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Wedding Speech Travel TipsIf you will need to travel to attend the wedding, here are some travel tips that will help make your trip--and your speech--a smoother experience. Your Passport Travel Tips If you are planning to enter another country, you MUST have a passport. If you don't, you won't be able to leave your home country, let alone be admitted into another country. Apply for your passport at least several months before the wedding. The sooner, the better. Depending on the number or passport applications, it could take several months to process your application and forward your passport to you. When it's time to travel to the wedding, carry your passport with you. You will probably need to show your passport several times during your trip. Airline Travel Tips When to travel Try to travel to the wedding location at least two days in advance. This gives you extra time in case you are faced with bad weather or flight delays/cancellations. As I'm writing this tip, I am sitting at an airport gate, waiting for a flight that was delayed. I've been faced with this situation on other occasions. Flying Standby versus Reserved Seats Try not to fly standby. It could save some money, but it could take much longer to get there. I learned this lesson when flying standby to a wedding. My wife and I were bumped from 4, that's right, 4 flights before getting on a flight. We spent 7 hours in the airport that day. We also were bumped from a flight on the return trip and had to wait until the next day before we could fly home. Checked versus Carryon Bags If possible, bring your luggage on board. If that is not possible, at least bring the wedding clothes, medicine, and other essentials on board in a carryon bag. While losing your luggage is awful, imagine how much worse it would be if your wedding clothes and medicine were lost! What toiletries are allowed in carryon bags? Check with the airline before you travel because this can change at a moment's notice. Below Here are some general guidelines that I learned during a recent phone call to Delta Airlines. Other airlines may vary. Find out from your airlines before leaving for the airport. Deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, and hairspray must be in a container that is 3 ounces or smaller. If it is in a larger container, regardless if there are less than 3 ounces of fluid, you might not be allowed to bring the container on the plane. What electronic items are allowed on planes? To give you an idea, below are the regulations listed in Delta Sky Magazine. Other airlines may vary. Find out from your airlines before going to the airport. The following items are NEVER allowed on planes: radio, TV, external drive with cable, satellite radio These items are ALWAYS allowed on planes: pacemaker, hearing aid, noise-cancelling headphones with the power turned off The following are allowed at gate and above 10,000 feet: lap top (check to see if you flight will have wifi--In fact, your airline might provide free wifi!), handheld camera, DVD/CD Player, noise-cancelling headphones with the power turned on. Cell phone use is allowed before leaving the departure gate and as the plan taxies to the arrival gate. Electronic games might be permitted--which made my kids very happy. Check with your airline to see if your game system is allowed. More Electronics Travel Tips I strongly recommend keeping your computers, cell phones, cameras, and other electronic items fully charged. Be sure to recharge them as often as possible. It beats trying to find a charger after they have died. Pets Travel Tips If permitted as carry on, pets must stay in carriers. You will probably need to check your pets to be flown in a separate compartment. Clothing Creases After Flights Here's a great tip that I learned as a Traveling Corporate Trainer: packing dress clothes in the large plastic bags used by dry cleaners is a wonderful way to reduce creases. If your clothes get creased, shower steam can help remove creases. Note: Read the label if you plan to use an iron or crease removal products. Otherwise, they might ruin your clothes. Bring a Snack If you're flying coach, keep in mind that meals have been eliminated on many flights. Unless you're willing to buy a meal during the flight (which can be expensive), you won't receive much more than a soft drink and a bag of peanuts. For that reason, a big travel tip is to make sure that you bring something to eat during the flight--especially if it's a long flight.
Long Stop-Over? If you have a long stop-over (we're talking at least several hours), you might consider purchasing a one day access pass to your airline's club lounge. It's much more comfortable than sitting by the gate. Plus, you'll get free soft drinks (check with your airline about alcohol beverages), snacks, and possibly internet access. I also have been able to find quiet places in the lounge to review speeches. Easy Access to Your Travel Information This one will save you lots of headaches. Write ALL of your travel information, confirmation numbers, and phone numbers on one page. This list should include, but is not limited to flight numbers, hotel reservation numbers, car rental confirmation numbers, and phone numbers of everything and everybody related to the wedding. When traveling, things might go wrong, which could make for stressful situations. For example, you might have a flight delay...or the employee behind the hotel registration desk does not see your name on the reservation list...or you could get lost on your way to the ceremony. If a problem arises, it will be much easier to have everything in one place instead of having to search your luggage for this information--or worse, realize that you left this vital piece of information at home. Hotel Travel Tips Amenities Call the hotel or visit their website in advance to make sure it has the amenities that you will need (hair dryer, iron, etc.). Pack any amenities that the hotel does not provide. Hotel Safe If you are bringing valuable items (such as wedding rings), do yourself a favor and place them in the hotel safe. Although this takes a few minutes, your items will be better protected in the hotel safe rather than the room safe. The hotel safe also is much safer than hiding these items in a hotel room drawer. Unpack Your Clothes First Shortly after arriving in your room, unpack your clothes. This will stop any further creasing of your clothes. If your clothes are creased, shower steam can help remove creases. Note: Read the label if you plan to use an iron or crease removal products. Otherwise, they might ruin your clothes. Short Hotel Stays If you're staying for only one night, avoid placing non-clothing items in drawers. Instead, leave them on top of the dresser. This way, you won't need to check too many drawers when you pack. Plus, you won't forget these items when you check out of the room. Your Final Practice Session If possible, go to the wedding site to practice your speech and get a feel for the room. Practicing in the actual room when it is empty gives you the look and feel of speaking in front of an audience. Plus, you have an opportunity to get comfortable with the room and perhaps inspect the equipment that you'll use during the actual speech. Travel Tips Bottom Line Your speech at the wedding will go much smoother if you are able to follow these travel tips. Have a safe trip!
Where should you go from here? Here are some last minute tips to get ready for the wedding. If you follow the Speech Checklist ,then you will be ready for the big day. Here, you'll see the best speaking tips in one place.
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