Weddings are quite exciting to plan but excitement turns into stress when your wedding happens to be out of state during peak travel seasons. Indeed, with eye-watering travel costs and over-booked venues, travelling during the peak season requires proper planning and smart decisions to navigate through these challenges unique to this time of year. In this guide, you can find some helpful suggestions and considerations to aid in making your out-of-state wedding a success despite the busy travel season.
Five Reasons to Have an Out-of-State Wedding During Travel Peak Seasons
But before we get into the specifics, let’s discuss why a lot of couples host their weddings in an out-of-state location during peak travel times. While the best months to tie the knot fall during peak seasons, unfortunately these often also coincide with holiday breaks, summer vacations and balmy weather—when demand for venues is at an all-time high. Having your wedding during these times allows for more friends and family to come without the worry of taking time off work or school. On the bright side, destinations might offer more sightlines and activity choices — especially if your destination caters to particular seasonal offerings.
The Disadvantages of Getting Married Outside Your Home State During Peak Season
Planning a wedding out of state is hard enough, but add peak travel seasons, and it makes it even more difficult. Next are some of the common hurdles couples have to jump over:
Increased Prices: During peak seasons, the costs for travel and lodging are jacked-up. With flights, hotels and rental cars all seeing fierce demand, prices will be flying higher than in recent years.
Decreased Availability: With peak season time slots filling up so far in advance (sometimes a year or more), there just isn’t as much to go around when it comes to venues and certain vendors.
Overcrowded places every travel season seems to be busy when it comes to airports, hotels, and popular tourist spots are usually packed, hence making logistics a bit challenging.
Weather Factors: You can hardly fight with weather, the most unpredictable factor of them all in peak seasons such as summer or winter that often comes with storms or very high and low values.
However, with proper planning in place, you could overcome these challenges and host a memorable out-of-state wedding.
10 Things To Remember When Planning An Out-Of-State Wedding
Plan your Destination and Date Well
The first step in planning an out-of-state wedding is choosing a location and date. Try to choose a destination that is not too complicated for your guests to reach out. So, for example, if you are going with a wedding in the wilderness, consider how it may be important to arrange additional travel services like shuttles or vehicle rentals.
Tip: Try to shift dates from peak travel date options. Instead of having your wedding on a holiday weekend, take advantage of (a few days before or after) it. That way you are missing the biggest expense and fiercest crowds, but still benefitting from peak season buzz.
Send Out Save-the-Dates Early
While save-the-dates are always a good idea for weddings, they become even more important when planning an out-of-state wedding in peak travel season! A minimum of 8 to 12 months in advance so that guests have plenty of time to book flights, hotels and take time off work. This will allow them more time to make travel plans before prices are raised even further.
Tip: The more travel info you can include with your save-the-date cards the better — this could mean airports, hotels and transportation information.
Explore Local Suppliers and Make Early Reservations
Then lock in your wedding vendors as early as possible, especially for peak seasons when cake makers, photographers and florists fill slots quickly. It is often simpler to collaborate with local vendors who are accustomed to the location and can provide great observations. They might even have contacts that can help you find other wedding essentials, like where to secure lodging or transport.
Tip: If you can, hire a local wedding planner who is familiar with the area. They can take care of a lot of the logistics, provide suggestions and be there on the ground to make sure everything runs seamlessly & your life is less stressful.
Block Rooms for Guests
Room costs can increase with the more travelers on the move, and again many hotels will fill up completely for peak times so block rooms for guests as soon as possible! A lot of hotels have discounted rates for group bookings, so ask them for a room block to find accommodations for your guests.
Tip: you should block a few different room types so guests have options at different budget levels. Add these hotels to your wedding website so it’s an easy booking for your guests when they need a place to stay.
Set up an All-inclusive Wedding Website
However, one way to remedy this is to create a wedding website where you can update everyone about your plans and travel logistics. This can include information about your wedding day, how to get to where you are getting married, local attractions, what the weather is likely to be like and anything else that may be of interest! Do be sure to include links to book hotels, transportation advice and even recommendations on restaurants and activities to do in the region.
Arrange Alternative Transportation For Your Guests
You are having an out-of-state wedding, so your guests may require transportation once they get there. If your venue is in the middle of nowhere, you might want to look into shuttle buses or carpool options. That can be especially useful for guests who have less experience walking in the area and might be unsure about a safe route themselves.
Tip: Your guests must know what to expect on transportation so all this detail needs to be specified on the website or through email.
Account for Seasonal Weather
However, peak seasons can be tough on the weather too. Expect extreme heat and potentially humidity if you are planning an outdoor summer wedding in a hot location. In case of hail or snowstorms, you may have to make alternative arrangements if you are getting married in the winter.
Tip: It also helps to have a plan B – whether that means booking an indoor venue or bringing along outdoor accessories to keep your guests comfy like tents, heaters, fans or misting stations.
Set a Realistic Budget
Weddings in another state at high-demand times cost money. While planning your budget create some buffer as the prices for flights, accommodations and vendors may rise. Also, consider additional travel costs like getting to and from the wedding venue and dealing with nearby activities for guests.
Tip: Save Some Cash, Smaller venues, weekday weddings and all-inclusive packages (sometimes a better value than you think at peak) are great ways to save some loot.
Let Your Guests Know That High-Season Challenges Exist
During peak times, for example, work passes offer rise to crowds which offers rise to line and costs are scheduled land for the rest Inside of phase where nevertheless strain at a high-water mark with card and foodstuff aka works. Let them know about this so they can be ready and plan ahead. Encourage them to book early and provide tips on how they should search for it.
Final Thoughts
Having a wedding in another state can be daunting, especially during peak travel times, but with proper planning and thorough communication, you can pull it off beautifully for yourself and all your guests. Plan ahead, think about your guests and be ready with multiple fall back options for these strange times of ours.
Your dream destination wedding can be a lovely, memorable and carefree celebration that you will have for years to come — if you have the right plan.
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