If there’s one thing Indian weddings can guarantee, it’s lots of guests! Many are friends of the family who the bride and groom have never met. Others are family members from across the world. For these guests, you will have to make special arrangements and Indian Wedding Site will walk you through the process.

Accommodations

The most important item on this agenda is finding the right accommodations for your out of town guests.  The easiest option is friends or family volunteering to house guests during your wedding.  However, this can be a burden that you may not want to place on them.  The most logical answer is blocking hotel rooms.

The first step is to choose a hotel that is in the best location for your guests (close to the airport, ceremony and reception locations, etc.).  Also, you should keep your guests’ budgets in mind when selecting a hotel.  It may even be worth it to find two hotels in different price ranges so your guests have more of a choice.

Once you have found a few hotels in the right location, find out their per night rates for a group booking. You will need to know approximately how many rooms will be booked. In this case, it is good to overestimate so none of your out of town guests are left out. The rate the hotel offers you should be discounted from their normal rate because you are guaranteeing a group booking.

Let the hotel know how many rooms you want blocked off. The hotel will give you a deadline date by which rooms need to be booked.  You will also receive a group code that your guests can use to book at the discounted rate.

Setting up a group code does not lock you into booking all rooms. Any rooms that are not booked by the deadline are simply released and you will not be responsible for them. After this date, guests will have to pay the standard hotel rate if they wish to stay there.

Include the group code in your save the date cards, invitations or on your wedding website so guests are aware of the arrangements.

As a note, make sure you do a walk-through at the chosen hotel with a manager and ask all of your questions. Book a place where you would like to stay yourself and keep in mind what you would need as a guest. Also, make sure you sign a contract that spells out all of the details of your booking, including the number of rooms and the deadline date.

Transportation - Flights

For guests who are flying in, you will have to keep in mind that they will be paying more than other out of town guests. This will be even more expensive if your wedding is during a peak traveling time.

The first step is to browse through the different group and wedding travel programs that airlines offer. Choose one or two airlines that have frequent flights into your wedding area and that have reasonable prices.

The airline you choose may have you sign a contract and you will receive a group code that you can then share with your guests. This program works great if a lot of your guests will be traveling together from the same location.

Transportation - Vehicles

Arranging transportation for your guests once they arrive in your city is optional, but always helpful. You have a few different choices in this matter.

Ask friends or family members to volunteer to be chauffeurs during the wedding. They would be responsible for shuttling guests to and from all wedding events, and also need to be available for any of the guests’ other needs.

Set up a group code with a car rental company. This works in the same way as booking hotel rooms. You will be provided with a code that you share with your guests so they can receive a discount when booking. This is the most practical option and allows freedom for your guests. If you book a group code with an airline, they may also offer a discount with a partnering car rental company.

Also, make sure to find out if the hotel you choose offers any sort of shuttle service to and from the airport. This will really help out those guests who will not be renting cars.

Entertainment

Though not as crucial as accommodations and transportation, entertaining your out of town guests is also very important.  Many of these guests will not know others at your wedding so it is a great idea to set up a pre-wedding event for them.  This can take place at the hotel to introduce guests to one another. Or, if most of your guests are young friends from college and work, you way want to organize an event for them to meet your other friends.  Weddings are also a great place for your single friends to meet one another! Also, if you have the chance, it is always a good idea to have a brunch the day after your wedding with close friends and family as well as those who traveled great distances for your wedding.

[Article thumbnail photo by BCS Photography]