Six Tips for a Destination Wedding with a Difference

Planning a destination wedding can be a wonderful way to bring family and friends together and share lasting memories of your marriage celebration. But they’re also a bigger commitment for your guests, not all of whom dream of a golf getaway or beach vacation. Two words that are key to planning a destination wedding everyone will enjoy are variety and flexibility.

Let the wedding experts at Turning Stone Resort Casino show you how to plan a destination wedding you won't forget. We'll cover choosing a destination, planning for accessibility, building the guest experience, welcoming your guests,  wedding activity planning, and conveient wedding services.

Six Tips for Destination Wedding Planning

1.) Choose a destination/resort with a multitude of appeals.

No matter how happy your guests are to be a part of your big day, the additional time and money involved in attending a destination wedding are likely to impact their vacation plans for the year. So, make it a true treat for everyone by ensuring access to activities they personally enjoy. That's easy at a place like Turning Stone, where the choices range from casino action to spa services to golf, racquet sports, and more—not to mention a year-round calendar of world-class entertainment acts. Guests who seek quieter pursuits in the great outdoors will find plenty of natural beauty to explore nearby in the Finger Lakes wine region and the Adirondacks.

2.) Keep it within reach.

With all of your guests—and you—traveling in from points beyond, it helps to select a destination that can be easily accessed by air, train and car. Keeping it within reach also means offering accommodation choices to suit a variety of needs. Turning Stone offers a wide range from the luxurious all-suite Lodge to the affordably priced Inn, including a pet-friendly options. And the resort’s more than 20 distinct restaurants offer dining choices for all tastes and budgets.

3.) Build anticipation.

Get guests excited well ahead of time by devoting a page on your wedding website to information about your chosen resort and destination. Be sure to include:

1. Essential travel information, including nearby airports, train stations, shuttle options, and driving instructions
2. Tips for packing to suit the climate and activities
3. A schedule of planned events and recommendations for ways to spend their free timeDetails on helpful services available at the resort, like salons for hair and nail services, boutique and gift shops, convenience stores

4.) Have a welcome treat waiting.

To greet your guests after a long day of travel, arrange to have a little refreshment waiting in their rooms on arrival. One Turning Stone bridal couple treated their winter wedding guests to an in-room hot chocolate kit. Other ideas might include a bottle of sparkling water and some fruit, or an assortment of local treats—along with a personalized note, a printed schedule of wedding events and your recommendations for local dining and activities.

5.) Balance group fun and free time.

Bring your guests together with a few well-planned group activities, like a cocktail reception or a casual barbecue with lawn games to break the ice on the first evening, a golf/spa outing, and a post-wedding brunch. Other memorable activities might include sunset yoga, a cooking class (sushi making is one popular option at Turning Stone), or a fishing excursion at Salmon Acres. But don't over schedule -- be sure to build in plenty of free time for guests to spend on their own as they wish.

6.) Think one-stop shop.

Perhaps the biggest challenge of a destination wedding is sourcing all the services you need to pull off a seamless event, from finding an officiant to the perfect flowers and cake. Choosing a resort with the on-site amenities, services, and expertise to handle it for you will take the stress out of the planning process. At Turning Stone, that means a dedicated wedding expert who will take care of every detail, from liaising with the resort’s own floral services and culinary team, to helping you select from a wide array of ceremony and reception settings to suit weddings of any size, theme and budget, to arranging for pre-wedding spa treatments and bridal party hair and make-up at the on-site Ska:ná: Spa and Ashi Day Spa and Salon—all to make your destination wedding one you and your guests will cherish for years to come.

Start Planning Your Destination Wedding at Turning Stone or view our wedding packages.