The Ultimate Destination Wedding Checklist

Pulling off a destination wedding is quite the feat. A country that's not your turf, but your dream wedding venue. It allows you to hold an intimate wedding with only those who matter to you.

But before you enter craze mode, you need a destination wedding checklist. A destination wedding planning guide that helps you have everything in order. Now, whether you're looking at a tropical island, a rocky city or somewhere with the best beach honeymoon destinations, planning is important.

So in this post, we'll show you how to plan a destination wedding with timelines to work through.

Be deliberate about choosing venues

It's always smart to choose a venue that ticks all your boxes. Picking a venue that has only a few out of your desirable means spending more money. Your venue must have everything and the decor should be something you can work with. This saves you the stress of bringing in so many items and spending a ton in the process.

Be upfront about dates

It's very important to let your guests know early on about when your wedding will hold. Since it's a destination wedding, fill them in with all the necessary details. This will help them plan their finances and rearrange their schedules to accommodate your big day. A destination wedding takes a toll on everyone. So as you plan, your guests plan too. Don't dump dates on them out of the blues especially if they will be making financial commitments.

Go local

To save a huge chunk of your budget, we encourage local patronage. From your decor to food and other vendors, keep it local. The tropics have their peculiarities as other regions of the world. Preserve that touch. Not only will you save so much, but local addition will also bring your wedding to life. They'd leave the homemade touch on your wedding, the essence of having it there in the first place.

Keep comfort in mind

One of the essentials of destination wedding planning is comfort. This includes accommodation, transportation, and feeding. Your guests have come a long way to be with you on your special day. And they deserve all the comfort they can get. Ensure that these three fundamentals are well-sorted before you send out invites. It's advised that you get them accommodation close to the wedding venue. 10 minutes or 15 minutes away maximum.

Have a terrain  friendly pro planner

Language and distance barriers can pose a headache as you plan a destination wedding. You know, breathing down over the phone to someone thousands of miles away. This may not only put the couple under stress but ruin duties not clearly understood. So, long before your wedding, scout for a planner who's knowledgeable about your wedding destination. Keep them in charge and make your planning easier.

Carry as much as you can

Exporting and importing items can cause a dent in your wallet and some accidents on the way. So pack as much as you can in your own luggage. Do you want a specific patterned table runner, napkin or tablescape? Shove them in your luggage. This is easier than having to order and ship things across continents.

See your venue before the day

Ideally, you should visit your wedding venue for at least 3 times before your wedding day. But in the case where it's in another country, try to arrive a week before the wedding. This will help you familiarize yourself with the wedding venue. You'll also see how much work you need to do at the venue, and this shapes your budget.

Match your attire to the weather

If you're getting married in a temperate region, choose a light fabric modeled to suit the weather. If you're going to somewhere cold, prepare adequately. Your designers can pattern a dress that’s sophisticated, modern and fit for your wedding region. Comfort and protection are paramount.

Don't check that dress in

Have your wedding dress in your hand luggage or carry on. Be with your dress at all times, don't check it in. You don't want it staying back home while you're at your destination, getting lost or stained by anything.

Choose your vendors in person

Picking vendors for your wedding, especially one for a destination wedding is a sensitive ordeal. You're spending good money having a destination wedding, so everything should be perfect. If you'll fly in your squad of vendors, the job becomes easier. But if you're going local, then you have to visit your intending destination and pick your vendors by hand. Alternatively, you can have meetings via Skype, stack or hangouts.

Planning a destination wedding gets more interesting and easier with our destination wedding timeline guide.