How to Plan a Destination Wedding: Essential Tips for Success

For those looking to go all in on the dreamiest of dream weddings, a destination wedding is the ticket. When you’ve got the whole world to choose from, you’re guaranteed to secure the perfect setting and climate.

To help you plan your destination wedding, we put together this comprehensive guide. We’ve packed it to the brim with all the essential tips and things. You need to know to plan and execute the destination wedding of your dreams.

Start Planning Early

Unless you’re eloping, a successful destination wedding is not something hastily cobbled together last minute.

There are a lot of factors at play here, and you want to begin planning early enough to ensure you can book your dream location and give your guests plenty of notice. They’ll need as much of a heads-up as possible so they can request time off work, save, and apply for passports if applicable.

Begin planning at least 18 months before your actual wedding day.

Number of Guests

Having an idea of how many people you’re hoping to have there at your wedding is a critical component of wedding planning. As it helps with venue selection, budget, accommodation planning, and more.

Keep all of this in mind as you create your guest list.

One of the harsh realities of a destination wedding is not everyone will be able to make it. Some people don’t have the budget or the ability to get time off. Others simply may not want to travel.

Be clear that you’re planning a destination wedding when you mail out your save the dates.

If people who are incredibly important to you aren’t able to attend, be gracious and understanding.

Budget

Your budget is a critical component of planning a destination wedding. It plays a part in where you go, and how many guests you’re able to invite.

Don’t forget to factor in travel costs, and if a different currency is used do your best to convert it to dollars so you have an idea of how much things will actually cost.

The average destination wedding costs $41,000—however, there are ways to spend more—and less than that if you’re savvy.

Location

Maybe you already know the perfect location you visited it once and fell in love, vowing to get married there one day.

If you’ve been to the location where you’re getting married before, or if you saw a potential spot that you think will be perfect but have never been, it’s always a good idea to revisit or visit it in person. 

That way you can scout out venues, iron out logistics, and establish connections with local vendors.

You can check out and perhaps pre-book accommodations and see if discounts are available for multiple bookings. There are tons of destination wedding package options out there as well, so check and see if there are any available where you’re hoping to tie the knot.

Detailed Wedding Website

As soon as you have the details in place, it’s important to put together a wedding website that contains allllll the information.

Include the name of the airport guests need to travel to, the local weather, which type of clothing to pack, the local language spoken, any relevant customs or cultural aspects that need to be respected—include everything.

You can also add helpful links to different accommodation options, transportation details, currency exchange rates, local tourist attractions, and more.

Transportation

Since your guests will be flying in from all over, it’s a nice touch to arrange to have transportation there waiting to pick them up and drive them to their hotel.

Travel can be discombobulating and guests feel taken care of when they don’t have to worry about navigating unfamiliar territory after a long flight.

If this is something you are unable to arrange, at least have transportation options broken down and available on the wedding website, so guests know which shuttles or taxis to use.

Hire a Local Wedding Planner

Having a local wedding planner can save you a lot of time and potentially money. They’ll be familiar with local vendors and can help ensure you get what you’re looking for.

Host a Pre-Wedding Get Together

On the day that guests arrive, have a little pre-wedding get-together—a rehearsal dinner-type affair that gives you the chance to welcome everyone and thank them for being part of your big day.

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, think BBQ on the beach or catered potluck-style meal at the lodge.

Hire a Videographer

This is a nice way to ensure that some of your older relatives or loved ones who were unable to travel still get a chance to view the ceremony. 

Another option is to stream the ceremony live so all the guests who were unable to make it can still participate from afar.

Conclusion:

A destination wedding is an incredible way to tie the knot. Begin planning early, commit to a destination, and book your venue. Once these main decisions are made, the other details will fall into place.