Onsite Lodging Required. We want to pay for some guests (those that travel far, less financially fit, etc)

I would recommend paying for all of none. Or only immediate family. Offering to pay for people’s rooms is generous if fair - you deciding the guests financial “status” is inappropriate and likely inaccurate. It would be insulting to those who you did not offer to host in the way you did the others and also may offend some who realize you’re only paying for their room because you assume they can’t afford it. I think this is a disaster waiting to happen - generous idea, but extend it to everyone or only your parents/siblings.

I agree that you picking and choosing people based on arbitrary guidelines isn't a great way to do it. I would either pay for people by social circle, pay for all, or pay for none. As far as getting the word out that you want to pay for them, if you're choosing only some and not all then I would talk to those people personally and not include it as part of the invitation. Including it leaves room for you to send the wrong invites to people plus it comes off as more corporate feeling than you offering in person or over a phone call.

Yikes. I agree with the previous posters, this is a recipe for disaster and hard feelings. I would maybe check with the summer camp to see if they have a discounted rate for you to buy out the entire facility.

I agree with PP, that there's no real "fair" way to do this especially with the financially stable part. How would you decide that? Based off of surface level information, or an incredibly personal survey to figure out everyone's financial status? FH and I have a house and a dog and are financially independent from our parents, my older brother lives at home with my parents. Surface level, FH and I seem more financially well off than my 30 year old brother who lives at home with my parents, deep down he's got more money and makes more money than we'll ever see, he just chooses to live with my parents as he doesn't want to live alone. I'd feel some type of way if I found that my brothers accommodations were paid for and ours weren't because he seems "worse off" than we are.

I think this is an "all or nothing" thing you need to do, or as PP mentioned immediate family and bridal party only.

Agree with all of the previous posters. I would also be pretty salty if I found out that you had paid for others to stay at your wedding and not mine. On the flip side, people that you deem not financially able to pay their own way might be offended that you think that about them.

I would either do all or none OR

only immediate family and wedding party.

There's no other fair way to do this.

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Yep! That's my doggo (Rocky). He's the light of my life.

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I’ll be the odd one out and say I don’t think this is a disaster waiting to happen. My husband and I extended some things to some of our wedding guests but not all based on what we knew about their situations. Our wedding was small so we reached out individually, but you could always do a separate insert with the invites with a QR code that says something to the effect of “we know you’re one of our guests who’s going the extra mile to attend our wedding. It would be our honor to cover your transportation/rooming/whatever. Please scan this code to book xyz on us.”
I think that’d be clear you’re not doing this for everyone, and reasonable people would know not to say anything.

Any time you treat some guests preferentially to others you're asking for trouble.

The "onsite lodging required" in your title and/or your required minimum mentioned in the post is unclear to me. Does that mean the camp requires all attendees to be registered guests, or that you/your guests must buy out the entire or a % of the property, or that everyone will be traveling and there is no where else local that they might stay? If the camp requires all attendees to be registered guests or that using the camp as your venue means you (or your guests) have to buy out a certain percentage of the property, then I think that makes it more likely that you should find a way to pay for all those lodgings -- it's basically part of the cost of the venue you've selected. Otherwise, it's kind of like guests have to pay an entrance fee to attend your wedding, and I don't think that's fair. (To me, it would be like trying to charge guests for their "plate" at a country club venue -- a definite etiquette no-no.) If there is just no where else that guests who need to spend the night might stay (but they potentially have the option of leaving and driving to another hotel or home, etc.), then that seems more reasonable that they would pay for themselves -- if they choose to stay. As others have said, I think it might be hard for you to accurately figure out who might "need financial assistance" and who doesn't so that's potentially a sticky mess I'd avoid, but if you want to choose to offer to pay for particular groups of guests (like immediate family, wedding party, whatever groupings take you to the venue requirement) I'd just call those guests and make that offer, "Hey, Grandma! Lisa and I are going to pay for your accommodations for the wedding, and hope that makes it easier for you to attend." I'd avoid making it seem like a need-based decision and more like you want to honor certain groups of guests. Bottom line is that it sounds like some of the lodgings are part of your cost of choosing the venue and you should definitely cover at least those. Good luck!

I think a handwritten personal note in the invites for the ones you are doing this for is the way to go.
Lots of people host at different levels for different guests, it’s totally fine!