by Carrle Hopkins

Created on: September 11, 2009

With the ever rising costs of a wedding, couples can quickly see the expenses spiral out of control. Transportation for wedding guests can be one of the most expensive items that can bust even the most liberal budgets. Therefore, this is an expense that some couples must take into consideration immediately when planning their guest list and financial obligations, as well as the etiquette expected of the bride and groom. Who pays? The answer depends on the type of wedding, the location of the ceremony, and ultimately who the guests are.

In a more traditional wedding, close family members such as grandparents who live far away, may need to be provided transportation. Also some family members may be on a limited budget, so the couple must take this into consideration when planning costs. Guests who are part of the wedding party should also have transportation provided, especially if the costs would prevent the person from being able to take part without damaging his personal finances.

Now because other guests have more of an opportunity to opt out of attendance than the family and wedding party, their transportation should not be provided. The couple must determine how badly the couple wants a particular guest to attend as to whether of not the couple foots the bill for travel expenses. If travel costs start to become fiscally prohibitive, a couple may have to limit the number of guests based on their proximity to the setting of the ceremony, or their ability to provide for their own travel costs.

Also as more couples are opting for the trendy "destination weddings" that are all the rage today, these couples often choose remote and even luxurious resort locations. The bride and groom must include in their budgets the costs of transportation and even lodging for the immediate family members and the wedding party. Immediate family members and special guests like parents, grandparents, siblings, and best friends should be at least offered air transportation. Most likely those who have the means will decline and pay their own expenses. Also if the rest of the guest list is limited to a small number, these guests should probably have the travel costs offered as well.

Basically, the rule of thumb for determining who should pay for the transportation of invited wedding guests would be for the couple to decide how important it is to have certain guests in attendance to witness the ceremony and join in the festivities. If the expense of the transportation would hinder a vital guest from being able to attend then the couple must build this cost into their nuptial budget.

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