For most couples, planning an Asheville wedding is planning a destination wedding. And so, many guests are traveling to Asheville from out of town and for some it may be their first visit to this amazing city! There are a few things you and your fiancé can do to make their experience even more memorable.

1. Gift your guests Asheville-themed wedding favors.

One of the most common ways to thank your guests for attending your wedding is by providing them with wedding favors! While most favors consist of things like personalized koozies, key chains, snacks, etc. there are plenty of unique favor ideas specific to the Asheville area. Here is a list of some of our favorites.

• French Broad Chocolates or Chocolate Fetish

• Poppy Popcorn

• Jewelry or Crafts from the River Arts District

• Lusty Monk Beer Mustard

• Spicewalla Spice Tins

• Dynamite Roasting Coffee

• Imladris Farm Jams and Jellies

• Asheville Tea Company

• Asheville Bee Charmer Honey

• Craft Beer Accessories (Especially fun for a brewery wedding!)

If you can’t decide on just one favor, and your budget allows it, you can always create a welcome bag of mixed goodies to greet your guests when they arrive in Asheville.

2. Send them a list of fun things to do in Asheville.

Most guests, especially first time Asheville visitors, will most likely create a mini vacation of your wedding weekend and will need some fun ways to spend their time! While we have created a detailed list of ideas (which you can find here - feel free to share this with your guests or link it on your wedding website!) for your guests to enjoy their visit in Asheville, here is a quick list of ideas to help your guests make the most of their weekend!

• Historic Biltmore Estate

• Hiking Trails and Scenic Overlooks of the Blue Ridge Parkway

• Craft Breweries

• Farm-to-Table Experiences, including Food Tours!

• Trolley Tours of Asheville

• River Arts District

• Floating the French Broad River

• Exploring Downtown Asheville

3. Create a wedding website.

A wedding website is a great resource for guests to find up-to-date information and accommodation information

Our favorite wedding website is www.withjoy.com. We love this service because:

• It’s free to use!

• It includes an online RSVP system.

• It’s very user friendly

Things to include on your website:

• The time and location of the ceremony (and reception)

• Travel Tips (Airport locations, driving instructions, etc.)

• Accommodation Information (Hotel blocks, guest transportation, etc.)

• Things to Do in Asheville (be sure to include you and your fiance’s favorite activities or memorable spots like engagement, first date, etc.)

• RSVP - online RSVP is the easiest and most fool proof way to go!

• Fun facts about why you chose Asheville.

• Engagement pictures!

• Be sure to have the website updated as much as possible before sending out save the dates and invitations.

4. Send out Save the Dates.

If you are planning a destination wedding, it is important to send out save the dates. This is to allow guests more time than invitations would to plan their trip, book a hotel room, book transportation (if none is provided), etc.

Your save the date also sets the tone for your destination wedding! It’s a great excuse to visit the mountains and have your engagement shoot for your save the dates! You can also add a few engagement shoot pictures to your website!

Don’t forget to add the following to your save the date:

• “Invitation to Follow” - if you are not sending invitations, direct them to the website and let them know to RSVP there.

• Wedding date and location

• Wedding Website URL

5. Reserve hotel blocks.

This is so important when planning a destination wedding in Asheville!

Asheville attracts couples from all over the world and so it is a popular wedding spot. Because it is so busy, it is best to reserve hotel rooms in advance for your guests. This is especially important if your wedding falls during a “busy time.”

Hotel blocks can be booked a year out from the wedding, and we encourage you to get a head start on this! This also allows you to have the information ready before you create a website and send out save the dates or invitations.

Regardless of when and where your destination wedding is taking place, offering some resources to your guests will make them feel more at ease about traveling for your wedding weekend! Your guests will thank you for it!