Having a destination wedding is a dream for many couples. Getting to share the most special day our your life with the person you love most, in one of the world’s most beautiful settings. However, before you get to the fairytale part of the process, the initial planning must be done properly to ensure that your wedding in paradise goes according to plan. Here are the ten most essential items that you need to consider.
1. Plan Far Ahead
Many important factors must be fulfilled for your destination wedding to happen. Every single one of these items will depend on how far in advance you start making the arrangements. Availability at the resort you choose, your guests getting time off work, flight availability, price, the outcome of these critical things comes down to timing, so it is important that you plan far enough ahead.
2. Research Your Destination
This is probably pretty obvious, but I have to put it on the list regardless. Research a destination does not just mean checking out the beautiful pictures you see online. The best time to have your wedding based on your budget, local weather conditions around your desired date, marriage requirements are just some of the important details that must be considered before picking your picking the ideal destination.
3. Consider A Site Inspection
If you have never been to the destination you are considering, then it is a strong recommendation of mine to schedule even a short visit to experience the local setting and culture for yourself. You will gain incredible destination knowledge from this, which may include some really great ideas to add to your overall wedding experience.
4. Use A Destination Wedding Specialist
Don’t take on all the logistics of planning your destination wedding yourself. Not only is it a waste valuable time and energy you could put towards something else, but you also take a significant risk with the unknown. There are travel agents that spend their entire days making destination wedding plans for couples like yourselves. Find one of these travel agents and let them help you with your Destination Wedding Planning. You will most likely save time, money and you will have an even better experience.
5. Send Out Your Invitations Early
Give your guests enough notice so they can do some planning of their own. Some people will need to schedule time off work, arrange babysitters or even start saving to make sure they can pay for their trip. By waiting last minute to confirm the details and send out your invitations, you run a risk of not having many of your guests show up.
6. Consult Your Guests List
If you plan on having family and friends show up for your destination wedding, it is important that you included them in the planning. Ask their thoughts on the selected location, and also make sure they are fully aware of the costs associated. If family and friends attending your wedding are significant to you, they should be part of the decision-making.
7. Research Local Marriage Laws
Every destination has their own set of marriage rules and requirements. Once you have selected your destination wedding location, the next thing you need to find out what legal requirements will need to be fulfilled to ensure your wedding ceremony is legitimate. Your Destination Wedding Planner will be able to guide you in finding out this information and helping with the necessary procedures to ensure these requirements are fulfilled.
8. Consider A Wedding Resort
There are many resorts and hotels that specialise in destination weddings. These resorts have full-time wedding planners on-site that handle all the onsite details, such as the location of the ceremony, décor, religious preferences and any other venue requirements you may have. Hosting your destination wedding at on of these resorts will save you a lot of stress and time invested worrying about venue setup.
9. Have A Backup Plan
It is incredible, wonderful, romantic, surreal and a dream of many couples to have their wedding on the beach under a beautiful sunset. However, mother nature also has a say in the matter, and she will make the final call. In case whether does not permit, work with your wedding planner on an equally exciting backup plan. If you are properly prepared, the disappointment and setback will not be as significant.
10. Get Everything In Writing
Once you have worked with your travel agent and the on-site wedding planner to put together all the details for your marriage, make sure it all documented for your records. You want to make sure you remember all the thing you were promised and the things you paid for, and you want to ensure that if anything is not delivered, you have proof to collect compensation. Chances are, everything will go absolutely perfect, but you can never be too sure.
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