The Destination wedding day is one of those e days which ought to be to be dreamy and straight out of a fairytale. But to make a dreamy wedding happen there is a litany of things to keep in mind and that can be overwhelming. So here we present you with a Checklist of all the quintessential to make your dream Destination wedding a reality.
1. Decide your wedding type and budget
Destination weddings, as gorgeous and dreamy as they are, can be heavy on the pocket. As important as the wedding is, your marriage and later lack of finances should not rupture it. Therefore, the thing to consider is type. Do you want your wedding to be formal, informal, big or small? On that basis decide on a budget. Both soon-to-be-wed, with their family, shall come up with a number. If having any trouble, do consider a financial advisor.
2. Hire a travel agent
A travel agent is very important for your ultimate Destination wedding. A Destination wedding involves a lot of travelling. From the first site visit to the shipment of all gifts and goods to the arrival of guests and everyone else, there needs to be someone to help guide you and lay out an
organized plan. A travel agent would help you in deciding the destination and booking of hotel, resort and venue, booking of flight and you would especially need him while planning for a foreign destination.
3. Select the Destination, thoughtfully
The allure of a Destination wedding is the destination itself. With your budget in mind, decide on the location. Envision how you wanted this day to play out. If you are a Monica Geller, with a full-fledged plan then there are ways to make it work. But if you are a bit flexible and open to suggestions, consider your guest who would be arriving at your destination.
Whether the destination is in your homeland or if it is in a foreign land, are all your VIPs and guests able to make it to the destination without the trouble of a passport and Visa? Also make sure that whatever destination you choose for your wedding day, transportation from all other areas is possible and easy, you don’t want your guests to be cranky and tired.
4. See it, like it and then book it
You shall want people to be surprised by your luxurious, beautiful destination wedding, but not in a bad way. Whatever destination that you may have decided upon, make sure to visit it, first. The location, venue, hotel, and resort which would be used by you and your guests must be inquired upon before making it the official destination. If you like the destination but have a problem with the hotels being accommodated by guests, then inform the management while booking the location of all your needs and grievances.
5. Hire a Destination wedding planner local to the destination
Instead of solely independently managing florists, caterers, and musicians all by yourself, hire a professional destination wedding planner. It would cost you some money, but it’s your wedding and you should be actually happy, stress-free, and enjoy your destination wedding, just sign the check and leave it to them.
This has an advantage in that while you sit in your hometown the destination wedding planner would be available at the destination, taking care of all sorts of preparation like food and music and decorations and you could monitor all of this from the comfort of your home.
6. Don’t forget other professionals
Now you have hired a wedding planner and a travel agent but we also have other suggestions. Don’t forget the makeup artist, hair stylist, and photographer. Either hire your local and fly them with you or hire the professional available at the destination.
7. Invitations and guests list
As much as destination matters, people arriving at those destinations equally matter. For an ultimate destination wedding, you need an ultimate guest list. Sit down with your partner and list everyone you want to share your special day with. But make sure to avoid disappointment for you and your partner and parents by checking on close relatives, besties, friends, and colleagues before you send them to save the dates and invitations.
Send them to save the dates for your wedding at least 6 months before the wedding to avoid any confusion and miscommunication. Provide all the necessary information regarding destination, venue, accommodation, flights and transportation.
In case of a foreign destination, make sure to help them in any Visa or passport-related situation. Also, understand that not everyone would accept the invitation and would not be able to attend the wedding. Don’t pressure anyone to attend the wedding, just accept that their wishes will always be there with you.
8 Take care of travels
Your guests have accepted your invitation and marked the dates, now it’s your job to make sure they reach the destination without much trouble and comfortably. Give them as much time as possible to travel. Inform them beforehand and help in clearing up any issues so that they can arrive at your destination in time.
Arrange for a van or limo or car to pick up your guests from the airport and drop them off at their resort or hotel. Set time aside to let guests explore the destination and even hire a tour guide to exemplify this experience.
9. Take care of accommodation
Welcome your guests with warm hugs and refreshing drinks and take them to their hotels. Make sure to include everyone’s comfort while offering them suitable hotels and rooms. Also, pre-install the rooms with the return gifts that are to be given to guests.
10. Prepare yourself for the D-day
It’s your wedding and all eyes will be on you, so make you look your best. So by prepare we mean to make sure you have everything packed which you might need. Try your wedding gown and carefully pack it with your spare gown, bridesmaid dresses and other essentials like dresses, makeup and jewellery.
