Make unforgettable memories – Just think for a moment that you and your fiancé are on a tropical island or a castle and are about to bind each other up for a sacred wedding ceremony surrounded by all of your beloved friends and family. A destination wedding gives you the chance to have a truly unique experience and send your friends and family home with memories that will last a lifetime.
Here are our tips on planning your destination wedding.
Know your Legalities
Marriage laws differ in many countries. Requirements are usually straight forward, whereas some countries have a few hoops to jump through. Before any planning commences make sure that it is legal to get married in your chosen destination and that the marriage will be valid/recognized in your own country.
Residency Requirements
For example, residency requirements in France dictate that one of the parties to be married must have been resident in France for a minimum of 40 days continuously immediately before the wedding ceremony.
Same-sex Unions
Unfortunately, laws for same-sex marriages vary by country, so make sure to check upfront.
Religious Ceremony
If you plan to have a religious ceremony, be sure to check the exact requirements, for that specific religion. For example, to prove the couple is eligible to marry in a Catholic church in Ireland, the couple must have completed the required pre-marital course. Some priests may not even allow you to marry in their church if you are not a local.
Too much paperwork
Have your heart set on a certain destination to host your wedding, but too many legal complexities? We suggest getting married at your local registry office or town hall, and then hold a symbolic ceremony abroad. This is a perfectly acceptable option in order to avoid the legal hassles.
Know Your Heartbeats
In order to start the ball rolling you’ll need to have an accurate guestimate of how many people will attend the wedding. How many rooms will you need? How many children are attending (if any)? Ages of the kids? Who is rooming with whom? How many nights to they will to stay? Of course, there is no way to know for sure but ask your friends and family. Get a head count of who is interested in going. When it comes time to make a financial commitment you might find you have less heartbeats than originally planned. Saying they will attend and then making the commitment is two different things. You still have to know how many people and how many rooms you will need in order to get a group rate. You’ll need 10 rooms or more for a group and most hotels.
Consider Working with a Travel Planner
Once you’ve decided on your Destination Wedding location, and begin to build your planning team, consider working with a destination wedding travel specialist. This integral part of your wedding planning team will be a substantial asset in value, knowing the destination, hotel and travel values and assisting you and your guests. A destination wedding travel planner specialist is different than a wedding and events planner. Your destination wedding travel specialist is a travel planner for you, coordinating every single element having to do with the destination, travel, concierge services and helping your guests arrive happy and ready for your special events!
Some of the most popular places for destination weddings include Fiji, Italy, Bali, Thailand, Mexico and the Caribbean. Since these locales expect plenty of destination weddings, they make organization easy, and many hotels offer special wedding packages. Using a Travel Advisor to help you Plan your Room Block for your Group…You get a Honeymoon Bonus
Look at it this way, If you don’t hire a professional then not only will you be doing their job but all your friends and family members will be contacting you to book their trip and asking 100 questions that you may not know the answer…do you want or need that stress?
Go on – Relax
It’ll be harder to control every little detail in a foreign locale. “No matter how hands-on a planner you are, if you choose to get married abroad, you’ll have to relinquish a degree of control,” says Cole. “Since you can’t handpick every last detail, handpick the next best thing: your team.” That means choosing florists, caterers, stylists and brands that truly understand your vision for the day.
Cookie-Cutter or Custom Wedding
You’ve chosen a destination; next you’ll have to decide on either a cookie-cutter hotel package or to plan a unique wedding on your own or with the help of an independent destination wedding planner/travel advisor who can create a master piece that you cannot do without them. They plan destination weddings daily…how many have you planned?
Buy Wedding & Travel Insurance
Pandemic, Flooding and Volcanic Ash Clouds…it’s a MUST – enough said!
No matter where your wedding is hosted there will be risks involved. However, wedding insurance can help alleviate some concerns. Each insurance policy is different, therefore your individual needs will dictate what you should choose.
Also, you’ll need to purchase insurance for your travel arrangement should you need to cancel or change your travel plans. Protect your investment, you only will have regret if you didn’t protect your investment. Remember Murphy’s Law: if you purchase insurance, you most likely will not need it, if you don’t buy insurance to save money, that’s when the unexpected happens…OOPS!
Maybe your idea of the perfect wedding is eloping, the two of you exchanging vows with an ocean panorama as your backdrop. Perhaps you only want a very small wedding, with only your closest friends and relatives. Maybe not everyone can make it to your destination wedding, but you still want them to attend virtually. Honeymoon Islands will help create a celebration of your love you’ll treasure forever.
• Elopements: Just the two of you in paradise–we’ll ensure your day is the relaxing romantic celebration you and your other half have always dreamed of.
• Small Weddings: Make it a micro-wedding for the books–groups booking five to nine rooms with a minimum three-night stay – this is to be considered and FYI destination wedding.
• Virtual Weddings: Any guests unable to witness your union in person can do so virtually on a video platform, since most resorts are offering this post-pandemic.
Congratulations on your engagement! You’ve come to the right place. Ready to take the next step? Click below to get started and to schedule a call with me or one of my destination wedding planners, just click the link below.
