How to Plan a Destination Wedding

As a destination bride myself, I know if can feel daunting planning a destination wedding! Here are some of my top tips for planning your day

Destination weddings are so magical, a vacation you get to take with the love of your life and your closest friends and family! But the planning that comes along with a wedding in a location you aren’t currently in can be overwhelming - trust me, I’m a destination bride myself! Below I’ll go over how to choose your venue, hiring a planner, hosting other wedding events, lessons I’ve learned, and key takeaways before wedding day to help ease the stress of planning your trip!

Choosing a Destination Wedding Venue

First things first, you need a venue to get married at! Once you and your partner have narrowed down a country and city, you’ll need to find a venue that fits your needs and priorities:

1. Decide on a budget and guest list. Starting with this will help narrow your search and keep you on track for your desired budget. 
2. Look for a venue with places to stay in mind. Destination weddings require overnight stays. So you’ll want to keep lodging in mind while choosing your favorite venues. Is lodging available on site? Is the cost reasonable for you and your guests to stay?
3. Think about the experience you want your guests to have when travelling. Is the venue easy to access for everyone? Is it safe and secure? Do you want a luxurious experience or something a bit more casual? 
4. Think about transportation for your guests. If a venue requires a plane, then a boat, then a mountain hike, it will be less appealing for guests to travel. Having a venue easy to travel to is best. But if the venue is a bit off the beaten path, you’ll want to make sure you have transportation pre-arranged and already managed for everyone.
5. Plan a trip to check out your top venues. After researching and picking your favorite venues, plan that trip around some venue tours! You’ll love being able to visit your future wedding spot and knowing how your venue looks in person. You’ll also be able to easily meet with the venue to discuss the flow of the day, getting ready spaces, amenities, cost etc.

Why You Should Have a Wedding Planner for a Destination Wedding

Planning a wedding from afar can be stressful and difficult for a number of reasons. That’s why having a venue that offers an onsite planner or hiring a destination wedding planner is a MUST! Planners can help with finding vendors in the area, cost comparisons, and providing options that may otherwise have slipped through the cracks because of their experience and vast network. 

Planners will also be the home base for having wedding items shipped to if needed. OR they can coordinate a location for sending packages. Let’s face it, between favors, decorations, dresses, tuxes and more, there are some things that are easier to send than carry with you for a destination wedding. Having your planner manage logistical communication and items with vendors will 100% help your overall experience. Plus they can take care of your decoration rentals and returns - because the LAST thing you’ll want to do before and after getting married and travelling will be navigating pickups and returns.

Overall, having a planner means you have a go-to person to organize your day, set up and take down decor that isn’t someone directly part of your wedding party, family, or close friends. Everyone is there to celebrate and have a great time (including you and your spouse)! So taking that added task off the table makes the experience so much more enjoyable for you!

Other Wedding Events

Destination weddings are the PERFECT time to pack in a full weekend of celebrating. You’ll have all of your favorite people with you, so what better way to spend time with them than by planning some festivities. 

• Having a welcome dinner is always a great way to mingle and say hi to everyone and go over the itinerary for the weekend. 
• You could also plan your bachelor/bachelorette parties to eliminate the need to plan an entirely separate weekend of travel and costs!
• Scheduling group activities like a spa day, snorkeling, or a hike could also be fun to include.
• To end the weekend, a brunch following the wedding is a perfect to thank your guests one last time before heading back home.

Lessons Learned as a Photographer and Destination Bride

Having been a photographer for over 10 years and being a destination bride myself, I’ve got some experience and lessons I’ve gathered along the way:

• Choose a place for your wedding where you can run into your guests. Trust me, socializing on wedding day can be taxing and sometimes a lot to manage. By having your wedding where you are able to casually see and talk to your guests before and after the wedding, you’ll feel less stressed to have all the conversations only during dinner and between photos.
• Plan little events before and after to see the people you love. Welcome dinners and post wedding brunch are always great to include in your timeline. This provides more opportunities for meaningful conversations and seeing everyone you love in one space.
• Find a destination wedding photographer instead of a photographer local to your wedding destination. Destination wedding photographers specialize in helping plan destination weddings for their clients. They know what it’s like to be a travelling couple, they know the timeline for planning a destination wedding and the things you’ll want to think about when making your timeline. They know what to research to ensure you have an amazing trip for your wedding.

What to Know Before You Fly Off

Before heading off to the airport for the big weekend it’s important to keep a few things in mind that might otherwise get lost among the excitement of the weekend.

1. First, LEAN ON THAT PLANNER or photographer. Whoever is helping you with planning and vendors and logistics. You hired them for their expertise and knowledge around destination weddings. Don’t be afraid to ask them for all the help!
2. Push the traditional timeline and checklist up. Send out save the dates a little earlier so people have time to plan and budget. Destination weddings mean more time off work, more travel time. Guests will be thankful for having the extra time. And remember to give YOURSELF extra time to get your dress fitted, skincare, relaxing before and after travel, etc.
3. Research marriage laws at your chosen destination. Each country has different laws and regulations, and you may need more or less prep time for certificates, witnesses, etc. 
4. Last thing, pack your wedding things in the weeks leading up to your wedding, not the night before! You’ll want to make sure you have everything and forgotten items will most likely pop up as the date gets closer. This includes passports and legal documents. The last thing you need to worry about is not having the correct credentials while about to board your flight.

Having a destination wedding is absolutely worth it. It’s an experience you and your spouse will cherish for the rest of your lives and you’ll get to spend such beautiful moments with your loved ones along the way. Leaning into your resources and support systems will make the planning process so much easier and enjoyable and I have no doubt following these tips will make your day truly perfect!

Need more help figuring out how many guests is the right amount for your wedding? Check out this article and reach out to book me for your big day!

Vendors

Planning Concept & Design: Amairani Thomason Photography 

Planning & Content creation: Hype Woman Productions

Venue: The Ma Maison

Hair and Makeup: Vali and Co. Bridal 

Florals: Tiffany Larson Design Co. 

Rentals: Wild Violet Rentals 

DJ: Complete Weddings ATX 

Bartender: Drink Slingers 

Bridal Shop: Unbridaled Austin 

Cake and Desserts: Sugar Shaker Bakery 

Strings: Siren Strings 

Live Artist: Dasha Art 

Classic Vehicle: Scott Classic Car Rental 

Content Creator: Moments by Gabby 

Tux Shop: Signature Stag Menswear 

Stationery: Wild Rose Stationary 

Jewelry: Zafiro Fine Jewelers 

Publisher: Hype and Hitched 

Models

Ceremony #1: Lexi and Sam

Ceremony #2: Rachael and Donovan 

Solo Bride #1: Griselda 

Solo Bride #2: Breanna