Planning a wedding is always a challenge. Planning a wedding out of the state or country… that’s Everest. But, like any journey, preparation is key. Learn from us about how to make a destination wedding manageable.
Go There
At the bare minimum, you should visit your destination once. Ideally, you will visit two or three times. Do not try to plan a destination wedding without visiting. We repeat. Do not plan a destination wedding without visiting. This sounds like common sense, but many couples will try to save money for the wedding by planning remotely.
If you do not have the budget to visit the site (preferably more than once), then you might need to go back to the drawing board. The first trip is to scout the venue, sign the papers, etc. The second and third are for the vendors. You will need to meet with the local florists/ caterers/ hair and makeup stylists to flesh out the details.
If you are a particularly laid back couple who can go with the flow, then you could be an exception to this rule. However, the majority of brides (and even grooms) want to have a good idea of what to expect on their big day. If this is you, make sure you visit to work through the kinks.
Think Like a Local
Think local weather, think local food, think local rules. Often, popular destination wedding locations are also popular tourist locations. This means you have to consider whether your date falls on the height of tourist season and plan accordingly. The weather/ season also helps dictate whether there will be crowds. Make sure you know when the peak months are for your destination so you can plan around the tourists and in line with the fair weather.
Local food is also something to consider. Especially if you are going out of the country with family members with dietary needs; make sure you know what the local cuisine is so your guests know what to expect. Your guests will be spending more than just your wedding day with you. So, it is up to you to make them as comfortable as possible. Prepare them by scouting out the good restaurants before they arrive.
You can scout the restaurants and check the tourist schedules until you are blue in the face, but if you do not follow this last tip, your wedding could be ruined: know the local marriage requirements. Some places, like France, will require you to arrive in the country 40 days prior to your ceremony for your wedding to be legal. There are many rules like this that are unique to the destination. Make sure you know how to make your marriage legal by the country’s standards. No one wants to come back home and say, “Well, we kind of got married. Kind of.”
Prepare, then Go with the Flow
Hats off to you. You’re really going for the gold in terms of wedding planning if you are choosing to have a destination wedding. You will have an unforgettable time when you get there, but the months leading up will be that much more stressful than if you were staying local.
The secret to staying sane is to over-prepare, then go with the flow. Unlike a local wedding, you have a deadline for when your control over last minute items will end. It will happen when you board the plane or take off in your car. In that moment, you want to be positive that you have done everything you could do to make the adventure go smoothly. From there, let it go. Know and understand that there will be a few glitches, but that it is a small price to pay for the trip of a lifetime.
Photo Credit: Flickr
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