We suggest Thursday-Saturday/Sunday for those who can! We will have a welcome party Thursday for all who are able, as well as coffee and donuts on Saturday morning to help soak up the fun from the wedding. The bride and groom will likely be in Carmel Wednesday-Monday.
San Francisco Airport (SFO)- 1.75 hour drive to Carmel *Definitely best for those who are wanting to explore San Francisco. Option for direct flight* Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Intl. (SJC)- 1.5 hour drive to Carmel *Slightly closer to Carmel, but no direct flights From what we can see, flight prices are similar to both. There are also international airports in Southern California if you were planning to be down there. Los Angeles Airport (LAX) is a 5 hour drive to Carmel (the non scenic route, and without traffic- so likely more like 6-7hours).
It would be best to rent a car, or a van/bus if people are arriving at the same time and would like to travel together. There are many car rental companies at the airport, which you can arrange before hand and pickup at the airport once you arrive. If groups do decide to rent a van/bus to get from the airport to Carmel, but then some people wanted individual cars for after the wedding weekend, there are car rental companies in Monterey, which is about 10-15 minutes from Carmel. You could also hire a bus with a driver that drops everyone in Carmel, and then those who want cars rent them once they are ready to venture to other parts of the state.
Carmel can be anywhere from sunny and warm to overcast and cool because of where it is located on the coast. Probably around 65 degrees F/19 degrees C, with temps cooling off in the evenings. If you plan to go to continue south to LA, Santa Barbara, San Diego, etc., or travel inland to Sacramento or Tahoe, temperatures are typically much hotter- 80s-90sF (~30C), so pack lots of shorts, bathing suits, and sunscreen, with a sweatshirt to throw on at night! San Francisco, Santa Cruz, or places along the northern coast are similar in temperature to Carmel at this time of year.