Some say that planning a destination wedding is automatically less stressful than a wedding at home. This is because less people usually attend, which gives you less to think about. It doesn’t cost nearly as much. If you like, you could even just go and get married in secret on a secluded beach before giving the news to your relatives! You do still have to plan a little though, so use this guide to give you some ideas.
Pick a Place that Represents You
Make sure you don’t pick a place at random. Weigh up your options carefully and be sure that the place you get married represents the both of you as a couple. If you love food, pick somewhere that serves amazing local dishes. If you both have a love of beach holidays, get married on a gorgeous beach.
Get the Timing Right
Pick a time of year carefully. The weather should be on your side if you do this, but there are still no guarantees. You can only ever know on the day what the weather will be like!
Visit the Place if Possible
If possible, you should visit the place you’ve chosen. One visit should be considered a must, but another one afterwards can help you to finalise things. This way, you can meet with vendors and get some proper planning done from experience. It’s the best way, especially if you have guests attending. You can find suitable places for everybody to stay too. A destination wedding villa in Costa Rica would be a good example of accommodation to view.
Make Sure You Know the Requirements
Each country has different legal requirements, so make sure you know everything about the place you’ve chosen. You may need to be in the country for a few days before you can marry there. In most cases, you’ll want to do this anyway to prepare. In France, you need to be there 40 days in advance before you can marry!
Relax
There’s no point stressing over relaxed vendors or the weather not going your way. One of the best things about destination weddings is that they have a chilled atmosphere. Providing you choose competent vendors, your wedding should go off without a hitch.
Dress for the Weather
Don’t wear a huge dress with a ton of layers if you’re getting married in the hot Caribbean sun. You’ll regret it when your hair falls and your makeup slides off.
Have the Honeymoon in the Same Place
To minimize stress, I suggest having your honeymoon in the exact same place. No more flights or packing. Nothing else to think about. Bliss!
Get a Wedding Planner
If you really want a stress free wedding, hire a wedding planner. You’ll hardly stress at all, and all of the hard stuff will be taken care of for you. It can be an expense you’d rather not splash out on, but it’s certainly the easiest way to plan.
However you intend on planning this wedding, make sure you thank your guests for coming! Have a fantastic wedding day and happily ever after.
