Jet-Set Elegance: Packing Tips for Your Destination Wedding

Photography by Lutisha Aubrey Photography

Packing for a trip or vacation can be intimidating, and wedding planning can feel overwhelming. When you combine these two elements into packing for a destination wedding, it can be downright terrifying. However, if you pack well for your destination wedding, you will be well prepared for anything that can come your way. We are going to provide you with some tips to help you pack for your destination wedding with confidence so that you are not caught off guard when a Target or your seamstress isn’t just a twenty minute drive away.

Essential Travel Documents

First of all, if you are traveling by plane, make sure that you have all necessary travel documents such as IDs, passports, and visas. If you are getting married abroad, you will want to make sure to have documents that allow you to enter that country in a space that is easy to access and is secure. Once you reach your destination, make sure to place these somewhere protected such as a safe in your hotel room.

Wedding Attire

When packing your wedding attire, such as a wedding dress, you will want to make sure that it is packed in a garment bag that will keep your attire clean. While policy will vary from airline to airline, we would highly recommend bringing your attire on as a carry on so that you are able to keep a close eye on it. Some planes even have closets that are designed to store carry on items such as instruments and important garment bags, such as wedding gowns. If you are limited in your carry on allowances, we recommend getting a carry on bag that has a rolling or folding garment bag so that you can still keep it nearby. There is risk of it wrinkling, but keep this in mind ahead of time. If you are unable to pack it as a carry on, we would recommend having it in a garment bag in a hard shelled suitcase so that you minimise the risk of damage. Check with your hotel or accommodations ahead of time to see if they provide a steamer or iron to help mitigate any wrinkles that may occur when you are travelling.

Destination-Specific Essentials

When packing for your destination wedding, make sure that you take into consideration the area you will be in. If you are having a wedding in the tropics and will be on the beach, make sure to pull out your summer clothes and to pack sandals. If you are having a destination wedding in the mountains of Colorado, you may need to keep in mind that even if you are packing snow boots, you will also need to pack sunscreen. If you are having your wedding in an urban area, make sure to pack a variety of items such as formal attire for if you and your guests choose to go to a steakhouse, as well as closed toe shoes if you choose to spend a day exploring the city.

Decor

This is an area that you will only encounter when having to pack for a destination wedding. If you have specialised decor that is not being sourced onsite, we highly recommend having everything shipped so that it arrives ahead of time for the wedding. Make sure to account for delays so that you are not worried about your table linens arriving late. If there is decor that you cannot source locally near your wedding destination and that you cannot ship, pack a decor only suitcase and check it as luggage on your flight. Make sure to wrap everything in bubble wrap when possible, and have it marked as fragile luggage so that it is handled with extra care. Keep in mind that unfortunately there is risk associated with travelling with breakable decor, so account for something going wrong or being broken. For example, we always try to have extra taper candles when possible because if they are dropped, they will snap and then bend at a weird angle. Depending on your planner, there is a chance that they may be the ones travelling with the decor so that you are not having to worry about it.

Jewelry and Valuables

When travelling with fine jewelry and valuables, such as diamonds or your wedding bands, purchase a jewelry box that has been designed for travel and pack it in your carry on so that your jewelry arrives to your destination securely. If you have the option to, split the valuables being carried between you and your fiance so that if something were to go awry, such as if a bag goes missing or is delayed, you still have some of your valuables secure.

If you are travelling for your destination wedding and working with a planner, your planner will be a great resource to help with navigating travelling and packing for your wedding. As always, please make sure to abide by TSA and your airline’s rules when travelling.