When my partner and I decided to get married, I became our destination wedding planner. Did I bite off a little more than I could chew? Oh, for sure. Do I regret anything? Absolutely not.
Our destination wedding brought 40 people to the island of Crete for five days, and because many of our guests had never met before, I wanted to do something more than simply link everyone to a wedding website and hope for the best.
So naturally, I created a 25-page magazine.
I Had a Few Goals
First, I wanted everyone to know who they were going to be spending the next five days with.
A lot of our guests were meeting for the first time, so I included a photo and short bio for each person highlighting their interests, personalities, and anything else that might give someone an easy conversation starter. I also handed out unofficial yearbook-style superlatives, unexpectedly pairing guests up based on something they had in common.
Then There Were The Logistics
Since this was an international trip, I couldn’t assume everyone’s phones would work at our destination. The magazine included full daily itineraries, listing relevant times and locations for scheduled events.
I also included a variety of emergency information and phone numbers, because apparently I decided to become the director of an extremely rambunctious tour company. Thankfully, nobody needed to find out exactly how to reach the nearest emergency room.
Obviously, There Was Food
Our guest list was full of foodies, so meals were a major part of the trip.
I’d arranged for breakfast to be catered every morning. We were able to literally roll out of our respective villas, walk about ten feet, and find a beautiful breakfast spread already set up. Our guests still rave about this convenience.
While breakfast was consistent each morning, the catered dinners were a completely different story. Each evening had its own theme, so I included menus in the magazine. It was important for our guests to know what was being served so they could plan accordingly.
A Little Local Knowledge
My better half and I had spent a week in town the year before, so I included a few of our favorite restaurants, bars, attractions, and places to wander. Basically everything I would have wanted to know about a location prior to arrival was included.
Fun and Games
By the end of the magazine, I’d clearly lost my mind so I figured I might as well have some fun with it. I added a crossword puzzle about our guests, another featuring trivia about us as a couple, a word search filled with places we’d traveled and lived, and a photo scavenger hunt designed to get everyone interacting.
The grand finale featured a collage of everyone’s pets and children paired with a thank-you note for leaving their loved ones behind to attend our destination wedding.
The Results?
The magazine ended up being part travel guide, part yearbook, part itinerary, part emergency manual, and part introduction to 40 people who were about to spend five days together.
Was it excessive?
Absolutely.
Was it necessary?
Depends who you ask.
Would I do it again?
In a fucking heartbeat.