How To: Plan a Destination Wedding
Planning a destination wedding is such an exciting time! I mean come on, its a vacation and a celebration all in one! Not only are you going through all the fun wedding planning stuff, but you are adding additional thrills researching for your getaway. Here at Moonbeam we deal with a lot of destination couples both in Savannah, GA and Southern California so we know a thing or two! However, if you are flying solo without a coordinator or planner, we still wanted to impart some wisdom to help your guests prepare! Read on to see our 5 destination wedding planning tips…
1. Send Save The Dates & Invitations EARLY.
Your guests are going to need to buy flights, book hotels, and ask for time off work. Sending your save the dates out about 8-12 months out gives your guests plenty of time to save up and plan for the trip. Your invitations should also be sent out early, about 3-4 months in advance to give all of you proper time to book.
2. Add a destination guide to your wedding website.
Traveling to a different country requires planning and preparation regarding currencies, passports, time changes, cultural informations, safety, and many other things. As you are researching this information for your own wedding, know your guests will be too. Make it easy for them and put this valuable information onto your wedding website for all to see and prepare for. You can also include fun items such as restaurants, site seeing, tourist excursion, & other recommendations to help your guests plan for their stay.
3. Find lodging in various prices for your guests.
Assuming you are not covering you guest’s stay, don’t expect all of them to have the cash flow to book flights and 5 star hotels for the trip. Send them options for different hotels with various price points so that they can choose the one that works best for them. You want to make this as stress free as possible!
4. No gifts, please.
Hosting a wedding can be expensive, adding on a destination wedding to that, and the price point could go up! The people you love and care about will be completely willing to pay but destination weddings can push their budget. Alleviate some of the awkwardness and let them know, their presence is enough. You'll still get gifts, but it takes the embarrassment away from those who cannot afford a bigger/normal wedding gift.
5. Host a welcome party, after wedding brunch, or group activity.
Your guests have arrived and it’s time to party! Start the celebrations early and host a welcome party, after wedding brunch, or group activity to get your guests in the spirit of the beautiful location. Plus, it gives you more quality time to spend with your guests than you will be able to on the wedding day.
