Tips to Plan a Destination Wedding

Destination weddings are becoming increasingly popular and for good reason. Holding your celebration in an exotic location can not only save you a lot of money, it is one of the most unique ways to share your day with your closest friends and family, turning your wedding into a weekend of memories.

Don’t know where to start?

1. Know yourself.  It’s finally your big day, and much like planning a traditional wedding, close your eyes and imagine what your dream destination wedding looks like. Is a beach setting important to you?  Do you want a formal reception? Are you going to want pre-planned events for you and your guests prior to your wedding? Are you content to lie on the beach in the days leading up to your wedding, or are you one to explore rainforests or fly through the trees on a zip line? Do you need fine dining? Make a list of all the things you want in a destination wedding, and then locations you think would be a perfect fit for your dream day.

2. Know your guests.  Not everybody on your guest list will be able to attend your wedding for various reasons. However, there are going to be some important guests that you just wouldn’t get married without.  Check with these guests and run the idea of having a destination wedding by them. Most likely they will be excited with the thought of joining you in paradise, but it’s best to check with them prior to putting too much time and effort into your planning. Think about the same questions that you asked about yourself, what type of travelers do you have in your group? Will there be children attending? Are your guests able to travel easily? Will they have to take off work? Will they need passports? All of these are important factors to consider when compiling a guest list and choosing a location.

3. Know your budget.  It is always hard to identify a specific budget when talking about destination weddings. Think about the absolute maximum you would feel comfortable spending when everything is done. So, when you return from your dream destination wedding and you look at your bank account, how much do you want to have spent?  Most couples say “it depends on the wedding, I can be flexible”, but unless you are related to the Trump family there has to be a limit to your flexibility. How much you spend relates closely to location. If traveling abroad, budgets should also consider currency exchange rates.

These discussions will help you get a picture of how your destination wedding will come together. All three of them are interrelated, and your perfect wedding lies in an ideal combination that meets your most important criteria. This solution will then allow you to navigate the seemingly endless amount of “perfect” tropical destinations to find the one that fits you best.

Finally, ensure you are working with a company experienced in planning events away from home. The complexity of planning a destination wedding is amplified by the fact that all the vendors are many miles away and often in a different country. By working with a company that has specific experience, you can greatly reduce your stress while planning and increase the likelihood that you will see your dream wedding firsthand.

DestinationWeddings.com has helped thousands of couples plan their dream Destination Weddings all across the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii and Central America. 

(Source: DestinationWeddings)