Planning any wedding is a fun, and sometimes stressful experience. Planning a destination wedding comes with its own set of challenges. But we’re here to help you out with some helpful tips! There’s a lot to keep in mind when planning a destination wedding, but we’ve got you covered.
Did you know there’s a destination weddings section on our website? Go on and take a look!
You’ve got to be organised
When planning a wedding abroad, you should go to your wedding location at least once before the wedding. If possible, two or three visits would be most ideal. When visiting, you’ll need to be efficient with your time and you’ll rely heavily on your to-do list. Don’t think of this as a holiday but rather as a planning trip. Book appointments, meetings, trials and tastings so that you can make the most of your time.
Prepare for extra expenses
No-one can definitively say that a destination wedding is more expensive than getting married locally. There’s a lot to keep in mind, but when you consider a smaller guest list (because let’s face it, not all 250 of your nearest and dearest are going to be able to fly out for your wedding) you can imagine that costs will be lowered. You’ll have to prepare for airfare, hotels, planning trips, importing key suppliers and extra luggage if you’re taking any decor.
Give everyone advanced notice
Before you ask your girls to be your bridesmaids, let them know that you’re having a destination wedding. You’ll have to be okay with not everyone being able to take time off work or afford to book flights and accommodation. Send out your Save The Dates about four to six months before the wedding. This way, you’ll give your guests more time to make the arrangements necessary to attend your wedding.
Consider professional help
I’m the first to tell even the most organised bride to hire a day-of coordinator. There’s so much that needs to happen on the morning of the wedding that the bride, bridal party and family shouldn’t need to think of. In the build-up to the wedding, consider how beneficial it’ll be to have someone based in your wedding location who can do the leg work for you. This is particularly important if you are getting married in a foreign country where English is not the first language.
Plan your attire with the climate in mind
This may be obvious to some, but you really don’t want to wear a big ballgown style wedding dress in tropical climates. When selecting a wedding dress, suit, and bridal party outfits, think of your wedding location and what the weather might be like on the day. A long train on muddy grass? Not ideal. A full tuxedo in the middle of summer? Unpleasant.
Be inspired by everything local
I love the fact that you can save money by having a destination wedding. The choices will be less copious than they will be at home. When you’re planning a destination wedding from another country, everything is exotic and beautiful. You’ll find that you’re more satisfied with a simple bouquet of local flowers and it’ll be easier to avoid splurging on a lavish bouquet.
For everything related to destination weddings (such as planners, venues, and other key suppliers) check out our supplier listing.
Main image by Joao Ataide Photography from Reasons You Should Have Your Destination Wedding in Europe
