We had our good friend and ethical fashion and travel expert, Liz, from Zabette, give us some savvy advice on how to effectively prep when embarking on a destination wedding adventure! Whether you’re the bride, the bridesmaid, or a guest, Liz shares some great insight that we can all add to our travel routines!

Imagine this: It’s been a rough day at work, you get home, grab the mail and as you’re shuffling through it, while simultaneously uncorking a bottle of wine, you come across a beautiful piece of stationary –it’s the official save-the-date for your best friend’s wedding!

 …In HAWAII!

A few things might roll through your head:

1.     How am I going to get there?

2.     Where will I stay?

3.     What do I pack?!

I’m here to help you!

Destination weddings can be a wonderful time, you get to celebrate a dear friend or family member going into a new chapter in their life and have yourself a little vacation to boot. They can also be a bit of a burden if you’re not prepared for it. This guide is to help you get ready for the big day.

Oftentimes a “destination wedding” simply involves being an out-of-town friend or family member traveling to the bride/groom’s place of residence where they’re tying the knot. In these cases you probably already know about the engagement and have at least suspected you’ll be attending the festivities, but sometimes the happy couple wants something a bit more elaborate.

If it’s a true destination wedding and the happy couple has decided to work with a travel agency to help out, it’s best to go that route, it will save you time, stress and money too.

 Step 1: Getting There.

There are thankfully plenty of resources to use now to find great deals for transportation. I always recommend getting an idea of prices on Kayak or Google flights, ultimately it’s generally safer to buy a ticket directly with the airline. You’ll have less of a chance of being bumped from your flight, as well as the security of being directly ticketed if anything were to change. You can join mileage clubs for free to get perks, or if you travel often, investing in a card that earns you points can be very beneficial.

Step 2: Where to Stay

If the couple invited a substantial amount of out-of-towners or is having a full blown destination wedding, they should have blocked rooms off at one or more hotels. Those details should have been in the invitation or their wedding profile if they’re using a site like “The Knot.” If they do have rooms blacked off, secure your reservation by calling the hotel to confirm that you’re part of the wedding party since those rates won’t be on the website.

Step 3: Packing.

This can sometimes be the toughest part. Considering you probably have a dress or suite or even a tuxedo to pack and making sure it doesn’t get lost or damaged. If you’re traveling with any of these items and flying to the destination, kindly ask the gate agent at the airport or the head flight attendant if there’s anywhere the garment can be hung on the flight, they usually have small closets on board for those in first class, but if you’re traveling in summer and no one has a large coat with them it shouldn’t be a problem – remember, be nice to the flight attendants!

What to pack for five days of pre-wedding, wedding day and post-wedding festivities all in a carry on: click here!

Liz is a world traveler based out of the Chicago suburbs. With a background in the travel industry and a degree in Fashion Studies from Columbia College Chicago, she is working on combining the two in her newest venture: Zabette. You can join in on her journey through Instagram at @zabette.co