The 5 Must Haves for Your Destination Wedding
One of our favorite growing wedding trends are destination weddings. Some of the top locations are: Amalfi Coast, Italy, Bali, Indonesia, and Cote d’Azur, France and if you are planning to propose or are engaged and actively planning we’ve gathered some information to help get you started on creating your perfect destination wedding.
A destination wedding can seem like an intimidating idea at first, but trust me. You’ll want this. Hopefully, after reading this blog, you’ll find its a budget friendly way (more on this later) to celebrate your biggest day and you deserve to have your dream wedding. My intention with this blog is to remove that stigma of fear from your want of a destination wedding, and show you it is more possibility. It’s a reality.
Location
From country side chateaus, classic city architecture, to azure coasts along sandstone cityscapes there are so many venues to choose from. Narrowing down a location is the key to finding your dream team of vendors to bring your vision board to life, step two.
Here are some helpful tips to guide you through the process of securing your dream location.
- Seasons – Understand that different countries have different seasons, including rainy seasons. (Looking at you, Bali) The more you know about the weather of your preferred destination wedding, the more likely you’ll be happy with the results of your day.
- Marriage Requirements – Did you know until 1980, it was required to have a blood test in America to be married here? Thankfully we don’t have that law still in effect. Some countries still do though, so be aware. Along with vaccinations and other requirements you may not be expecting. Make certain you’re up to date with your destination’s marriage requirements.
- Cultural etiquette- Understanding the culture of your preferred location is important to creating the healthiest environment for your wedding. For example, if you are holding your wedding in Bali, public displays of affection are generally seen as taboo (Don’t worry, your wedding day doesn’t count) or if you a marrying in the Amalfi Coast hats should be removed while indoors. It might seem small, but keeping these etiquettes in mind will make for a much nicer experience overall.
Vision Board
If you’re a planner like me then you know vision boards are a must. Wedding planning can be a bit overwhelming and this step can really help when there are so many beautiful ideas to decide on. It will also help when deciding which vendors work best with your aesthetic. This will be especially helpful when you finally get in contact with your planner who you can then hand the vision board over to and say SAVE ME! Just kidding, but they will help with the design and bringing it all to life.
Budget
Now, lets talk about the scary part and why it doesn’t need to be that scary. You are not alone if you think a destination wedding would be too costly. I mean, we’re talking a wedding in a dream location overseas. But, on average, a couple can expect to spend near thirty-five thousand dollars for a Destination Wedding. That almost sounds too good to be true, but trust me, it’s true. The average Wedding Venue in Santorini Greece is only 850 euros ($906/USD)! Saving here will give you more room to book your ideal photographer (Hi, there!) and focus on the details. Here is a Destination Wedding Budget Calculator from our friends over at Destify to help keep everything in line, but we highly do recommend you hiring a Planner – Destination or Local.
Planner
With a Visionboard, Location and Budget all somewhat figured out, now it’s time to get the most important piece of the puzzle. Every Destination Wedding needs an experienced planner. A person who will help guide you through every step of the process, now that you personally have a fully developed idea. A planner is going to bring your vision to reality and also keep you within a proper budget securing all the details .
Reach out to us here for our top recommended Destination Wedding Planners.
Visit City
Finally, it’s time to visit the city. The fun part! You have your date and venue booked. You have a planner taking care of your arrangements and helping you with your budget. Take a weekend to visit the city and have your engagement photos taken and see your venue for the first time. The photos taken here will only grow your imagination as to what the magic of your wedding day will be like.
I hope this was informative enough to shed some of those fears or worries you may have when it comes to Destination Weddings. Just a quick recap:
- Location: Understand your dream location and it’s rules.
- Vision Board: If you can dream it. You can build it.
- Budget: Don’t let the fear of money keep you from a wedding of a lifetime.
- Planner: Your Captain in the storm in all things leading up to and on your wedding day.
- Visit City: Time for your engagement shoot and a nice weekend getaway.
We hope to see you in some of our favorite wedding places!
.
.
.
Inquire here about your own Destination Wedding.
Can’t get enough? You can view our guide to choosing the right engagement outfit here