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Tips for Planning a Successful Destination Wedding

While destination weddings may bring to mind images of exotic, romantic locations, the reality is that there is a lot of legwork to be done before the wedding occurs. When you add a foreign country to the mix things can get a little crazy. Here are our top suggestions for planning your special day.

Having Time on Your Side

Allow yourself ample time so that you may choose from a wide range of venues and that your occasion can be scheduled at the ideal time of year. It's critical that you announce your wedding date and location as soon as you've decided so that your guests have enough time to plan their journeys. You should send out Save the Dates as soon as you've established the date and location so that your guests may plan accordingly. If you don't have a set date or location, you should give an estimation. For instance, month and year as well as city and country are all the info your guests require to plan their journey.

Avoid Doing it All on Your Own

If you're marrying on a resort, the resort will probably supply you with a wedding planner who'll handle most of the preparations. Resort-based wedding planners will have connections to local vendors and can offer the best deals. It is wise to enlist the help of a destination wedding specialist from your hometown, especially if there is no experience or expertise. Because of their collaboration, you can make your dream day a reality. Securing local vendors is difficult, especially when time differences or language barriers are involved, particularly if you don't have a wedding planner. Working with a wedding planner will keep you stress-free throughout the planning procedure, and it doesn't mean that brides cannot organize excellent destination weddings without one. If there's room on your budget, it will just enhance the experience.

Doing Your Research

Working with a Destination Wedding travel agency, such as Honeymoons and Get-A-Ways, who perform extensive research and extra work for them is crucial. Your guests will rely on you for an overseas wedding much more than one at home. It is critical to work with an agency that specializes in Destination Weddings, such as Honeymoons and Get-A-Ways, in order to maintain your guests occupied and ensure that they have a fun time. You should also plan group activities in order to keep your guests engaged and ensure that they have a great time. This is critical because you want to make your wedding a special event.

Sourcing Vendors

If you're set on working with a specific photographer or hair and makeup artist, ask them to travel to your wedding. Ask them whether they'd be willing to cover your airfare and accommodations in addition to their regular fees, or whether they would charge you extra. Vendors who are able to drive to your venue may charge a set fee based on the distance they need to drive, so bear this in mind. When travelling overseas, if you've had bad experiences with cosmeticians in the past or are not entirely comfortable with not having done a trial run beforehand, you might create your own style. In the run-up to your big day, you may wish to practice your own makeup with the help of a makeup artist who can demonstrate tricks for perfection. Another choice is to arrive at your destination a few days in advance and to schedule a trial session so that you can do your own makeup.

The Art of Travel

Selecting your bridal attire, wedding stationery, and all other elements you want to bring with you is important to consider how you will transport them. Do some meticulous planning to avoid any wedding day problems. You may choose to pay for extra baggage or split items among the bridal party and guests to avoid any unwanted surprises. It is important to prevent anything from getting damaged during transit. To accomplish this, you will have to meticulously plan. To prevent any unwanted surprises in the lead up to their big day, no bride wants to have guests who have travelled to attend it give her gifts. If you are given gifts, you will have to figure out how to get them back home, so look into shipping them separately or ensuring you have ample room in your luggage in case. Doing this in advance will prevent potential problems. It is always a nice gesture to provide welcome gifts for all of your guests.

Understanding the Reality of a Destination Wedding

The Reality of a Destination Wedding   It's crucial to grasp that in the case of a destination wedding, many close relatives and friends will be unable to accept your invitation. That's just the harsh reality of a destination wedding, but it may help you keep down the costs and guest list numbers. If there are specific family members or friends you can't imagine your day without who are unable to attend due to financial constraints, consider contributing some of your budget to cover their accommodation or flights. While some guests may be put off by this, you must insist that you can't imagine your day without them and that it has already been taken care of. If they are reluctant to accept your invitation, you should respect their wishes. If they are unable to take time off work, you may want to pick a time of year that is convenient for the majority.  

While planning a destination wedding can definitely be more difficult, working with a Travel Agency like Honeymoons and Get-A-Ways will definitely make it stress free.