Packing for
Your Destination Wedding
by Paris Permenter and John Bigley
Are you planning a
destination wedding? Congratulations! Before you head off to your
dream wedding and honeymoon, don't forget the packing for the
wedding itself. Much will depend on where you're having your wedding
and your own personal style.
If you're getting married in a formal wedding dress, be sure to
carry it with you - don't trust your dress to checked luggage. Most
airplanes have coat closets and will allow travelers to hang garment
bags. Check with your airline.
Grooms should also carry the clothing needed for the ceremony. If
you're getting married in the Caribbean, you won't find many tuxedo
rental shops in the islands. It is easiest to bring clothes with
you. We recently saw a panicked groom in the Bahamas wearing a
tuxedo shirt, coat, cummerbund -and a pair of jeans. The
stressed-out groom was racing for the lobby door to meet a clothier
who had located a pair of tuxedo pants after the groom's were lost
in his luggage. Don't let this happen to you!
Also, carry all original documents--including birth certificates
and divorce papers, if applicable--in your hand luggage. Don't pack
these in checked luggage!
Many resorts have on-site beauty salons, so you can make sure
your hair is perfect for your wedding day. (If you plan to do your
own hair, be sure to check first on the electrical current and plugs
at your destination. You may need to bring converters for hot
rollers and other appliances.) Many resorts also have on-site spas
which can pamper the two of you with a massage to work out the kinks
from your flight.
For the wedding, you'll want to pack some of these items,
depending on your plans:
- wedding dress
- special hosiery or undergarments
- shoes (if you're planning a tropical wedding, remember that
high temperatures and humidity, coupled with a long flight, can
make feet puffy)
- guest book
- wedding rings
- groom's tux or suit
- groom's shoes
- address book
- thank you cards if you'd like to write them on the way home
- special decorations, wedding music
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