A destination wedding turns the traditional one-day wedding celebration into a weekend (or week) getaway. That time is filled with some of the best memories of your life! If you’re considering planning a destination wedding, here are a few tips. These tips will help you think through the positives and negatives of planning from afar.
Destination Wedding Planning Tips To Review
Distance Dilemma
Planning a wedding hundreds of miles away isn’t always easier than planning a wedding close to home. You are not close to the vendors to taste the food, pick florals, see linens, or even see the space. Therefore you might not have friends or family for vendor referrals either.
Having to trust the professionals and “winging it” is sometimes the route you’ll have to take. Now if this terrifies you, you could consider making a trip to your destination location. Understanding that planning a destination wedding means you might have to relinquish some of the minor details of the day is key.
Less is More
Less options only makes your decisions that much easier and faster. Therefore for someone who is overwhelmed by the many options of wedding planning, a destination may be the perfect decision. Many hotels/resorts only have one catering option or one place to order rentals, florals, and so on. In the end, you will spend a lot less time reviewing options upon options. This is a win in our book!
Guest List
You can also apply the less is more mentality to your guest list. Naturally, a destination wedding means less guests. Those loved ones you truly want to be there will make the trip, if their finances allow. Know that destination locations are not the most feasible option for all.
Confirm with your wedding party and closest family members that they are able to make the trip (or book it) early on. Hopefully this results in less surprises or last minute changes on various aspects of the trip later on like who is staying with who, any attire rentals or wedding party line-up.
Destination Wedding?
Most people think of destination weddings as a wedding on tropical island resort in the Caribbean or on the beachy shores of another country. But if you’re wanting to do something a bit different, and still want to have a resort-style getaway for your wedding, might we suggest somewhere a bit closer. There are many destinations right in the U.S. that are easier to get to plus no passport required for all your guests! A few destination wedding venues include the Heitman House in Fort Myers, FL, the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina in Charleston, SC, the Newport Beachside Hotel and Resort in Sunny Isles Beach, FL, or Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, FL. Of course we also LOVE a beach destination wedding, Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Bradenton Beach, Anna Maria Island, are some of the areas most popular spots!
If you’re looking for local vendors for your destination wedding, view our locations to see if there is a Complete Weddings + Events near your location of choice! Bon voyage!
