The Dos and Don’ts of Planning a Destination Wedding

This entry is from our Expert Guest series where wedding and honeymoon professionals share their best tips on creating memories that last a lifetime.

A destination wedding is certainly a truly special way to make your vows, under the sun’s rays in a tropical paradise, perhaps with a breath-taking ocean view as the backdrop for your ceremony. If you’re considering making your overseas wedding dreams come true, our list of dos and don’ts will help you make your dreams a reality…

DO

♥ If you want lots of guests at your wedding, then do choose a destination that is easy for everyone to get to. If you choose somewhere too far from home, your guests might drop out due to long flight times and the expense of long-haul flights.

♥ Do book your ceremony venue and date first before you book any flights or accommodation. You can do this in just a few clicks at BookYourWeddingDay.com and receive instant confirmation.

♥ Do use your destination as inspiration for your wedding menu, flowers, and favors.

♥ Make sure you understand the marriage requirement of your destination, what forms you need to complete and what paperwork you need to take with you.

♥ If your budget allows, visiting your destination before the big day can be really helpful. You can see the venues you’re considering and fully understand the distances involved in traveling on the day. You can also check out some hotels and make sure they are just perfect for you and your guests.

♥ Do search for group offers if you’re booking a lot of hotel rooms at once for your friends and family.

♥ Do inform your friends and family well in advance of your plan to have a destination wedding and get those invitations out, allowing your guests to plan and be able to join you.

DON’T

Photo by Rivios Thanos Photography

♥Don’t pack your wedding dress in your hold luggage; it’s not worth the risk of it going missing. Take it as carry-on luggage and tell the cabin crew who should be able to hang it up for you.

♥Don’t under plan the logistics. It’s important to make sure everyone knows where they are going and when particularly in a foreign destination that they may never have been to before. Put thought into timings and take traffic flow in the area into consideration.

♥Don’t choose the same wedding dress as you would at home. If you’re getting married in a hot destination, this is going to be lovely, and you’ll get some gorgeous photographs, but if you’re in a big layered wedding dress you may spend the entire day feeling stifled. Find a dress that is more suitable for a hot climate and you’ll feel much more comfortable.

♥Don’t wear high heels for a beach wedding. When we think of wedding shoes we tend to have high heeled shoes in mind, but this isn’t going to work well for you if you’re planning to make your vows on the beach! Instead, opt for pretty sandals or even go barefoot.

♥And finally, don’t have any worries! Once you’ve chosen your venue and your date has been secured via BookYourWeddingDay.com everything else will fall into place. Take it slowly and make lists; you’ll have everything covered and your wedding day will flow like a dream!

Let a Honeyfund online wedding registry help make your dreams come true.