Destination weddings are some of our favorites—the breathtaking scenery, the carefree attitude of guests who feel as if they’re on vacation, and the gorgeous weather make the entire day an absolute dream. While always gorgeous, destination weddings can be difficult to plan, especially if you’ve got an international destination. No worries—we’re sharing our best tips for planning a destination wedding.
Location and Date
The first thing you want to do when planning, even if not a destination wedding, is set your venue and date. This is especially important, however, with destination weddings, as your location dictates a lot of your planning needs. Is there a language barrier at your destination? Will your guests need certain vaccines? Should you go at a certain time of year to avoid hurricane or monsoon season? All of these factors should be considered when booking.
Local Laws
Be sure to research any local laws before arriving, so that you’re able to be legally married (example: in France, at least one of you must prove that you’ve been living in France for at least 30 days). You don’t want to be blindsided before the wedding with not enough time to take care of the legal hangups!
Wedding Planners
Getting a wedding planner for a destination wedding is a great idea, especially if you’re dealing with any language barriers or are unable to make a trip to the location before your wedding day. Some planners specialize in destination weddings, or you could find a local planner—either way, they’ll be able to help you every step of the way, and will have recommendations for local vendors. If you don’t get a planner, be sure to have video meetings with your vendors to ensure you’re on the same page.
Plan For Your Guests
Some of the best advice we can give is to plan for guests. Along with your Save the Dates, send lodging recommendations, so that they can go ahead and book reservations for your wedding without worrying about where to stay or finding something close to the venue. Another great thing you can do for your guests? Plan a few events aside from the wedding—a welcome party the day they arrive and a brunch the day after the wedding gives them something to do, and provides an extra way for you to see all your guests and spend time with them.
While we can’t help you plan every aspect of the wedding, we can help you find the perfect dress. Book your appointment at Michelle’s Bridal and Tux and find your perfect wedding dress!