Destination wedding packing list: what should you pack as a guest?

A guest at a three-night destination wedding should pack three event outfits (welcome dinner, wedding day, farewell brunch), one or two day outfits and two swimsuits. Add three pairs of shoes, a light evening layer, sun and insect protection, a phone charger with an adapter, a basic medicine kit and a passport.

It is easy to over-pack: two dinner outfits when one is enough, four swimsuits when two are plenty. The full list is next.

A wedding guest should pack one outfit for each event of a wedding weekend. At a destination wedding that means three: smart-casual for the welcome dinner, the stated dress code for the wedding day and something relaxed for the farewell brunch. The same three cover a wedding weekend close to home.

If the dress code is unclear, check the couple's wedding website, then see what each wedding dress code means, from semi-formal to tropical formal, or the guide to what to wear to a destination wedding.

For a tropical beach wedding, add to the basic packing list extra reef-safe sunscreen, mosquito repellent, a quick-dry towel, a rash guard or long-sleeved top for reef days, and a spare pair of sandals, because the first pair will get wet. Mediterranean and cooler destinations need different extras, so check the season before you pack.

Yes, pack your wedding-day outfit in your carry-on, with your dress shoes, important accessories and any prescription medications. If your checked bag is delayed or lost, the outfit in your carry-on is the one you will wear to the wedding.

• Carry-on only is possible. Three event outfits, two day outfits, two swimsuits and the essentials fit in a 21-inch roller plus a personal item. Airline size limits vary, so look yours up. Check a bag only for a ballgown or bulky formal wear.
• Liquids are limited. On flights from US airports, the TSA liquids rule allows one quart-sized bag of liquids, gels, creams and aerosols, in containers of 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less. Sunscreen counts, so decant it or buy a full-size bottle when you land.

To pack a suit in a carry-on, turn the jacket inside out, fold it in half and fold the trousers around it to make one flat bundle. The steps below follow SmarterTravel's guide, which credits the method to the menswear company Brooks Brothers.

1. Turn the jacket inside out without pulling the sleeves through, leaving the collar and arms flat inside.
2. Lay the trousers flat along their creases, fold the jacket in half horizontally and place it on top.
3. Put a T-shirt or sweater inside the jacket's fold to prevent a hard crease.
4. Fold the trouser legs, then the waist, over the jacket to make a bundle. Wrap it in a plastic dry-cleaning cover if you have one.
5. Pack shirts and rolled ties on top, and hang the suit as soon as you arrive.

A formal dress packs on the same principle: folded with tissue paper or a dry-cleaning bag and laid in last.

For a destination wedding abroad, bring your passport, a visa if the country requires one, your travel insurance documents and the wedding invitation or itinerary. Check the passport's expiry date early: USA.gov warns that some countries and airlines will not let a US passport holder enter if the passport expires in less than six months.

• Entry rules. US citizens can look up a destination's passport validity and entry requirements on the State Department's country information pages.
• Copies. Keep a print and a digital version of each document with you, as the CDC's travel packing list advises.
• Medications. Bring prescriptions with extra supply, preferably in the original bottle. The CDC notes that some countries restrict which medications you can bring in.
• Cash. A little local currency for tips.

If it is your own destination wedding, carry the wedding dress or suit onto the plane with you. The TSA allows a wedding dress in carry-on and checked bags, strongly recommends packing it in a garment-style bag, and advises asking your airline how the dress can be stowed on board.

• The Knot's guide to flying with a wedding dress calls checked luggage a last resort for a gown. It says closet space on board is not guaranteed, so call the airline ahead and check that the garment bag meets its carry-on size limit.
• The rest of what the two of you need is in the destination wedding checklist, and the paperwork is under legal requirements for getting married abroad.