Have you ever dreamed of walking down the aisle in the middle of a gorgeous beach miles away from home? Or at a park in a city that you’ve visited once as a kid? Most upcoming brides dream of having a destination wedding; what’s better than getting married to the love of your life with your loved ones by your side, surrounded by a beautiful view? But planning a destination wedding can get confusing if you don’t know what you’re getting into. Before buying your plane tickets and planning your hotel stay, make sure to consider these few important details.

Choose a Location

Choosing a location is one of the most exciting parts of planning your destination wedding. Spain, Tokyo, London, Hawaii -- there are limitless options when it comes to picking your perfect place to get married. However, make sure you do your research. Wherever you decide, make sure the location is safe and has all the resources you need. There’s nothing worse than finding out you don’t have everything for your wedding when you’re miles away from home. Even if you’ve had your heart set on a specific country as a kid, you’ll find yourself regretting your decision if that location can’t accommodate you or your guests. Make sure you and your guests are aware of travel warnings, political issues, and health concerns in the region you’re interested in.

Hire a Professional

When planning your big day, wedding planners are a must. Find a planner or coordinator who specializes in destination weddings. They’ve done this before, and they can definitely help you with setting up reservations, talking to vendors, and relieving any nerves or stress you might be facing. They can also help you with any potential language barriers -- instead of spending hours trying to communicate with those who don’t speak the same language as you, you can let an expert take care of it for you. For destination weddings, the best planner to find is one with knowledge of the locations and venues of the area you want to get married in. However, if a planner isn’t in your budget, try looking for a resort with a strong on-site coordinator who can handle these tasks.

Consider Your Guests

When planning your destination wedding, your guests should be your first priority. They have to plan their vacation times, buy plane tickets, and travel in a completely new area to get to your venue. Making it an easier experience for them makes it easier for you. Make sure to plan their lodging well in advance. Remember that your guests all have different financial situations, so offer options at different price points. To ease your stress about their arrival times, also keep all hotel suggestions within a 10-20 minute radius of the wedding venue. Before setting your wedding date, make sure there’s room availability for all of your guests. Even if everyone’s not able to make it, it’s better to have more rooms than not enough.

Go Local

Destination weddings are expensive. Everyone prefers to cut some costs, even if you’re able to fit your venue, music, entertainment, food, and decorations into your budget. Going local not only allows you and your guests to get the full experience of the area you’re staying in, but you also get to save some money. Researching local florists or specialities of the area. You’re not only supporting local businesses, but you’re also creating an immersive experience for your guests. This way, you’re fully embracing everything the destination has to offer while decreasing your overall costs.

Visit in Advance

You’ll ideally see the venue at least once before booking. Only seeing pictures or videos online does not help to give you the full experience of the area you’re getting married in. It’s also recommended to see the venue a second time: about 3-4 months before your wedding to finalize any last-minute details. If a second trip isn’t possible, try arriving at least five days before your wedding to finish up those details. It’s also best to visit during peak and non-peak hours to get a sense of the overall vibe of the location.

Meet Your Vendors

This one might seem obvious, but if you decide to hire vendors local to your area, expect to cover their travel and lodging costs. Providing a clean, safe hotel within 30 minutes of the venue is one of the factors you should consider in your budget when planning your destination wedding. Your specialists are traveling to a different country for your big day; make sure to show them courtesy and respect by planning their stay, food, and travel costs.

Secure Wedding Insurance

When holding your destination wedding, it’s best to expect the unexpected. Most venues will require you to have wedding insurance in the case of any property damage, bodily injury, or alcohol-related accidents that might arise during your wedding. This insurance will cover any of these incidents that may happen. Wedding cancellation or postponement insurance can also reimburse you for your costs if you have to call off or delay your big day due to extreme weather, injury, or illnesses. Make sure to sign up well in advance, and be aware of the type of coverage you're signing up for.

Planning any wedding can be stressful and time-consuming, but especially for a destination wedding. There are so many different factors that you’ll have to consider, and it can get hectic when you’re actually moving forward with your plans. Staying organized can be a life-savor as your wedding day gets closer. Despite any stress you might be facing, just think about how happy you’ll be in a beautiful country, getting married to the person you love and being surrounded by friends and family.

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Everything You Need to Know about Planning Your Destination Wedding