Destination Wedding Invitations: Essential Tips & Top Designs

Planning a destination wedding goes beyond choosing a beautiful location for your big day. It’s about creating an unforgettable experience for your loved ones that begins the moment they receive their invitations. Destination wedding invitations do more than announce your special day; they give your guests a glimpse into the adventure ahead.

The right destination wedding invitation builds excitement and sets the tone for your celebration. It also shares essential information with your guests so they can plan their travels. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know to craft the perfect invitation — from travel information and wording to RSVP guidance — and streamline wedding planning for you and your guests. We’ll also share our top invite designs for beachy destinations, national park weddings, and overseas celebrations.

Essential Information to Include on Your Destination Wedding Invitation

A destination wedding means your guests will be traveling to watch you say “I do.” Whether they’ll be booking a flight or hopping in the car for a road trip, it’s important to make the planning simple for them. Your formal invitations will need to serve as both an announcement and a travel guide, including everything they’ll need to know. 

Make sure to cover the following:

• Travel dates: List the wedding date as well as recommended arrival and departure dates, especially if you’re hosting events before or after the big day, such as an excursion or a farewell brunch.
• Wedding location details: Include your destination, along with the name and address of your venue. If the festivities are taking place at multiple locations, specify where to be and when.
• Hotel block information: Provide the names of hotels where you’ve reserved room blocks, along with booking links or discount codes. Guests will appreciate you taking the guesswork out of finding a place to stay. Research ways to negotiate room block pricing to offer affordable options. 
• Transportation: Share the nearest airport to your destination and offer recommendations on shuttles from the airport to the hotel. If you’ll be offering transportation to and from the wedding, include those details too.
• Trip itinerary: Create a short outline of events so guests can plan their schedules and know what to expect once they arrive. You may also want to include suggestions for things to do, places to see, and where to eat during their downtime between wedding events.

Destination weddings involve many moving parts. Consider creating a wedding website where guests can access the travel information they need in an easy-to-find place. If you’re sending online wedding invitations, include a direct link so guests can quickly find details such as maps, dress codes, or updates to plans.

Wording Tips for Destination Wedding Invitations

The wording you choose for your destination wedding invitation sets the tone not only for your wedding day but the entire trip. Whether you’re hosting a formal ceremony at a vineyard in Tuscany, Italy, or a tropical beach wedding surrounded by palm trees in Mexico, your invitation wording should capture the mood and showcase your personal touch.

Here are some examples to inspire your writing:

• Formal: Together with their families, [Couple’s Names] request the honor of your presence at their wedding celebration in Tuscany, Italy, on Saturday, the fourteenth of September, two thousand twenty-six.
• Casual/Tropical: Pack your bags and grab your sunglasses! [Couple’s Names] are tying the knot in sunny Maui, Hawaii. Join us on [Date] for a tropical beach wedding to remember.
• Boho/Romantic: Under the desert sky, surrounded by family and friends, [Couple’s Names] invite you to join them as they take the next step on their love journey by saying “I do” at [Venue] on [Date].

RSVP Etiquette for Destination Weddings

Travel arrangements take time and careful planning, making wedding etiquette especially important when setting an RSVP deadline for a destination wedding. Give your guests enough time to book flights, reserve accommodations, and make any other necessary arrangements before responding.

When to Send Invites and Request RSVPs

• Send save the date cards 9-12 months before the wedding so guests can mark their calendars in advance and start making plans.
• Send your destination wedding invitations 4-6 months before the wedding date.
• Set your RSVP deadline for 2-3 months before the big day. This timeline allows you to confirm a final guest count and finalize any necessary details with your venue, hotels, and transportation providers.

RSVP Options

• Online RSVP: Ideal for digital invitations and wedding websites, online RSVPs make responding quick and easy for guests — especially when they’re traveling from afar. They also make it possible for you to automatically track replies and automate follow-up messages.
• Physical RSVP cards: With physical RSVP cards, you’ll need to include pre-addressed envelopes and postage for guests to respond. You’ll also need to plan a way to track guest responses and follow up with those you haven’t heard from.

Design Tips for Destination Wedding Invitations

Format your destination wedding invitations in a way that enhances readability for your loved ones. Follow these best practices when designing your invitations:

• Choose a cohesive wedding invitation suite: Use matching pieces, such as the save the date, invitation, RSVP card, details card, and possibly a map or itinerary. This creates a polished and organized look that guides guests through all the necessary information.
• Prioritize clarity and flow: Organize content logically, with the most important details (date, location, RSVP) front and center. Use headings or subtle dividers to separate sections and make scanning easy.
• Select readable fonts: Choose fonts that balance elegance with legibility. Script fonts work beautifully for names or headings but opt for something simple for the main text.
• Incorporate your wedding theme: Use colors, motifs, or watercolor designs that complement your destination and vibe.
• Include a personal touch: Consider adding a custom monogram, a “passport wedding invitation” style stamp, or a small illustration that reflects your love story or wedding destination.

When you choose one of Greenvelope’s invitation templates, you can easily customize the colors, layout, fonts, and more to make it a perfect fit for your destination wedding.

