Out of Town guests-how far do we have to go?

brideinsat

99% of my guests (abt 60)  are out of town, so I am grateful they are going through the trouble and expense to attend. I'm not sure what protocol is for what I'm "supposed" to do for them.

We're hosting a rehearsal dinner. Is open bar necessary?
Am I supposed to host a brunch the day after the wedding?

Our church is 5 minutes from the reception at a hotel. The hotel we're getting married in is right in the middle of the Riverwalk downtown so convenient to everything. However, the room rate they gave pricey, so I found alternatives for  lodging so guests have a choice. Nothing is more than 5 minutes away from each other.

What is protocol for all this?

All venues are a quick taxi ride away, maybe 5-10 minutes at the most.  Am I supposed to provide shuttles for all these trips? Or is it ok to expect them to take taxis? I was considering a shuttle at the main hotel to the church and then back.
Is this enough?

What else am I supposed to do? We're on a major budget and I'm chopping wherever I can so the party is nice for them, but I also dont want to look cheap.

Kidlet 26

Maybe one shuttle will pick up at most of the hotels?  Or at several?  That would be lovely if you provided a shuttle, especially if plan on having a bar, open or cash.  That way they don't pay for their transportation and potentially their alcohol too after they've paid for their hotel and travel arrangements.  It's not necessary to provide either though.  Take a close look at your budget.  And frankly, if your budget is tight I would really consider a cash bar or no bar at all (other than one already at the hotel).  Some shuttles though will make multiple stops, especially if you're renting a van and having a friend/family member drive it.  A friend of mine did that and it worked out beautifully.

Brooklclark

i would do what you could aford. a shuttle would be very nice and helpful for those who may not know where they are going. as for brunches and dinners you could do something at your house or something informal. there is no right or wrong answer here. good luck

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

About 2/3 of my guests are coming from OOT. We have 1 hotel, which is a little pricey, but we're inviting everyone to the RD (with open bar), having a sit-down dinner for the wedding (with open bar) and a shuttle from the hotel to the ceremony to the reception and back. We thought about having a breakfast the next day but we couldn't really get it together in time.