10 Things To Consider For Your Dreamy Destination Wedding
The idea of traveling across the world for a destination wedding sounds like a dream come true, but when couples start to think about the hurdles such as cultural differences and the difficulties of coordinating an international wedding, the idea often falls to the wayside. What couples often forget is that a dreamy destination wedding doesn’t necessarily require traveling overseas. Mountains, vineyards, beaches, and gorgeous city views can all be found within our own coasts, and by taking these 10 things into consideration, you’ll be able to plan your dreamy destination wedding stress-free!
Hire A Local Wedding Planner
With the time, effort and money spent on your wedding day, there is very little you want to leave to chance. Since you won’t have the opportunity to visit vendors and plan all the details in person, it helps to have a set of eyes and ears on the ground, who is familiar with the local wedding scene to help guide your decisions. With so much of the planning process relying on your wedding planner, this is the time to do your research, ask for referrals, and have a conversation to make sure it’s a good fit.
Keep Guests Informed
It’s not surprising to be bombarded with questions for a local wedding, so when travel is involved it’s a safe bet to expect A LOT more incoming messages. Save yourself the trouble of answering the same questions by setting up a wedding website, sharing all the information they need to know for their upcoming trip. Local maps, recommended transportation tips, airport info, accommodation info, and packing guides are a few things to include that your guests will appreciate.
Limit Your Guest List
Although everyone would love to spend the weekend at a beautiful location, the additional costs and time commitments, as well as your additional responsibility as the host, limit the number of guests who are able to attend. By keeping an intimate guest list, you can provide more attention to your guests and ensure everyone you want to spend your big day with feels comfortable enough to attend. To limit the costs for your guests, consider booking room blocks at a couple of hotels with various price points.
Book Additional Activities
Along with your dreamy destination wedding, the trip will most likely serve as an annual vacation for many of your guests, so show them how much you appreciate their company by making the most of your destination with some extracurricular activities. Instead of guessing what will be most popular, find a few local activities and send an online survey to your guests allowing them to vote for their favorites!
Keep Seasonality in Mind
The image we have of a destination beach wedding is of sunny skies, and pristine sand leading to the ocean, but the truth is this can depend entirely on the season. Along with rainy seasons, or worse yet, hurricane seasons, many of these popular destinations also have tourist seasons. Both these factors can dramatically affect price, as well as the chances of travel delays so make sure you are aware of this before setting a date.
Arrive Early
Since planning has been done remotely until this point, arriving a few days early will give you the chance to check the details in person and make any last-minute adjustments. On top of this and having the opportunity to greet your guests, you will also need time to apply for a marriage license if you haven’t already done so.
Share Ideas with Pinterest Boards
Trying to explain design ideas can be difficult through verbal or written communication, so instead of struggling to find the perfect descriptive adjectives, show vendors exactly what you want by saving your favorite images to Pinterest boards and sharing them with your team!
Use Full-Service Vendors
Attempting to clean up, stash leftovers, pack up décor, etc. is difficult enough to do at a local venue, let alone an unfamiliar location. Save yourself the trouble and enjoy the aftermath of your wedding by taking advantage of full-service vendors who take care of this for you.
Take the Minimalist Approach
One of the benefits of a destination wedding is that everything you need to wow your guests and take stunning photos is already built into the location. Take advantage of the local beauty by making it the focal point of your décor, and use a minimalist approach to complement the environment.
Double Check Your Packing List
At a destination wedding, the luxury of being able to return home if something was forgotten is not an option, so before you head to the airport make sure you have everything important such as your wedding rings, accessories, and of course your wedding dress! When flying with your wedding dress make sure to bring it as a carry-on. Do NOT check it with your luggage!
Paradise Without A Passport
Destination weddings have their challenges, but with the right approach, they can rival a local wedding in terms of convenience and cost. By following these 10 things to consider, you’ll be able to enjoy your dreamy destination wedding in paradise without even needing to break out your passport. Yours Truly Media is here to help make your special day even more special. Contact us to learn more about the packages we offer.