A destination wedding is a dream come true for many couples, offering the opportunity to say “I do” in a stunning and unforgettable location. There are endless possibilities, from sandy beaches to historic cities. However, planning a destination wedding requires careful consideration and organization by a wedding planner & organizer to ensure a smooth and magical experience on your special day. Here’s a step-by-step guide to pulling off a destination wedding of your dreams.
1. Envision Your Destination Wedding
Envisioning what your destination wedding looks like is essential before everything else. You need to have some idea of where you want to get married—for example, a historic castle, a breathtaking clip-off overlooking the ocean, or a sandy beach. You can make a list of all your needs regarding your wedding.
Consider whether the wedding is for adults only or family-oriented, the budget, and the distance from the nearest airport. You also have to decide on the theme of your wedding. Consider whether your envisioned theme involves typical greens or vibrant colors. This will influence the decor choice and your overall wedding budget.
2. Select a Date for Your Destination Wedding
Do you have a specific date in mind? You need to consider a few factors that may influence your travel and budget when it comes to particular dates. For example, the weather or whether it’s a busy time to travel. Consider whether flights are easy to book and affordable at that time. Having a certain travel date in mind will undoubtedly affect how easy it will be to travel and book accommodations.
2. Create a Budget for Your Destination Wedding
When talking about the budget, how much would you be able to spend on your wedding? You don’t need to go broke on your wedding day. Even without breaking the bank, you can have an exquisite destination wedding. There are a number of ways you can trim expenses and save money. A reliable wedding planner can help you do so strategically. They can assist you in having an unforgettable wedding day, considering your budget.
3. Decide If You Want a Symbolic or Legal Wedding
There are different rules and legalities for getting married in different countries. Some countries require paperwork translations and bloodwork, while some countries only require you to be here for a specific amount of days. You need to be fully prepared to reduce the chances of any kind of disappointment during your wedding. For that, thoroughly research the law and costs of weddings in a legal destination beforehand.
4. Book a Travel Agent Who Specializes in Destination Weddings
Once you are clear about what you’d like for your special day, the next important step is to book a travel agent. A travel agent will perform all the legwork in your destination wedding. They will help you choose the perfect location for your destination wedding and navigate your wedding contract. They understand the ins and outs of travel incentives, wedding packages, and legalities with civil weddings.
5. If possible, Visit Your Location
If it’s convenient, you must swing a site visit to your destination wedding location. By doing so, you will get an opportunity to get a feel for the place and see your wedding venue in person. You can also go over the menu (and tastings!). It’s a great idea to get first-hand knowledge of what to expect. You can also share the experience with your guests to make it more exciting.
6. Make Your Guest List – But Have Expectations
Statistically, you can expect between 30-60 percent of the invited guests to actually attend your destination wedding. The range may vary all over the place. While having a destination wedding, you have to make up your mind that not everyone you want to attend your wedding will be there.
7. Send Wedding Invitations Early On
Depending on the date you’ve set your destination wedding for, you should let your guests know early enough so that they can get prepared in the process of booking time off of work and saving up for travel. Get your save-the-dates or wedding invites out nice and early. There are absolutely heaps of creative and fun designs to choose from, such as boarding passes, passport books, luggage tags, and more.
At this point, you may also have a wedding website created, a Facebook group, or WhatsApp chat for your guests to answer questions and create excitement surrounding your destination wedding!
8. Seek Outside Vendors
If you’re having a destination wedding and you’re asking yourself how soon to start booking your vendors, such as your photographer and hair and make-up, stop wondering. It’s never too early. You should always book local vendors for your destination wedding because they know the climate and lighting. Our photographers know when to bring the sunshine in and know when to just knock the fan right out of your hair. You should only consider bringing a vendor from home to a destination wedding if you can.
9. Figure Out if You’re Doing Favours or Welcome Bags
One of the best parts of having a destination wedding was putting together welcome bags for the guests—and they don’t have to be expensive! These welcome bags are small tokens of appreciation for your guests. You can include fun things like tumblers, floaties, beach chair clips, and survival/hangover kits that include Tylenol, aloe vera, and other first-aid kit-related items!
10. Think About Group Excursions
If your love language isn’t gift-giving, many brides have also foregone the welcome bag production and favor-sourcing. Instead, they plan a grand group excursion as a fun way to say “thank you” to their guests during the destination wedding experience. There are many local companies in various countries that can arrange these for you.
11. Get Packing
With the big day coming soon, it’s time to consider what you might pack for your destination wedding. You’ll be packing for a wedding and vacation. Make a list of the essential things that yo want to take with you and start packing them. You will also want to pack a travel medical kit in case of emergencies! Think of things like pain relievers, Tums, aloe vera, etc.
12. Meeting with Your Wedding Planner
When you finally get in, you can meet with your wedding coordinator and discuss any final details for your wedding. You can also settle any remaining bills here. A wedding coordinator is your all-inclusive guide before and during your destination, so make sure to choose the right one.
Jannat Events: Your Dream Destination Wedding Planner & Organizer
A destination wedding surely needs thorough local planning and associations with the vendors. This is when a Destination wedding organizer Dubai enters to meticulously take care of everything. You can trust Jannat Events and journey effortlessly toward your fantasy wedding paradise in Dubai. Blending local knowledge, creativity, and an honest guarantee toward delivering only the best, Jannat Events is one of the top destination wedding planners in Dubai.
