Are you recently engaged and thinking about a destination wedding vs a traditional wedding?
Here are some statistics regarding destination weddings to consider from Research and Markets:
- Up to 25% of marriages are destination weddings.
- For US couples, 40% of destination weddings are reported to take place in international locations
With that in mind, below are some tips and things to consider if you plan to have a destination wedding from a wedding professional:
Research the season/weather of the destination around your date
Remember that while July in the United States may have higher temperatures, June to August is considered the Winter season in Australia, for example. You will also have to consider the destination’s hurricane season, monsoon season, blizzard season, average local snow and rainfall, etc. This is important for travel arrangements, safety, attire, as well as indoor vs outdoor decisions.
Check local marriage requirements, especially if in another country
Depending on the destination, you may need more than just your passport and birth certificates in order to legally get married. Some countries even require blood tests from both parties! Your wedding professional will be able to help guide you through the requirements once you decide on the destination, so don’t sweat this one just yet!
Courtesy for guests; give them enough of a “heads up”
This is just a reminder to be mindful of those you want in attendance! While you may not need to give them every detail of the wedding in advance, the sooner you are able to let your guest list know, the more likely they will be able to attend. Your guests will not only appreciate that you want them present for your nuptials, but that you were considerate enough to give them time to prepare financially, make travel arrangements, put in for time off work, arrange for child/pet care, apply for a passport, etc.
Prepare for extra expenses
We suggest setting aside separate funds to include in your budget for any extra expenses that may arise during the planning and execution of your destination wedding. Having this amount set aside will prevent you from any stress in the event you wind up needing a little extra cash to cover something like needing another night at a hotel because your flight back home was delayed. Or maybe you and your spouse had a little too much fun shopping on your trip and need to check another bag on the return flight! Regardless of what the extra funds are needed for, you will be glad you have the money readily available instead of having to worry about needing to figure out how to finance the situation while far from home. This precaution is simply to ensure you are able to enjoy every moment of your destination wedding without stressing about money related items!
Consider wedding insurance
Did you know that Wedding Insurance existed? Wedding Insurance is simply protecting your financial investment in the event that incidents beyond your control happen resulting in a monetary loss. As wedding professionals, we highly recommend you consider wedding insurance of some capacity. Most insurance companies will offer insurance for two different types of loss: Liability and Cancellation/Postponement Insurance. Liability generally covers personal and property damage during your ceremony and reception. Cancellation/Postponement will cover the costs incurred if your wedding has to be cancelled or postponed due to circumstances out of your control; weather being the most common reason. The COVID-19 pandemic shined a bright light on the importance of wedding insurance for health related crises’. The Coronavirus was surely unforeseen and cost a large number of couples and vendors a great deal of money due to the cancellations and postponements.
Hire professionals!
This is the biggest tip we have to offer when it comes to deciding on a destination wedding; hire industry professionals. Aside from the obvious, “please hire a professional wedding planner”, we also suggest that every vendor you hire for your destination wedding is a vetted professional and is insured individually. We are not suggesting that your Aunt Tammy is not a fantastic wedding director in her spare time or that your Cousin Johnny does not produce breathtaking photography. We just want to make sure you understand the risk of Aunt Tammy or Cousin Johnny falling ill days before the trip and not being able to attend and now you have to dip into that emergency fund to pay someone premium prices to direct or photograph your ceremony at the last minute because neither were insured or have “back up” they can send in their place. This could set you back a pretty penny and cause you and your planning team unnecessary stress.
If you are a recently engaged bride (or groom) reading this and want to know more about destination weddings and how we can help start the planning process for you today, connect with us [here]!