Your best friend from college now lives six states away, and the cousin you grew up with is on the opposite coast from you. They may be thousands of miles away, but your out-of-town guests still play an important role in making your wedding day everything you dreamed it could be.

“Americans are more mobile and in-touch than at any time in our history,” says Barry Glick of NAVTEQ’s Traffic.com. “Cell phones and e-mail enable us to maintain close relationships with loved ones who live thousands of miles away, but on your wedding day, you’ll want to have them by your side.”

With some careful pre-wedding planning and a little help from local family and friends, you can help ensure out-of-towners will make the trip – and enjoy the journey. Here are some tips:

• To make distant loved ones feel like a part of the pre-wedding excitement, consider sending an e-newsletter in the months leading up to the big day. You can do this on a monthly basis or weekly, whatever fits into your schedule. Fill the newsletter with information about your planning progress (“We booked the reception hall.”), updates on RSVPs (“Don’t forget – RSVPs are due back in just two weeks.”), and amusing anecdotes about life as a bride-to-be (“I gained two pounds tasting wedding cakes last week!).

• Create your own wedding Web page where you can include useful photos that will help out-of-town guests recognize important landmarks when they visit. Post images of the outside of your wedding location and reception site, so that when guests arrive they’ll recognize the spot and know they’re in the right place.

• If guests are taking a long road-trip to attend, help them out by mapping their route for them before they depart. They may have navigations systems in their cars or they may rely on Internet-based map resources. Once they are in your area, Traffic.com is a great site to help them plan the best route to your specific wedding venue. The website provides real-time information on delays, traffic jams and detours, as well. Guests can update the information you provide by logging on to www.Traffic.com themselves, or calling (866) MY-TRAFC (866-698-7232).

• For guests who have cars equipped with a navigation system, a map update purchased through www.navigation.com provides many benefits:

• Confidence in knowing the best route to the wedding.

• Satisfaction in finding the quickest way around a detour.

• Comfort in finding the closest hotel, restaurant or ATM.

• Freedom from not having to pull over and ask for directions.

• Recruit in-town family and friends to act as personal assistants for out-of-town guests, helping with travel arrangements, hotel reservations, emergencies and other trouble-shooting. Introduce the visiting loved ones with your near-home volunteers by e-mail or phone.

• Negotiate a good hotel room rate for out-of-town guests. If you’re having your reception in a hotel, the property will usually offer a discounted rate for your guests. If your reception is in a hall that’s not affiliated with a particular property, research hotels within a reasonable driving distance and approach them asking for a group rate discount. For large groups, some hotels may even agree to provide your guests with shuttle service to your reception site.

Courtesy of ARAcontent