How to Thank Your Destination Wedding Party

This blog post was updated on May 1, 2020.

From a beach ceremony to mountaintop nuptials, destination weddings can be a wonderful way to celebrate a happy time with family and friends. However, it’s important to remember that when you decide to tie the knot far from home, it can cost members of your wedding party both money and time. A thank you gift or experience can be a great way to show them how much you appreciate their willingness to travel to make your day special. Here are six ideas for how to say thank you to your family and friends who join you at your destination wedding.

Tickets to a Performance

Treating your wedding party to a special performance can be a great way to express your gratitude. Do a bit of research to see what types of concerts, plays, or other performances will be happening while you’re all in town together. Keep your eye out for experiences that members of your wedding party wouldn’t necessarily have at home – like going to an iconic New Orleans jazz club, a reggae concert in Jamaica, or a play at the renowned Comédie Française in Paris. Depending on your budget, consider combining this event with dinner, drinks, or dessert (or all three!).

A Dinner Out

A relaxed dinner out in the days following the wedding can be a fun way to show your wedding party just how much you appreciate them. Read online reviews or ask the locals what the best spots are for an unforgettable meal. Whether it’s beachfront dining in Honolulu or traditional Swiss raclette in the Alps, your wedding party will definitely appreciate the opportunity to try a different cuisine in a place far from home.

Vouchers for the Spa

There’s no better way to unwind and rejuvenate after a wedding than with a nice massage or beauty treatment at a spa. Why not gift your wedding party some spa vouchers? There’s also the likelihood that your destination wedding will be at an all-inclusive resort, which is sure to have a spa on the premises itself, making it super convenient for your friends to be pampered.

A Special Excursion

Depending on the interests of your wedding party, a special excursion to a museum – like The Met, if you’re in New York – site of interest, or natural wonder can be a great way to say thanks. The more location-specific and out of the ordinary the experience is, the better – like taking them for an elephant ride through the jungles of Thailand!

A Nice Bottle

Depending on where your destination wedding is, a nice bottle of local spirit makes a great gift. Stocking the members of your wedding party’s hotel rooms with Puerto Rican rum, French champagne, or Irish whiskey can be a fun way to liven things up and let them know you appreciate their willingness to travel to celebrate your big day.

Local Art or Handicrafts

Purchasing local art or handicrafts for members of your wedding party to take home with them is a lovely way to show your thanks, and also support local artists. From Peruvian weavings to Oaxacan paintings to Murano glass, you’re bound to find some beautiful objects from the local culture that will thrill your bridesmaids and groomsmen. If the objects are large or breakable, your wedding party will surely appreciate your offer to ship their souvenirs home.