It’s so romantic to have a wedding somewhere far from your home, in a place with a different climate, traditions, flora and fauna, lifestyle, etc. Seems like a perfect adventure for a perfect occasion. That’s why so many people dream about a destination wedding. But do they really understand how hard it can be to plan a destination wedding? How much does it cost – is a destination wedding cheaper than your usual classic or traditional wedding? What should you know about this type of wedding to plan it perfectly? There are some myths about a destination wedding that are waiting to be busted.
Myth – destination wedding is always cheaper
Actually, not always. Very often, the price is more or less the same. Why? The expenses for your wedding ceremony and reception might be lower (sometimes significantly), but you have additional expenses on getting to your wedding location (plain tickets, renting a bus to drive your guests to the place, gasoline for your car and the cars of your guests, etc).
Additional costs for you are accommodations. Especially if you’re paying for all of your guests to stay somewhere during your wedding celebration, which – for a destination wedding – is usually a weekend. And when you’re inviting, it means you’re paying.
And even if your travel and accommodation expenses happen to be low, always research your future wedding destination to know how much a wedding costs there. Maybe the place you chose is not cheaper but more expensive than your hometown.
Advice – send wedding invitations and save the date cards earlier
A destination wedding requires more effort and more money not only from you but from your wedding guests as well. So, you need to let them know in advance that they’ll have to travel to your wedding location. Send your save the date cards about 12 months in advance and wedding invitations 3 months before the wedding. Maybe some of your guests will have to get a piggy bank to save the money for this trip for a few months, consider such a possibility. And, of course, let people know that this will be a destination wedding as soon as possible.
Advice – pick the season for your destination wedding thoroughly
When you’re planning a trip, it’s very important to choose the right time of year and watch for the weather. For a wedding, especially a destination wedding, the weather means a lot – why fly to another region, island, or continent and spend the weekend shut in a hotel room because of the constant rain or unimaginable heat or a seasonal storm? Some wedding locations are truly cheaper during a specific season for a reason. For instance, it’s a hurricane season or a wet season. Make sure to research your wedding location thoroughly so that you avoid such a failure.
Advice – find out the prices in your wedding location
Learn the prices for the most important things – transportation, accommodations, food and drinks, etc. You need this info if you’re paying for your guests to get to the wedding and to stay for the night. If you want them to pay for themselves, it’s even more significant because you need to be sure they can afford it. Otherwise, no one or fewer people will show up. In any case, research this and at least give your wedding guests some tips regarding the best place to stay or to have something to eat – add this info to your wedding website (if you’re having a destination wedding, a wedding website is a must-have).
For those couples who can afford it, we advise booking an all-inclusive destination. You’ll get so much issues and problems out of the way.
Advice – hire local vendors
This is such an obvious tip but we have to mention it. Hiring local wedding vendors will probably save you a lot of money and you’ll have fewer problems with delivery. Locals know about their location everything or almost everything. They’ll help you choose the right option, delivery won’t take too much time, etc. For example, only the local wedding photographer knows the best locations for the wedding pics in every said season and time of day.
If you can afford it, hire a destination wedding coordinator. This person will save you a lot of time and effort, can suggest good local vendors, create a wedding day timeline perfect for that particular region, and will make your wedding day so much easier and less stressful.
Advise – minimize your luggage
When you’re having a destination wedding, consider how much stuff you’ll be able to bring with you. Your wedding attire should be more practical – a puffy ball gown is not the best choice to put into your suitcase for a plane trip. And DIY items are also something that you’d better skip. In short, take with you only a minimum of wedding stuff because you need to put plenty of other necessary things in your suitcase as well. Such items as wedding signs and cards, printed programs, and so on can be either rented at your wedding location or skipped – you can’t bring them miles from your hometown. Or make them as simple as you can – printed A4 sheets are considerably easier to ship than huge posters.
Advice – 2-day wedding needs more activities
As we’ve said, a destination wedding typically lasts for a weekend or even longer sometimes. Of course, the atmosphere at some resort or a similar location is a bit relaxed and lazy, but you still have to plan several additional activities, except for just the wedding ceremony and reception. For example, you can have a welcome dinner where your guests get to know each other better and have more time to communicate with the bride and groom. Most couples have bachelor and bachelorette parties before the wedding day. Or you can plan any other event before or after the wedding day.
But anyway, give yourself and your guests time to enjoy a destination wedding. Plan for a few days’ stay and just have a good time. If you make such an effort as to go miles from your hometown for the wedding, don’t rush and make this event really memorable for you and your beloved people. The things you should remember about your wedding are not the uncomfortable flight, suitcases, and driving for miles but a relaxed resort atmosphere, new impressions, excitement, and the vibe of a romantic trip.
