Congratulations! You're engaged and planning the wedding of your dreams--and you've decided to have your nuptials elsewhere. With this decision, you've joined the growing number of couples who choose to host a destination wedding. Read through this handy guide to learn about the basics of destination weddings and invitation etiquette.

What is a destination wedding? 

A destination wedding is any wedding event that is held outside of the couple's usual residence.

While the phrase "destination wedding" brings to mind a tropical island for many (and for good reason, as many couples select exotic island locales for their ceremony and reception), any location can be the focal point of such a celebration. Las Vegas and California (particularly Napa Valley) are particularly popular places in the U.S. for a destination wedding. Popular destinations overseas include the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, France, and Scotland. 

When should I send out the invitations?

It depends. If you're planning a larger group of people who you'd like to include in your festivities, you want to send out details to your guests as soon as possible. In a traditional wedding invitation suite, you would send the save-the-dates six to eight months in advance, and the main invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding and reception. With destination weddings, it is not inappropriate to send out your save-the-dates a year in advance, and your main invitations up to four months in advance.

 

This extension of your timeline takes into consideration that your guests will need to procure flights, hotel rooms, cruise cabins, and/ or transportation in a city (or possibly, country) with which they are unfamiliar. The extra time also allows you to organize the details of your wedding ceremony, as marriage laws vary widely from country to country. 

On the other hand, if you're planning an intimate affair with only a few people or an elopement, you likely have a much better idea of who will be in attendance; in these cases, you can stick to the traditional wedding invitation suite timeline. If you're eloping with only a friend or two in attendance, you can forgo the invitations all together. In these instances, you'll definitely want to send announcements when you get home.

What is the difference between an announcement and a wedding invitation?

Invitations request the presence of your guests at your ceremony and reception and are sent out prior to the event.

Announcements tell family and friends about the basic details of your nuptials after they have already occurred. For example, if you were hosting a wedding for 50 guests on a cruise ship, you'd send invitations, as the guests would need to book their cabins and flights in preparation for your big day; they would also need to know information such as the date, time, and location. However, if you were going to elope with only your parents in attendance, but you still wanted to let your extended family and friends know about your joyful event, you'd send announcements after you returned from your honeymoon. 

How do I word the invitations?

Destination invitations follow the same protocol as traditional wedding invitations; while there are many individual ways to state your intention to marry, you will always want to include the bride and groom's names, the wedding date, and the wedding location. As with a traditional wedding invitation suite, it is proper to send a reception card at minimum; many couples are also including RSVP cards, wedding website information, flight information, and hotel information for their destination wedding guests. Each piece of information should have its own enclosure card. 

Announcements also have many variations. One suggestion is as follows:

Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Landon Edwards are pleased to announce that their daughter,

Katherine Elizabeth,

was joined in marriage to 

Mr. Scott Bowman White

on Saturday, the fifteenth of May

Two thousand and thirteen

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

With an announcement, it is also proper to include an "At Home" card which simply states your new joint residence address, and when you will both be occupying it. Suggested wording for an "At Home" card would be:

Katherine and Scott White will be at home after Monday, the twenty-second of May. 

100 Oak Ridge Court

Charleston, South Carolina 29401

Who pays for what?

Unless there are extenuating circumstances, guests pay their way just as if they were out-of-town guests at a non-destination wedding. While some brides and grooms have the means to pay for hotel rooms and flights, most do not. Your guests should not expect you to provide anything for them other than a meal at the reception and a great time at the overall event.