Yet planning a destination wedding is a no-joke task. It requires deeper research, more hours and inputs, more logistics and more complications. Believe me, when I say it’s all worth it, however, for those who might be in the middle of the process, it can feel a little overwhelming.
If you do decide to go for a destination wedding — first of all, hooray and congratulations!
But second, we want to offer some bits of advice to make the journey of planning a lot easier and more pleasant for you.
A wedding planner is an invaluable asset for any type of wedding, but for destination arrangements, they are a must-have. A professional who is well-versed with your chosen destination, passionate about creating one-of-a-kind events in surprising corners of the world, organised and disciplined, — she is going to be your best friend in the complex task of planning a wedding remotely.
Planners are always able to offer valuable insights on the process: creating schedules of the day, adjusting the guest list, charting seating plans and working on the design aspect. Trust them in the details and the wider picture is going to be absolutely beautiful.
Setting a wedding date is complicated enough when planning domestically, but when it comes to other destinations, there are additional factors at play. Make sure to do a little research on your potential wedding date and ideally confirm that there are no cultural celebrations, city events, or public gatherings happening on the day, as this might affect accommodation prices, transport accessibility, and so on.
If you are asking your guests to travel for the wedding, it is a nice gesture to help them with their accommodation. This is not to say that you need to pay for their hotels, but rather providing information, shortlists of hotels and possibly securing advantageous deals for them to make use of is a great idea.
Make a list of hotels in close proximity to the wedding venue. Most hotels would work on group deals for booking of 10 or more rooms, sometimes with significant discounts.
Choose two out of your lists, and discuss with them a block of rooms for 30-40% of your guest count in each (or about 70-80% if you choose only one hotel). Then inform your guests of the room block on your wedding website or RSVPs, so they can secure their accommodation sooner rather than later.
Even experienced travellers may find themselves at a loss in a completely new destination, or you might have some guests who are less seasoned in travelling, — either way, it’s best to make your website or invitation pack informative and helpful. Best airports to fly to, how to get to the wedding venue, things to do in the area. You can add local specialties, like food and wine, cultural information, and other interesting bits for a more memorable experience.
Never forget to enjoy the experience yourself. While planning a destination wedding does add a challenge to things, it is also extremely rewarding and fun. With the help of trusted professionals, you can enjoy both the planning and the actual wedding without any added stress.
At Xenia Motif, we plan and curate weddings in some beautiful destinations, including Tuscany and Umbria in Italy, Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Ibiza) in Spain, French Provence, Paris, London, Scotland, Thailand, Bali, and more.
Send us a message today and we will help create the wedding of your dreams!
