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It’s a long-awaited desire of many couples to have their weddings away from the usual constraints and to do something memorable. But it can take a lot of work and be stressful to plan a destination wedding. You may be wondering, where do you even start? Here are 7 things to know before planning a destination wedding.
1. Answer This Question First – Why Do You Want a Destination Wedding?
Before you go any further, ask yourselves: why do you want a destination wedding? Is it because you are tired of the usual wedding constraints? Do you want an unusual way to celebrate your love by having a beach wedding in Florida or on a remote island in Southeast Asia? Do you want to get away from it all with your partner and have a memorable time together away from it? Whatever the reason, be clear about why you do not want a conventional wedding. Do not use this new opportunity to get away from your families or to embarrass them – your wedding is a day that should celebrate you and your partner together, and doing it far away will be more of a strain on them than you think.
2. Hire a Destination Wedding Planner Early
There are several ways you can go about planning a destination wedding, and the biggest challenge is deciding which one you want to do. No one method is best for everyone – it depends on how much time and money you are willing to invest in this new way of celebrating love. But regardless of whether you decide to go with a full-time planner or have a more hands-off approach, some things should be taken care of before booking your trip. For one, you should have your destination wedding planner contract in place well before booking your trip. You will also want to include a list of all your questions about traveling and planning a wedding – what accommodations do you require, and do you plan on having more than one ceremony? What kind of food can you expect? Is there anything special that you would like to do during your trip? These are all questions that the planner should be able to answer for you.
3. Consider the Distance and Length of Stay
This means that you should determine ahead of time how long you will be staying to avoid booking a hotel room that is too small. While private rooms can work out well for romantic and special occasions, it may not be possible for the more impromptu couples. This gives some teams the idea of considering destination weddings closer to home. You can think about the total length of your stay and see which works best for you.
4. What Type of Venue Do You Want?
A discussion about the type of venue you want is somewhere on your list of considerations. There are dozens to choose from, and each offers a different way of celebrating your love. You may want to have an island wedding that is intimate and small. Or perhaps you would like to have a big bash with lots of people – whatever it is, make sure you know what kind of venue you want before booking anything.
5. When is the Best Time?
There are different types of weddings; sometimes, the time you choose to get married may depend on when you want to spend your honeymoon. The US is a big country, and while there are certainly some places where you can get married that are not too far, you may find yourself going places where the closest wedding officiant is hundreds of miles away. It would help if you planned this out before booking your trip.
6. Send the Wedding Invites at Least a Year in Advance
Another thing to remember is that you will want to send out your wedding invitations at least a year in advance. This gives the guests time to book travel and plan other vacation commitments. It also means that they will be able to contribute more money and gifts if they do not have to worry about the cost of their trip.
7. Find a Wedding Officiant
Another thing to consider is whether or not you want a religious wedding. While some people want to be married to someone who has ordination from the church they attend in their neighborhood; others want to get married under a huppah or on an altar. You may also want a particular moment in front of friends and family without religious undertones.
Conclusion
There are many things to consider before and while planning a destination wedding, but this list is a great place to start. We highly suggest finding an experienced wedding planner to make the process smoother and more enjoyable for the bride and groom. One major benefit of having a destination wedding is that the possibilities are endless; you can have whatever kind of wedding you want!