My Top 10 Steps for Planning a Successful Wedding Abroad.
“Help!…Where do we begin?” Is your mind going around in circles and you’re not sure what to do first or how to start your Destination Wedding Planning?
Fantastic…you’re in the right place…I promise I’ll try to guide you through the planning process so everything will start to slot into place!
I’ve broken the destination wedding planning process into 10 very simple high level steps. If you click on the links below, you’ll find a lot more detail to get your teeth stuck into and set you on your way! And of course, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Top 10 Steps for Destination Wedding Planning
Step 1 – Be Sure
Be happy and confident with your decision to get married abroad. Alleviate any concerns by being fully aware of the advantages and disadvantages of having a destination wedding.
Step 2 – Be Inspired
Let your imagination run wild! Have a big picture vision of your wedding day – e.g. would you like to get married on the beach, have a small intimate day, be surrounded by incredible scenery. If you need inspiration, real wedding stories are always great!
Step 3 – Select Your Destination
Narrow down and select your wedding destination. When doing this make sure you take into consideration when you would like to get married– some destinations are better at certain times of the year!
Step 4 – Make Sure It’s Legal
Ensure you understand and can meet the legal requirements for getting married in the country of your choice. I always recommend getting first-hand information from the embassy or consulate of the country where you would like to be married in – although websites try to provide up to date information, rules can change.
Step 5 – Budget
Set a budget – have an approximate figure of what you would like to spend on your wedding. Even if you have a large budget, always do your research to make sure you’re getting the best value for your money.
Step 6 – Your Invite List
Think about your guest list. Determine the size of your wedding – who you would like to celebrate with – will it be just be the two of you, very close family and friends, or a larger celebration. When inviting guests to your wedding, keep them fully informed to ensure coming to your wedding abroad is as easy and effortless as possible.
Step 7 – The Right Way to Plan
Decide how you will plan your wedding abroad– do you want to plan it yourself, use a wedding planner or a tour operator.
Step 8 – Getting Help
Select the suppliers (tour operator, wedding planner or individual suppliers) who you will work with to plan your day. Follow my tips on how to choose the right companies to work with.
Step 9 – Work out the Details
Work on the finer details and the structure and components of your day. This includes selecting your wedding venues and how you would like your day to run.
Step 10 – Just In Case
Get yourself covered. I strongly recommend getting wedding abroad insurance – it’s better to be safe than sorry!
The above images are courtesy of destination wedding photographer Hayden Phoenix
To make everything a little easier my wedding planning tools kit contains Eight Free Checklists, so matter what planning stage your at these essential checklists will help you get it together!
Destination Wedding Planning – First Steps
Real Experiences!
From my experience, I’d like to offer one little piece of advice…”The planning phase can be just as exciting as your wedding day itself… it definitely lasts a lot longer, so make the most of it and really enjoy it”.
