Destination weddings are becoming increasingly popular in recent years. They are a great idea for those planning a fun, albeit emotional, vacation with your favorite people while celebrating your big day.Whether you want to go tropical in the Caribbean or get historical in Greece—choosing your location is only the beginning of planning the wedding of your dreams.
Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about planning your destination wedding with this wedding planning checklist.
Hire a Wedding Planner
While you should try to visit your destination before the wedding, it’s possible that you won’t be able to fit it into your busy schedule. So,it’s in your best interest to hire an experienced wedding planner local to your wedding destination.
Your destination wedding planning will go more smoothly when you have a wedding planner to be your eyes and ears at your location in the months leading up to your wedding.They will know the best venues and the most reputable vendors in the area. Plus, they will be able to correspond with you regularly so that you can stay on top of the planning.
Your wedding planner may be able to help you save money during the planning process. The money you save planning your wedding can go into a contingency plan for wedding mishaps, towards your honeymoon costs, or into the savings account set aside for buying your first home.
Relinquish Control on the Trivial Matters
Not everything is going to go exactly as you planned, and that’s okay. It’s easy enough to become anxious and irritable when wedding planning. It’s even more likely when you’re planning a wedding at a unique destination thousands of miles from your home.
Contingency plans are essential when things don’t go as planned.Bring your wedding essentials (i.e., your wedding dress or tuxedos) with you in your personal luggage. Don’t mail them to your venue—just in case they get held up at customs or lost in transit.
You may want to avoid certain times of year in foreign places. National holidays and high season can mean that the booking prices for venues, hotels, and vendors may be more expensive than they would be at other times.
Don’t Forget the Paperwork
The paperwork is an essential step in planning any wedding. In order to be legally married, you have to apply for a marriage license. Don’t wait until the last minute to apply for your marriage license because you will have to wait approximately 3 days to have the official document in your possession.
Incorporate Local Culture and Traditions
Sourcing your textiles, flowers, and foods locally can help you cut costs when planning your wedding.Local cultures and traditions can help you make your destination wedding feel more authentic.
It’s important, however, that you avoid cultural appropriation when trying to appreciate your surroundings. Be respectful of traditions and ensure you aren’t exploiting or misrepresenting the cultures you are immersing yourself in.
Take a look at these Ukrainian wedding traditions that you might see if you were to attend a wedding in Ukraine.
Be Considerate of Your Wedding Party’s Needs
A destination wedding is more likely to be an intimate wedding. This makes it a little simpler because you won’t feel obligated to invite distant cousins, co-workers, or acquaintances. With the extensive travel costs and limited seating available at smaller venues, odds are you won’t be able to invite everyone that you know.
However, you always need to keep your wedding party privy to your plans for your big day. Let them know the plan and what you might expect from them as soon as possible.
It’s possible that some of your loved ones won’t be able to make it to your wedding. This is especially true if they are too old to travel long distances or have health complications that can affect how they travel. Your pregnant sister/maid of honor might not be able to fly to the Caribbean closer to her due date.
It’s possible to keep your wedding party looking fabulous without spending a heinous amount of money on an outfit they’ll never wear again. If your wedding is going to be out of the country, they will have to pay to renew their passports and pay for airfare. Don’t make them spend a ton of money on their dresses and tuxedos for your big day.
It’s a good idea to reserve a block of rooms at your hotel or resort for your wedding party. If everyone is lodging together, it’ll make everything go a little smoother on your wedding day.
Consider Planning a Small Reception Back Home
Your destination wedding won’t be able to accommodate all of your friends and family. Chances are you aren’t able to invite everyone that you wanted there. It’s also likely that not everyone that you invited to the wedding ceremony will be able to attend.
You can include everyone at another time by planning a small party to celebrate your union with those who couldn’t be there on your big day.It doesn’t have to be extravagant, considering you might be low on funds after paying for the wedding. Make it casual and share some drinks and a good meal with your family and friends.
Planning a Destination Wedding?
Researching what you need to plan a destination wedding? You’re in the right place.As experts in the wedding industry, we can help you determine the best location for your wedding. We can even help you track down upcoming wedding expos to help you get inspired to plan your ideal wedding.
Contact us today to get started! We look forward to helping you create the wedding of your dreams!
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