Our 15 Favorite Destination Wedding Invitation Templates

You don’t need to start from scratch with your destination wedding invitation. Whether you’ll be exchanging your vows in a tropical locale, in a national park, or overseas, choose one of these templates and then customize it for a bespoke feel.  

Invitations for Tropical Beach Destinations

Will you be saying “I do” on a sandy beach surrounded by palm trees? These tropical invitation designs are a perfect fit.

1. Modern Beach Botanicals Invitation

Design: Signature Greenvelope

The rose gold foil accents and die-cut envelope on this modern beach wedding invitation make it ideal for a tropical destination wedding. Whether you’re getting married on the beach or in an island hotel, this design will wow your wedding guests before they step off the plane.

2. Birds of Paradise Invitation

Design: Manu Torres

Get your guests talking with this bold invitation featuring iconic birds of paradise flowers. The bright blues and golds are perfect for a tropical wedding, and you can even opt for a background that looks like golden sand.

3. Pressed Palms Invitation

Design: WonderWed

Sending digital wedding invitations doesn’t mean you have to let go of popular design choices like embossing and gold foil. This palm leaf design has an embossed layer of greenery (except in white) to lend a stylish and sophisticated look to your luxury destination wedding.

4. Palm Tree Sketch Invitation

Design: Jessie Steury

Start the conversation about your beachfront wedding with this fun palm tree wedding invitation. With an artistic, hand-drawn touch, the design is great for casual beach weddings and modern seaside ceremonies.

5. Monstera Deliciosa Invitation

Design: Kaydi Bishop

This die-cut monstera leaf invite is perfect for a destination wedding to Mexico or Hawaii. The rich green leaf features gilded edges and will serve as a beautiful background for your key details. It’s also backside-supported, so you’ll have plenty of space for lodging and transportation information.

Invitations for National Park Weddings

Are you an outdoorsy or nature-loving couple? Bring your love of natural wonders to your wedding day. These National Park Foundation wedding invitations will help you spread the word.

6. Crater Lake Invitation

Design: National Park Foundation

Like the pressed palms design above, this Crater Lake Invitation features a beautiful, 3-D effect — this time in letterpress style. There’s a lot of nature in this gorgeous invitation design, including trees, mountains, and a starry night sky. Whether your ceremony takes place in the National Park or in another forest location, these romantic invitations will be a hit.

7. Arches Invitation

Design: National Park Foundation

Invite guests to an intimate desert ceremony with this eye-catching Arches invite. The watercolor illustration will give guests a glimpse of the breathtaking views and landscapes they’ll enjoy during your wedding weekend.

8. Yellowstone Invitation

Design: National Park Foundation

These Yellowstone invitations are a beautiful celebration of the much-loved national park and are perfect for a wedding in the area. Featuring authentic maps of the park, the design has a classic yet modern look thanks to strong typography and gold foil accents.

9. Grand Canyon Invitation

Design: National Park Foundation

Inspire guests with your unique love story and an iconic geological wonder. Send this Grand Canyon Invitation with a vibrant sunset background to announce the details of your big day.  

10. Acadia Invitation

Design: National Park Foundation

This delicate Acadia National Park invite is ideal for a coastal ceremony with a clam bake reception. The torn edges and watercolor oyster illustration evoke modern simplicity.

Invitations for Overseas Celebrations

Starting your life together with a grand overseas adventure? Invite your friends and family to join in the fun with these invitation designs.

11. Bold Botanical Invitation

Design: Signature Greenvelope

Be inspired by a striking, modern look with this beautiful botanical wedding invitation. The design features a mix of light florals and dark text, which makes for a classic look. It’s an invitation that works just as well for a garden wedding in Europe as it does for a stylish ceremony in Asia.

12. Cascading Paisley Invitation

Design: Signature Greenvelope

This intricate design is perfect for a destination wedding in India. Inspired by a paisley patterned mandala, it’s full of detail and provides a striking first look at how beautiful your wedding ceremony will be.

13. Mediterranean Tiles Invitation

Design: Claudia Owen

This destination wedding invite inspired by Mediterranean tiles definitely stands out. Give your loved ones a taste of Europe before they even land, and make a bold first impression with this fun, geometric design.

14. Airmail Invitation

Design: Carmia Jordaan

This Airmail Invitation can be customized for any overseas wedding location. You can even add music to play when your guests open the card. Come Fly With Me by Frank Sinatra would be a fun pick!

15. Dreamy Lanterns Invitation

Design: Shari Margolin Design

This gilded lantern invitation will be the perfect fit for your romantic destination wedding in Morocco or Spain, where the design takes its inspiration from. It’s fully customizable, so you can ensure it matches your wedding colors and vibe.   

Invite Loved Ones to Join Your Next Adventure

Destination wedding invitations are about more than sharing details with your guests. This is a chance to invite your friends and family to be a part of your love story with an unforgettable experience. By thoughtfully including essential travel information, choosing wording that captures your wedding’s vibe, and following RSVP etiquette, you’ll create the perfect invitations for your destination wedding.

Browse our destination wedding invitation collection, and customize your favorite design to spread the word about your ceremony and easily track RSVPs.