the rehearsal dinner.
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Michelle & Brandon’s Cancun wedding
Should I pay for my wedding guests’ excursions and activities?
No….however…
Your guests will be traveling a long way to celebrate with you, and it would be a wonderful show of your appreciation (plus super fun!) to at least host a welcome party when they arrive.
This is pretty common practice for Riviera Maya weddings here in Mexico and it would go a long way to making your wedding guests feel loved when they arrive.
Plus, it gets things kicked off on a high note and leaves a lasting, positive impression!
We are also noticing a trend towards the bride and groom hosting an extra activity during the wedding vacation (budget dependant of course!) like a boat cruise, bachelor/bachelorette party or a morning-after brunch.
Again, this is not required but is sure to keep your nearest and dearest holding you in the highest regard.
Jessica & Brian’s Tulum wedding
Who buys who wedding gifts?
Here’s a tricky one with different opinions.
Personally, I don’t believe the bride and groom should ever expect a gift from a guest attending their destination wedding. It’s that whole ‘your presence is a present’ thing.
And if your guests do buy you gifts, expect they will be less extravagant than if they were attending your wedding back home.
That being said, I believe that you should buy them a gift!
Most couples who get married on the beach in Riviera Maya, Mexico give gifts in the form of destination wedding welcome bags left in each guest’s room for them to find when they arrive.
Think of them tired and hot from travel, and finding loads of handy things they need for their holiday, like water bottles, sunglasses, little bottles of personalized sunscreen, and most importantly, tequila!)
Destination wedding etiquette is all about remembering that your wedding guests are people you love and care about most, dropping hard-earned dollars and their precious vacation time to celebrate with you!
Good etiquette is to show them just how much you appreciate that.
What is the hardest part about good destination wedding etiquette? Tell me about it in the comments below.
Are you looking for the best Playa del Carmen wedding photographer for your beach wedding in Riviera Maya, Mexico? Then contact us now to get your wedding date secured! We are Fun In the Sun Weddings, for the best Riviera Maya wedding photography in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum.
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