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In the past year and a half, five of my friends decided to get married out of town (four of them gave me the honor of being a bridesmaid), leaving me with a cost-cutting challenge. While celebrations for such occasions are indeed joyful, they also tend to be mighty pricey, especially if you don't live near the festivities. However, traveling to and from the wedding need not be an expensive endeavor. Here are some money-saving strategies to get you to the church on time.
Airfare
If you're traveling to a wedding that's far away, you'll most likely have to book a flight. Luckily, several airlines offer wedding discount programs for 10 or more guests of the bride and groom who are flying to the wedding. American Airlines Wedding Travel program, Hawaiian Airlines Wedding Wings, and US Airways Weddings discount program provide savings for wedding guests, with five percent off published fares, and an additional five percent off if you book in advance. American Airlines and US Airways' wedding discount programs, for example, provide an extra five percent off fares when booked at least 30 or 60 days in advance, respectively. With most brides and grooms announcing their wedding months before the date, you should have no trouble meeting the one- or two-month deadline. Speak with the bride and groom to see if they have arranged for a group discount, then call the respective airline to book.
Even if a discount has not been prearranged for the wedding, you may be able to save with a group rate, should you and several friends and family members be traveling by air together. Southwest offers savings with its Group Program, where 10 or more people traveling together may qualify for a better rate. If you are just bringing a date, ask your preferred airline if companion fares are available. JetBlue is one airline that offers special prices for two or more people traveling together on the same itinerary.
Although convenient, group rates might not be your cheapest option. It pays to compare all fare types before booking any rate. To begin researching airfare, visit SmarterTravel.com to check for regular air deals, and use our fare-comparison tool to compare available fares simultaneously. Use the results as a basis to determine how the group rates stack up.
Note that you may also want to avoid opaque sites such as Hotwire or priceline for airfare because you won't know the time you'll be flying until after you book. You wouldn't want to take the chance of missing the ceremony or arriving late.
In some cases, you simply may not be able to find a cheap flight, and in a pinch, frequent flyer miles can be a saving grace. When I traveled from Boston to Los Angeles for a spring wedding, airfares floated around $300. I was less than keen on spending upwards of $600 just for airfare for myself and my boyfriend, not to mention the expenses I accrued from my bridesmaid's duties, so I decided to cash in some frequent flyer miles. Using miles for my portion of the trip, I paid a total of $10 for my airfare, which covered taxes. I then booked my boyfriend's ticket at the $300 price, and we split the cost, enabling us both to travel cross-country at the more affordable $150 apiece. And with what we saved on airfare, we were able to get our newly married friends a snazzy wedding gift.
Hotel
Once you arrive at the wedding destination, you'll also be responsible for finding a place to stay. It is common practice for brides and grooms to select a hotel for their guests (often very close to or in the same place as the reception), with rooms offered at a discounted bulk rate. Booking the bulk rate can be an easy and convenient option, especially if the reception is at the hotel and other guests are staying there, too. Just be sure to reference the names of the bride and groom so you are included in the discounted rate, as well as receive a room near the other guests.
