Super huge guest travel dilemma!!

I hope some of you can come up with a creative solution because I'm desperate!

We're expecting roughly 150 people to the wedding. 50 of these people will be coming from out of the country. They're planning on using our wedding as an excuse to have a New York vacation for a week or two, which is great.

PROBLEM: Our venue is East Wind, which is like 2 hours away from Manhattan.

I've tried going over every possible solution in my head and can't come up with anything feasible/affordable.

1. We send a huge coach to pick them all up in Manhattan, drive 2 hours to Wading River, attend wedding, and then drop them off in NYC after wedding (and a 2 hour drive back)

-very expensive for us, very inconvenient for them

2. Have them take a train from NYC to Wading River day of, arrange for limos to pick up from train station closest by (Port Jeff?)

-very cheap for us, very rude/tacky/inconvenient for them having to sit on train for 2 hours wearing their finest clothes

3. Organizing a weekend on Long Island for them - so they spend a week in the city, then come to LI for wedding/wineries/whatever.

-expensive for us, they might not want to, and they'd still need to get back to JFK

What do I do??? I'm so upset over it because I can't figure it out. I feel like we need to switch our venue to something in Nassau because of this but I'm so in love with East Wind!

Re: Super huge guest travel dilemma!!

In my opinion, the best option is the first one on your list- have a bus pick them up in NYC. As expensive as it might be, I think you owe it to your guests who are travelling so far to be there with you on your wedding. Not sure what country they are coming from, but it sounds like it is far and probably will be expensive for them. I think it is a nice gesture for you to arrange and pay for the travel out to the wedding.

Is it cheaper for you to have the bus drop them off the next day? Meaning they stay over night at a hotel and then the bus will bring them back to the city in the morning? Maybe you can get a better rate that way since the bus won't have to wait around.....

Super huge guest travel dilemma!!

Paying for the coach bus may be more comfortable but depending on the start time of your wedding the ride may be much longer than two hours. If its a friday wedding, is it going to conflict with rush hour at all? NYC to East Wind during rush hour could take foreverrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Maybe you can arrange a pre-cocktail ceremony though for these guests so they can avoid rush hour.

Re: Super huge guest travel dilemma!!

I would do 2 room blocks. One at the Inn, and one in Manhattan or closer to. How about ONE hotel in Western nassau near a train station with a shuttle to the venue?

Re: Super huge guest travel dilemma!!

They are coming for your wedding first and foremost. If the bus is too much $$ then just do a hotel block for them by your venue. Maybe have a list of suggested transportation for them to get them back to the city? There is LIRR out there.

Re: Super huge guest travel dilemma!!

I like Option 3 the best. Are they paying for their hotel in Manhattan? If so I don't see why they can't just pay for their own hotel in Long Island for the day or two around you wedding and like you said they can enjoy the wineries and other things which might be a nice break from the city. It's the best of both worlds in my opinion.

Super huge guest travel dilemma!!

As far as Im concerned, your guests are chosing to come to NY for YOUR wedding. They are also chosing to stay in NYC instead of somewhere out on the island which then makes it their responsibility to get to and from the wedding. Did you tell them that the venue is so far from the city? I would just make sure that they know that. They may not realize its so far being that their from another country..

Super huge guest travel dilemma!!

i agree w/ marrythenight & angelicd

you should set up a hotel block out east and give them information regarding NY and LI including ideas/ transportation/ lodging in both areas, and let them figure out the rest.

they can take the airtran & train out east before your wedding with their luggage (not that big of a deal!) and then be at the venue only in fancy clothes.

Re: Super huge guest travel dilemma!!

I think that option #1 is very generous and would definitely be appreciated if you could afford it. If that's not in the budget though, I don't think it's unreasonable to have guests take the train out East if they choose to stay in the city. Your guests will know where the wedding is (and that it's a little ways away from NYC), and if they choose to stay in the city, that's up to them! I would not worry so much about it!

I don't think hassling some of your guests is a good enough reason to change venues. If you love it, keep with your guts. East Wind is amazing, and when they get there, they will understand why you picked it!