Travel Tips for Wedding Guests: How to Prepare for a Destination Wedding

International and domestic destination weddings are increasing in popularity. Many guests also travel significant distances to attend weddings in other states or countries. With a bit of pre-planning and preparation, traveling wedding guests can save money on the event.

When my friend Katie announced her New Year's Eve engagement and asked if I could come to her wedding in May, I immediately started planning to attend the event. Once I received the invitation with the official date, time and location, I had already compared car versus air travel and had a general idea about my itinerary.

Early Travel Preparations

Once the basic information is confirmed, it's time to set a budget. Because I was traveling from New Jersey to Michigan, my friend kept me informed as she planned her wedding. While this is the polite course of action for any bride or groom with out-of-town guests, not all are as conscientious as my friend.

If you haven't heard from the couple getting married, check in from time to time about official plans. Wedding planning is hard work, so you can't always rely on them to keep you in the loop until they send invitations.

When you find out about a destination wedding or a wedding that will require you to travel, you can begin figuring out your budget by determining:

· Least expensive mode of travel (or airline)

· Cost of accommodations

· At home expenses (housesitting, child care, pet care)

· Type of clothing you will need to purchase or upgrade

· Car repairs, oil change or tune up (if traveling by car)

You can also save money by traveling or sharing a room with another attendee. My husband and I traveled together to the Michigan wedding. If I had gone alone, it would have been less expensive for me to fly. With two of us, driving was the cheaper and more practical means of travel.

Length of Stay

We also decided to make the Michigan wedding a turn-around-trip. This saved us about $200 in costs because we did not have to board our dogs. Instead, we had a friend come by to feed, walk and play with the dogs a few times. We will give him a small thank-you gift instead of spending the money on a kennel.

Had we decided to stay for a longer amount of time, the bed and breakfast would have offered us a special. If you need or want a vacation anyway, a destination wedding is an opportunity to save money on your trip.

Most hotels and resorts offer block rates for wedding guests. Communicate with the happy couple and the hotel--you may be able to extend your stay and get a great deal on your room.

Buy at Home

You know your hometown best--and you know where to find the local deals. Save money by purchasing anything you need for the wedding prior to leaving. This is especially true if you are attending a destination wedding at a resort. The $3 flip flops you find at Wal-Mart could cost $23 or more at a resort.

Hotels, resorts and turnpike travel stores almost always charge more for the essentials. Head to your local pharmacy, dollar store or grocery store to save money on travel-sized toiletries like toothpaste and deodorant. (If you are traveling by plane, you can find toiletries packed in clear containers and approved for airline travel--just remember to put them in clear plastic bags per TSA regulations.)

Items commonly marked up in tourist destinations include:

· Sport gear including skis

· Weather-appropriate clothing

· Bathing suits, beach towels, coolers and other beach gear

· Sunscreen, sunglasses and hats

· Over the counter medication

· Feminine supplies

· Socks, underwear and other basics

If you plan to shop while you're at your destination, don't forget to bring extra bags. It's better for the environment, harder to lose things and you can plan ahead for what fits on the plane or in the car.

I packed ahead for the Michigan wedding but forgot to pack my husband's kilt. We asked our innkeeper where to find the nearest local retail chain and purchased an inexpensive pair of khaki pants appropriate for the wedding.

The inn provided a guide with retail locations, but we definitely saved money and time by asking a local where to shop for something last-minute. Prior to the wedding week, you can also ask the bride and groom about local retail locations. Some couples send such information to far-away guests with the invitations.

Forgetting something you already had at home always costs money. If possible, pack ahead a few days before leaving and then go through everything again before you leave. This is a good way to ensure you've remembered everything.

Snacks

Whether you buy food at an airport, on a plane or in a highway rest stop, it's always more expensive and not always what you had really wanted. Pack some snacks and bring them with you on your trip.

I saved about $20 on our wedding trip by purchasing snacks ahead of time. My husband cut up some fruit and put it in a container in a refrigerated bag. Since we're on Weight Watchers, I purchased the (somewhat expensive) Weight Watchers snack bars--which still cost about half as much as the unhealthy rest stop alternatives.

Even though I always budget for emergencies and last-minute necessities on trips (especially for weddings, when specific attire is required), it always adds a bit of stress and frustration to spend an exorbitant amount of money on something that would cost half as much at home. With adequate preparation, I was able to enjoy my friend's wedding--without the stress of going over budget.