It is one thing to dream of the perfect wedding, it is an entirely different thing to plan it. The wedding process is often so hectic that sometimes we witness brides breaking down due to physical and mental exhaustion.
Planning a wedding in your home country is already accompanied by so much stress, but planning a destination wedding away from home carries thrice as much stress. Nevertheless, it is your day, and you need it to be perfect, whether it’s within your residence or abroad.
Before traveling to a completely different land to tie the knot with the love of your life, there are certain necessary things to consider. For couples who visualize the perfect Hawaiian weddings and honeymoons, seeking a romantic experience on the beautiful beaches and nightlife of Hawaii, this is the best time to plan a trip.
Destination Wedding Planning Tips
We have carefully selected a list of the advice offered to couples by top wedding planners in the industry. These little tips will help in organizing your planning process and making it much less overwhelming.
1. Trust Your Gut
The most common concern for couples is choosing between what they want and what their families want. Remember that it is your wedding, not that of your parents or siblings. Trust yourself and your partner to make the right choices when choosing vendors and making spending plans.
When in doubt, seek the advice of professionals and family, but do not be easily swayed to and fro. Compare your plans with their suggestions and determine what plan is best. This way, you will achieve satisfaction and save time.
2. Pick a Location
When settling on a location, ensure that security and all other necessary resources needed for your stay are available and easily accessible. Plan with your guests in mind, determine the number of guests (children inclusive) you intend having and proceed to check if the hotel rooms will accommodate them. Find your dream wedding spots here. One of the most significant choices you’ll have to make during the preparation phase is the location of your wedding. We handled the difficult part for you! Find the wedding location of your dreams here!
Look out for travel alerts, political, religious, and social crises, or endemic breakouts in the region. If there are any, we strongly advise you to pick a different location. If you insist, be sure to inform your guests about the current situation in the region, this way they can decide for themselves and won’t feel awkward because of their religion, orientation, or sexual inclination.
3. Consider the Lodgings of Your Guests
Although you are not expected to take care of the accommodation costs of your guests, it is required of you to put into consideration the budgets of your guests.
Do this by suggesting various hotels that cover a range of budgets within your chosen destination. It is ideal to offer a few choices at different costs, this way your loved ones can comfortably attend your wedding. Requesting for rooms to be put on hold on behalf of your guests for a negotiated price can assist you in providing affordable accommodation and uniting everybody in one area. Try not to set your date until you are certain there is room for everybody.
4. Hire a Vendor that Understands Your Vision
While you are making your vendor and wedding supplier research, focus on their work form and style. This does not mean that you need to request an exact copy of a job previously done, but use those samples to guide your planning process. Selecting a planner who understands and supports your ideas and vision enables the process to be faster and the result exquisite.
Find an organizer who is a specialist in destination weddings. Doing this will save you the time and stress of trying to overcome a language barrier or making important decisions from long distances, as you already have a specialist handling the entire process for you. In case your budget does not cover an event planner, search for resorts with an available organizer.
5. Meet With Your Vendors in Person
The next tip is to meet up with your vendors on your first visit to the site. Ask your hotel for recommendations of local vendors, this helps you save money and in a way guarantees their delivery. Couples usually invest more time in the photographer and videographer on their wedding days.
If for any reason, these vendors do not vibe well with you, or their presence genuinely bothers you, it will completely ruin your big day. This is why it is essential to meet with your vendors in person before the event. The important vendors to meet with in person include; a photographer and videographer, staff members at the venue, a wedding planner, and hair and makeup artists.
6. Get a Wedding Insurance
When getting married in a foreign country, it is critical to expect every possibility. Asides from having travel insurance, possess additional wedding insurance for you and your partner. A few wedding venues might request wedding insurance before accepting to rent you the venue. Investing in wedding insurance will protect you financially and even provide emotional support. When applying for this insurance, it is ideal to sign up ahead of time and clearly understand the policies, including items, and details of the coverage.
7. Find Out the Marital Requirements of the Area
Getting your marriage licensed and legally recognized is not exactly as simple as having an officiant. The requirements for making your union legal differ in various countries, it requires a lot of paperwork ranging from birth and clinical certificates, letters of intent, and, surprisingly, evidence of residency.
Make extensive research on all you need ahead of time, this way you have sufficient opportunity to pack it all up. Depending on the local laws of the country, it might be better to get a local marriage certificate.
Conclusión
Contrary to the numerous frightening stories you may have heard about the planning process, it ought to be an enjoyable one. Couples should be excited, not scared or overwhelmed when planning their big day together.
Other things you should consider when planning a destination wedding include; securing passports and other necessary documents, budgeting for unexpected expenses, planning within your budget, reading before signing any contracts, and ensuring that you enjoy every bit of your day. Click here for more information on how to plan your exotic Hawaii wedding.