Dreaming of a Destination Wedding? Top Tips For Planning!
“Think about the places you’ve been and places that are close to your heart…”
The glamour of a wedding across the sea is inviting, but do you know what the planning entails? While we can’t speak for every wedding plan, we know that planning a wedding in a far-flung (or maybe closer) destination can be an intricate and delicate task. The pay-off can be worth it however — white beaches, blue seas, a gentle breeze. If beaches aren’t your thing you can always consider European countrysides, historical cities across the world, or something special to the both of you. Maybe you got engaged in Paris or Rome and want to celebrate there again? No matter your destination, we’ve gone out and done our research and gathered some great tips to help get you started with your Destination Wedding plans!
If you’re daydreaming of a beach wedding like the ones you see in movies, you may want to consider how the weather may affect your enjoyment. It seems silly to say but the allure of white beaches and blue seas often doesn’t tell you about the humidity or the temperature. Think about the places you’ve been and places that are close to your heart. Maybe you got engaged on holiday and want to go back there? Or perhaps your favourite location to visit has an amazing venue that you’ve been thinking about since you first saw it all those years ago?
When you decide on a location, make sure it has all the resources you need, including accommodation choices for your guests and local vendors you can utilise. While you don’t need to place your guests’ chosen accommodation into account with your budget, you may need to consider it if you want more people to attend so be aware of surrounding costs if this is important to you.
You also may want to consider timing it right. Planning your wedding during the tourist season of a location can really ramp up the costs, but can also give you more assurances with the weather. Tourist season can differ from place to place so be sure to check before you pick a date. The off-season in some locations like the Caribbean can mean chances of hurricanes, and in Europe some of the heat waves can be uncomfortably intense. If you’re determined to have a hot weather wedding, consider looking at tips on the NHS website to help you and your guests enjoy yourselves comfortably: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/heatwave-how-to-cope-in-hot-weather/.
Finally, with your location, research the local laws regarding marriage licenses and requirements. Some countries may require you to have been a resident of the country for a certain time before you can be married; France requires you to arrive 40 days before you marry, and some may not allow you to marry at all, especially if you identify as LGBTQ+, Greece allows civil unions but not legal marriage status, and identifying as LGBTQ+ can be dangerous in places such as Russia or India. This is an incredibly important point to consider — if something goes wrong on the legal side of your union, it could mean that even after all that planning that you aren’t legally married and your marriage isn’t recognised by the state. However, if you remember to be careful and do detailed research with your partner, you’ll have nothing to worry about! If you are concerned, you can always ask your wedding party and relatives to look over your research and double-check your plans. It can really ease your nerves to have reassurance from those close to you!
When you have your location picked out, try visiting it and check that every detail fits with your ideas so you can continue with your plans. You can also use this opportunity to meet with vendors face to face before booking them, rather than simply hiring them online. Hiring locally can really help your budget and help support the businesses that reside there as well! An alternative can be to hire vendors and bring them with you but take into consideration that this will increase your costs as you’ll have to cover their travel as well (and possibly insurance). If you decide to hire locally, remember to take into consideration any language barriers you may encounter so that nothing is lost in translation. Hiring a translator might help, or you could look into a destination wedding planner specifically, though this would increase your budget as well. If either option isn’t applicable to you and you still require help, ask your chosen venue if they have an on-site events coordinator that can assist you in planning. Their choice in vendors may be limited to what the venue would recommend but they are still a valuable resource to use in planning a wedding in a different country, and a smaller addition to your budget. You may also wish to consider adding insurance to your budget, both for your wedding and for travel. Since wedding planning isn’t the calmest of activities, insurance will help you and your partner keep cool while you sort out your finances and aeroplane tickets.
Once you have everything in order and you start shopping for your attire, keep in mind the climate you’re heading to. A woollen suit is likely to leave you dripping in sweat if you’re headed to a humid country! If you’re headed to a warmer climate, consider breathable fabrics like cotton and lightweight lace for dresses. The last thing you’ll want on your big day is to feel uncomfortable after all that hard work. You may want to check that your attire is easy to pack as well and take it in a carry-on when you board the plane. Lost luggage is a possibility, and while the dress or suit may crease, you can always have it pressed or steamed once you arrive. Finally, like any other wedding, remember to prepare for the elements. An outdoor wedding can eventually become dark once the sun goes down, so if you haven’t got an indoor venue for an evening reception, make sure to have lights around (and candles if you’re going for the romantic atmosphere). If you’re having a beach ceremony, consider equipping yourself and your officiant with small microphones clipped to your clothes so your guests can hear your vows over the sound of crashing waves nearby.
Above all, your wedding should be a special and joyous occasion for the both of you, so do what you both feel is best for your celebration. If that means not having a lot of guests, then don’t hesitate to make that decision — it’s YOUR wedding, YOUR way.
If you have any experience with destination weddings, please get in touch! We love learning more about different events and planning, as well as personal experiences.
See you next week.
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