Sand Between Our Toes

Thinking of having a romantic destination wedding with your closest friends and family members?

Destination wedding is a unique way to celebrate your special day and is great experience for everyone.

Whether you envision yourself under in Ireland surrounded by the most beautiful gardens by a castle or on a white-sand beach in Hawaii, the options for a destination wedding locations are limitless.

When selecting the location for your destination wedding, it is important to research the location to ensure it is the perfect spot to get married. The location will determine the mood of your wedding and should reflect your personal style leaving everlasting memories for your guest.

Destination weddings are known to be inexpensive however location and venue could impact the cost of your wedding.  Although your heart may be set on a specific destination, you want to make sure that anyone who is important is comfortable with spending that amount for the wedding.

Timing is everything; you want to make sure you are not planning your wedding around any major tourist events that could increase the cost of flights and hotels. A great way to avoid prices skyrocketing during high season, you'll want to reserve hotel blocks and venues immediately and send out save-the-dates 10-12 months in advance. If your guests are informed early, they may be less reluctant to attend your wedding and it will give them time to take time off and save money.

Despite the attractive prices during the off season, there are several issues you can encounter when having your wedding, such as fewer crowds, bad weather and many store’s close their shops.

It is strongly recommended by experts to take at least one planning trip for your destination wedding. This will allow you to get a feel of the venue and is a great opportunity to scout and secure key venues, ceremony and reception spaces, hotels for guests, and a rehearsal dinner venue. Depending on the length of your trip, you could also visit local suppliers such as caterers, florists, hair and makeup artists, and photographers. You will no longer feel left in the dark with your wedding plans and will gain a sense of relief during your wedding.

You should also be aware of any additional expenses that you could encounter during your destination wedding. It is recommended to check the destination’s regulations of importing key vendors and decor, welcome bags for guests, additional activities to entertain guests. It is also important to research the destination’s legal requirements, as many countries require a residency for a specific time period before getting married in their country. This may come to a surprise for many but it is very common in other countries. France requires couples to arrive at least 40 days before tying the knot.

Destination weddings may not be for everyone, and for some who love to be in control, this could be overwhelming. A wedding planner is a great way to help organize your bookings, deal with vendors and can shoulder the burden of researching and securing local vendors. If you decide to have a wedding planner back home, make sure they have experience planning weddings in your destination.

It is important to communicate to your planner and be informed of any additional fees such as communication, transportation and their time. Many resorts include a coordinator in their wedding packages and it is a great way to avoid high costs. 

Elizabeth - Bride to be 

Source: Google Images, Destination Wedding Photography. Accessed March 9th 2015.