Destination wedding: how to plan it and what your guests need to know
Updated 26 October 2026 · Written by Lysela
Tell your guests as early as you can, ideally with a save the date nine to twelve months ahead, and put the whole trip in one place: date, location, how to get there, where to stay and what happens on which day. A destination wedding asks more of guests than one at home, because they have to book time off, travel and sleep away. That makes your information matter more here than at most weddings. This guide covers planning from Sweden when you are getting married abroad, who can pay for what, what guests need to know, a timeline and what to say about gifts.
Try it yourself, no account neededDestination wedding: planning it from home
If you marry formally in another country, the marriage must be registered in Sweden to be valid here. Skatteverket, the Swedish Tax Agency, explains how that works, so contact them early.
Fix the date and place first
Everything else depends on them. Guests cannot book travel until they know where and when, so do not wait for the last details before telling them.
Visit, or get help on the ground
It is hard to judge a venue, a hotel and a transfer from a picture. If you cannot go before the wedding, a local coordinator or the venue's own contact can answer what you cannot see from home.
Plan for more than one day
Many guests travel the day before and home the day after. A small programme around the wedding, such as a dinner the evening before or a brunch the day after, gives them something to gather around.
Gather the answers in one place
Flights, rooms and allergies are needed in good time. Collect them in an RSVP with a reply-by date, and ask the questions that otherwise take several emails, such as when they land and whether they need a seat on the bus from the airport.
Who pays for a destination wedding?
There is no fixed rule. The arrangement you choose sets expectations, so say it in the save the date or invitation. These are the usual options.
| Cost | Options | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | Guests pay their own way. Some couples pay for parents or the closest family. | Say early what applies, so nobody declines for money reasons without having been asked. |
| Accommodation | Guests book and pay themselves, or you reserve a block of rooms at a hotel with a group rate that guests book from. | State which hotel, which code or link to use, and the last day to book. |
| The party | You pay for the dinner, drinks and venue, as at most weddings. | Say what is included, so guests know whether they must arrange lunch or a late meal themselves. |
| The days around it | You host a shared dinner or brunch, or everyone pays their own. | If guests have to pay for it, say so plainly, with the amount. |
| Extra activities | Excursions or a pool party can be optional, with a price of their own. | Mark clearly what is optional. |
A timeline for a destination wedding
| When | What you do |
|---|---|
| 12 months ahead or earlier | Fix the date and place. Find out what the legal marriage requires, and ask Skatteverket about registering it in Sweden. |
| 9 to 12 months ahead | Send a save the date with the date, the place and a line on how travel and accommodation will work. |
| 6 to 9 months ahead | Put accommodation, directions and the programme on your wedding website. Guests book flights and hotels. |
| 3 to 4 months ahead | Send the invitation with an RSVP and a reply-by date. Ask about arrival, allergies and accommodation. |
| 6 to 8 weeks ahead | Reply-by date. Add up arrival times, plan the transfers and send the list to the venue. |
| 2 weeks ahead | Send a last run-through: weather, what to wear, passports or visas, transfers and who to call if something goes wrong. |
| The day before | Welcome your guests, hand out the programme and hold a simple shared dinner if you like. |
What guests need to know
How to get there
The nearest airport, how long the journey from there to the venue takes, and whether you provide transport. Give times for the buses and where they leave from.
Where to stay
A few suggestions at different prices, near the venue, each with a link and a line on the distance.
What to wear for the climate
Give the dress code and think about the heat, the wind and the ground. Heels that sink into grass or sand, thin dresses in a cold church and suits in thirty degrees each need a line. More on dress codes is in the dress code guide.
The days around the wedding
What happens on which day, what is optional and who is invited to what.
Practicalities
Passports and visas if needed, currency, whether cards work, what happens in bad weather and a number to call if the journey goes wrong.
We are getting married in [place], [country], on [date]. The nearest airport is [airport], and from there it is [time] by [bus or car]. We have arranged buses from [place] at [time]. Under Accommodation on our site you will find a few hotels near the venue. Please book before [date].
[Weekday]: Welcome dinner at [time] at [place]. Everyone is welcome, and it is on us. [Weekday]: The wedding. The ceremony starts at [time]. [Weekday]: Brunch at [time] for anyone still here. It is optional, and everyone pays their own.
Dress code: [code]. It will be [temperature] degrees and the ceremony is outdoors. Choose light fabric, and shoes you can walk in on [ground].
Wedding gifts for a destination wedding
Guests have already paid for travel and accommodation, so many couples choose not to ask for anything more. You can say so outright: having everyone there is gift enough. If you would still like something, there are three common routes. You can ask for a contribution towards the honeymoon, you can keep a wish list of things that are easy to post home, or guests can send a card and a gift afterwards. Anything bulky is hard to bring on a plane.
More on wording it is in the cash gift guide.
That you are travelling so far to celebrate with us is the best gift we could be given. We are not asking for presents.
If you would like to give something, we are putting together a contribution towards our trip after the wedding. How it works is on our website.
One page for everything guests need
At a destination wedding guests look for the same things again and again: where they land, how they reach the hotel, which day the dinner is. A wedding website puts them at one address. You see who is coming, what they eat and how they are travelling, and you stop answering the same question in several threads. On the example sites you can see how accommodation, transport and programme look to a guest.
A wedding website for the trip
With Lysela you gather the trip at one address. The save the date card shows your names, the date and the place, with a button that adds the day to the guest's calendar. On the page you fill in the programme with a time and a title for each row, so you can title one "Friday, welcome dinner", the buses with time, from and to, up to ten accommodation suggestions with links, the dress code and a section for good to know, such as passports and weather. From Plus, guests who choose English read the page's headings, buttons and RSVP in English (your own text appears as you wrote it), you can add your own RSVP questions such as when they land or whether they are staying overnight, and each household gets its own link.
You pay once, SEK 795, SEK 1,795 or SEK 4,900 including VAT, and the site stays up for 12 months.
What usually goes on a wedding website, and what one costs, is in the checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays for a destination wedding?
There is no fixed rule. Often the couple pays for the party and guests pay their own travel and accommodation, but the arrangement is yours. Say so in the save the date or invitation, so guests know before they book.
Should you pay for your guests at a destination wedding?
It is your choice. Some couples pay the travel for parents or close family, others host only the party. What matters is that you say it clearly and early.
When should you tell guests the wedding is abroad?
As soon as the date and place are settled, ideally in a save the date nine to twelve months ahead. Guests who need to book flights and time off need the notice.
Is a marriage abroad valid in Sweden?
The marriage must be registered in Sweden to be valid here. Skatteverket explains how that works, so start there.
More to read
- What should a wedding website include? Checklist, timeline and cost
- Save the date: when to send it and what it should say
- Wedding shuttle bus and guest transport: how to book and what to tell guests
- Wedding gift list: what to put on it and how guests use it
- Honeymoon ideas from Sweden: when to go and where