5 Great Ways to Help Guests Find Your Wedding/Event Venue
It’s wedding season, which means planning has kicked into high gear to ensure everything is done on time. From the dresses to the flowers, it doesn’t seem like anything else could come up. However, as your date approaches, small details are likely to pop up every now and then. If you are ahead of the game, you can most likely prevent any mishaps.
One of the situations that many people may overlook, is creating a way to help your guests find your wedding/event venue. Most people can easily type in an address to a GPS. Chances are, you’ll have some older guests that might use more traditional navigation tactics. GPS can also be less helpful as wedding venues become more unique. It’s important to consider hard to find venues that are in industrial or rural areas. Many places are so new that they don’t have their location on Google Maps setup, yet. Yikes! Here are some of the more creative ways you can help guests find your wedding/event venue without anyone being stressed or losing their way!
Draw a Map
While GPS might work perfectly fine, a customized map can add a unique flair to your wedding invitation suite. Help people get the vibe that your wedding venue is going to be more on the creative side by giving them a map from the airport on the back of the invitation. You can dot, line, and ‘X’ it like a treasure map. You can even have the map lead them to the hotel and have the hotel give them something else to lead them to the venue. This is an exciting way to not only help your guests get to your venue on time, but also engage them before the party starts!
Welcome Baskets
Supply your guests with specialized welcome baskets and include your map inside of it. It would be nice to include ideas for things to do while they are in town as well. It would also be thoughtful to plan something specifically for them. For example, let all the older adults know that there will be a restaurant booked for however many people at a certain time. That way, the older folks can get together and mingle. Regardless, getting people to mingle and create friendships will create a better environment at the wedding, and they can help each other find the wedding/event venue better.
Make Signs
In some cases, simple directions and an address would be just fine. But what if your venue is a ways out of town or in a rural area? In this scenario, you should consider putting up some signs around the streets that people will be taking to your venue. You can even include cute sayings on them like, “This way to do I do’s”, or just, “Wedding this way!” You should expect nobody to get lost when you cover all bases like this. But to be 100% sure, tie some balloons onto the signs. That should do the trick, and it looks fun and festive!
Appoint Drivers
This option might be on the more expensive end, but if you can budget getting some sort of designated driver or shuttle to pick up your guests, the thought of anyone getting lost will simply vanish. This type of transportation will not only allow your guests to forgo the thought of getting lost, but it also minimizes the risk of anyone arriving late due to traffic.
This idea is not only convenient, but it can also actually be fun for your guests as well! While a few of your family or friends may have arranged to carpool, most were probably planning on arriving on their own. A shuttle ride from the hotel might actually be a super fun way for your guests to mingle ahead of time!
Create a Video
People always almost always have their phones on hand. So, one way to give directions to your venue is through a video! Try recording a cute Snapchat story with your significant other that you can send to everyone. This can be an added measure for when you send out your other day-of social media information. It will also be a fun project for you and your spouse! Don’t forget to use some of those goofy filters too. 🙂
Regardless of which way you choose to lead your guests to find your wedding/event venue, they are going to be delighted upon arrival no matter what. This is your time, and as long as you can think ahead and cut those stressors out, you are going to have the time of your life.
Remember to breathe if something goes wrong, and then smile. Your guests may be late, and that’s okay. Eventually, they’ll find your wedding/event venue. What’s important is that your guests make it, safely, to celebrate with you. All that matters is that you have a partner by your side to help you now. Good luck!
Be sure to read our Wedding Planning Tips articles, as well!
Guest Contributor: Abigail Golder Abigail is a senior student, studying journalism at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications. She plans to graduate in May 2018 from the Cronkite School and Barrett, The Honors College. Originally from Colorado, Abigail grew up in a small town called Montrose and she still spends much of her free time in the mountains hiking and skiing. | Abigail Golder |
