There is something magical about having an exotic wedding. It could be on a pristine beach on some tropical island, and you want to recapture the magic of an earlier visit, or you want to have something special for your wedding. Destination weddings are beautiful, but there are some things you need to know before you embark on planning one.
1. Pick the Perfect Destination
Your wedding destination determines your wedding theme and mood- beachy, rustic, or sophisticated, depending on the venue. The destination also dictates the budget, time, and travel requirements. The activities during the wedding should be authentically you. If you love the beach or proposed on a beach, let the wedding setup be on the beach. If you are wedding on a tropical island, gather your friends and family to an exotic resort of your choice.
2. Timing
The best weather in most vacation destinations means its tourist season. This means more crowds, higher hotel rates, and trouble getting enough room for your wedding party. Book your venue and place room reservations in advance. You may opt to have the wedding on shoulder seasons, which saves you and your guests more money, and you get fewer crowds. If your wedding destination is in the tropics, you will be luckier as the weather is good 99% of the year.
3. Spare Yourself The Hassle
Planning weddings is hectic. Some resorts make it easier for you and have wedding consultants who will plan the entire wedding for you. All you have to do is pay and show up. This saves you a lot of hassle as you do not have to worry about what might go wrong. They organize the cake, the food, the décor, and the after-party.
4. Visit The Destination in Advance
While the resort may cater to all the plans, you can still take a trip in advance to take a look at the wedding venue. If you choose to have an exotic Bali sunset wedding, go to Bali and experience the sunset before the wedding day. Discuss the menu with the caterers, the cake, agree on the flowers you want for the wedding and organize for a makeup artist for the day. Organize some activities for your guests for the duration you will be there, such as tours, scuba diving, swimming, museum visits, etc.
5. Consider the Extra Expenses
If planned right, your destination wedding might not cost as much as you would imagine or as it would cost back home. If you live in an expensive city like New York, it makes sense to hold the wedding in an exotic destination. Invite your guests early enough so that they can confirm their availability and if they can afford the travel expenses. Destination weddings are typically for very close friends and family, and you can invite them and leave them to decide if they want to come or not.
6. Research on The Local Marriage Requirements
A wedding in a different country may have legal implications. Some countries demand a residency requirement, which means you need to stay within the country for a stipulated time before the wedding.
Most of the time, it is only a few days, but it could be longer in some countries. Find out beforehand what the destination country requires before you travel with a whole bridal party, only to be told you cannot wed.
7. Get Some Help
When hosting a wedding in a faraway place, you need help to plan the wedding. As mentioned earlier, most resorts have wedding specialists who plan for everything. You can choose to have the resort take care of everything or hire a local wedding planner to plan the occasion. However, letting the resort plan the event might be cheaper and less of a hassle.
8. Dress Appropriately
If you are a wedding in the tropics, you need to get a wedding dress that fits the warm tropics. Your bridesmaids and groomsmen should also dress the part. Wearing suits in the warm weather might prove to be a nightmare.
Conclusion
A destination wedding on an exotic island or a dream destination is almost everyone’s dream. With some planning, it is not impossible. Plan early, do some research, and you will find it might not be as expensive as you assume it is.
Nickida
Nickida is a first-generation Trinidadian American wife and mother of four. She enjoys sharing recipes from her childhood growing up in Trinidad with her readers. Nickida has a son with Autism and shares posts around traveling with a child with special needs to help other families like her own. She loves television, movies and is a true 80's baby.
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