What are you paying for your guests?

Just wondering what everyone else is doing for their guests. We're marrying in Playa del Carmen in July and I was just reading some book from the knot at Barnes and they list some things we should be paying for and now, i'm stress'n.

We're doing a welcome dinner, wedding celebration (cocktail hour, open bar, reception-of course), OOT bags,and that's it (oh, fans and parasols for the ceremony, if you want to count that....and a pinata if that counts as well!).

Is that enough? I feel we have to do something else. They're paying for their travels, accomodations, and transportation from airport to hotel.

We're all pretty much staying at the same resort except for 3 other couples and our resort includes breakfast.

Honestly, we'd love to charter a catamaran or pay for an excursion but, really...we can't afford it. We're doing this on our own.

What are you doing?

Thanks!

Same exact things as you....minus the pinata. Thanks for that idea!

We are paying for this ourselves too. Don't worry about it!

We thought about having an excursion, but we only want to take up 2 1/2 days of our guests time....most of them are using our wedding as their family vacation. Why would they wanna be strapped with us the entire time?

Don't worry!

sounds like you are doing everything wonderful! have fun!

We're doing the same as you minus the welcome dinner. We are paying for this ourselves too so we don't have the money for much else. We might pay for an excursion if people want to go, but we'll see what we have for money once it gets closer.

We doing similiar stuff. We aren't having a reception or welcome dinner.

We are giving guest OOT bags, favors, and... uhh.. the reception meal! We are providing transporation to the ceremony and reception.

The following day we have provided transportation for some of our guests to a local shopping area. Two of our guests who I know are low on cash are recieving $100 gift certificates to the resort resturants for their week in St. Thomas.

That's it!!

Although my wedding is over a year away....we have figured on paying for pretty much the same items but we are also paying for the hotel rooms for our MOH and BM.

I think what you're doing so far sounds right on track.

We'll be staying at an All Inclusive with our guests, so we'll do a Welcome Evening, but when the time gets nearer and we really start delving into our budget, we'll decide whether it will be for a group dinner or just late drinks after dinner in one of the resort bars. Then, of course, the wedding day stuff.

I think what we'll probably do is organize some events that can be done as a group, but don't require us to pay for everyone. Like someone else had suggested--- a local shopping trip, or the zip lines....

When we're about 2 months away from the wedding, we'll probably send a newsletter to our confirmed guests having them RSVP on our website for the optional activities. We'll include the price per person for each of these activities so they are aware it's not a hosted activity.

To control some of the expenses, but still be able to spend some organized time with your guests, you could also take advantage of some of your resort offerings--- organize a tournament for some of the included water sports and give away some small gifts as a prize to the winner---- something like that would keep the expenses down, but provide fun things to do as a group...

Thanks, Ladies!

I feel better now! Whew!!!