In addition to endless “What airport do I fly into?” and “How much do flights cost from my home airport?” questions, many guests want to know what to pack for a destination wedding in The Bahamas. Ever since I created my detailed packing spreadsheet the day after we got engaged, I’ve been planning to write a post not just for my guests, but for anyone attending or planning a Caribbean destination wedding in the future. It’s long overdue, but here’s Part 1!
Quality luggage is the foundation of any successful packing endeavor.
While most guests will be bringing nothing more than bikinis, sunscreen and snorkels to The Bahamas, I’m packing all of that plus DIY centerpieces & decorations, gifts & welcome bag goodies, all my camera equipment & blogging paraphernalia, clothes for pre-wedding week and honeymoon, a wedding dress, about 40 people and my future husband. So packing is definitely top-of-mind right now!
Specifically as it relates to traveling to The Bahamas, I trust you’ll take my advice and never fly on Silver Airways. Thus, a great alternative is BahamasAir, one of the last airlines with a free checked bag still included in the cost of the flight.
InCase Action Camera Pro Pack
My trip to Bonaire was the first excursion for my InCase Action Camera Pro Pack, and I’ll never leave home without it again. Though technically it’s designed for GoPro life, I used it to carry all my camera goodies – my digital Olympus E-PL5 goes in the top zippered pocket, GoPro in the designated slot, extra memory cards & GoPro attachments in the included case, external hard drive, Kindle in a padded section in the front cover, chest & helmet harnesses, cords & chargers for my laptop, phone & portable battery, GoPole, etc. For such a small bag, it fits everything electronic except my laptop.
Now I leave all my photo gear in the bag so I never have to pack & repack for a trip. It’s small enough to fit under the seat on the plane or in a tiny cave hole, and it’s lightweight enough that it doesn’t throw my back out of whack if I carry it around for a few hours. what to pack for a destination wedding
Lipault Wheeled Duffle
Most road warriors I know only travel with a carry-on, but thanks to the terrorists, I now pay $35 extra bucks for the privilege of bringing full-sized hair products & sunscreen on trips. For my 10-day Bonaire/Aruba adventure, I upgraded to the luxurious Lipault Foldable 2-Wheeled 30″ Duffle – a bag so spacious, I almost couldn’t fill it! (But then I decided I definitely needed 6 pairs of shoes – problem solved.)
Despite being large enough to transport a small friend, the piece is super lightweight. And not that I ever put my luggage away in between trips, but the Lipault duffle folds flat and easily slides under the bed or behind a door. Very convenient!
MagBag Jewelry Case
I used to spend so much time untangling jewelry that I gave up on accessorizing while traveling, but the Magbag has made me a much more stylish traveler with very little effort on my part. Magbag eliminates tangled or broken jewelry while traveling with its patented magnetic lining system. All my expensive gold, silver, platinum pieces stay put — just kidding, I mean all my super fancy Target and Forever 21 statement necklaces stay put.
Either way, it’s amazing how the magnets hold all objects in place, so no matter how they get chucked around by baggage handlers en route to the final destination, all the contents stay in the same place, untangled and ready to wear. I would like an entire suitcase made out of this technology, but for now there are 3 binder-sized Magbags in ivory, black & white.
Quilted Koala Joyful Collection
Purses are not my forte. I once received a name-brand tote as a giveaway at some event in NYC and carried it until the straps fell off like 6 years later. For a destination wedding in The Bahamas, I’m hoping to branch out of my bag rut in favor of bright, preppy prints. I tried out some hot pink ones from Quilted Koala‘s Joyful collection – perfect for all the festivities leading up to a beach wedding, right?
The bags are soft, lined on the inside, more affordable than similar quilted bags and serve as a very functional gift for my maid of honor. (Shhh, don’t tell RaeRae!) what to pack for a destination wedding
Tempur-Pedic Travel Pillows
So travel pillows aren’t exactly luggage, but they are an important part of the journey. There’s nothing like ensuring all your possessions are meticulously & comfortably packed, while you then spend the journey with your knees up around your ears in a toddler-sized seat in coach. If you have neck or back trouble like I do, it’s that much more important to make sure you bring items to make the journey comfortable for yourself, too. what to pack for a destination wedding
I often take a Tempur-Pedic neck pillow & travel pillow to ensure I don’t suffer with neck drama long the way, and since I’m keen to be able to turn my head and dance like a wild woman at my wedding, I think these cushy travel buddies are a great investment. what to pack for a destination wedding
To order most of these products and other travel goodies, check out my Amazon shop. More what to pack tips coming soon! what to pack for a destination wedding
Note: All Amazon links in this post are affiliate links and I receive a small commission from anything you buy after clicking through. Occasionally companies ask me to review their products and very occasionally I say yes. Some of the ones I’ve tried recently appear here with my honest opinion; others get returned to sender if they’re not up to snuff. As always, I only recommend goodies I personally approve of and use! Thank you for supporting Angie Away! what to pack for a destination wedding
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