It’s the ultimate dream. You’re getting married and have chosen a beautiful, far off place to tie the knot, surrounded by your friends and family. Although it sounds wonderful, there are a few extra things to consider when planning a wedding far away from home. You need to have everything covered, from choosing the perfect venue to coordinating every last detail on the big day.
Here are our top tips for planning the ultimate destination wedding.
Tell guests far in advance
If your wedding is going to be in a far-flung destination, it’s imperative that guests are told as far in advance as humanly possible! This is good etiquette, and will allow guest who may not usually be able to afford the trip to save their pennies and attend your special day! Remember, you’re asking guests to make a big commitment by attending, and the time you allow them to plan their trip will be truly appreciated by all.
Work with your environment
Think about where you’ll be. It’s not a great idea to be lusting over heavy satin and tulle full-length gowns if your wedding is due to be held on a beach in Jamaica. I mean, you could do it - but would you be comfortable? In addition, think about the seasonal plants and foods in your country of choice. Wouldn’t it be lovely to serve a fresh tomato and mozzarella starter in Amalfi, rather than importing roast beef blinis? This will also serve you well in working with local suppliers for catering and decor.
Visit ahead of the wedding
The internet is fabulous for information and some venues provide excellent imagery and even 360-degree videos. However, nothing beats heading out to your destination of choice a few months beforehand to do a recce of a few venues. Being physically there, you will be able to visualise yourself on your wedding day, giving you a feeling for what’s right for you - and avoiding any nasty surprises!
Ask for help
Planning a wedding is a huge feat to undertake, and it’s absolutely vital to ask for some help! Many destination wedding venues offer a wedding planning service, usually both fluent in both English and local language. They will be experienced and can offer the best accommodation, flights, catering...anything you could need. This is also excellent in ensuring that the planner can speak with your suppliers to negotiate the best rates and make sure nothing gets lost in translation!
Take your Hair & MakeUp Artist with you!
Your destination wedding makeup and hair trial can be carried at your convenience in the UK ahead of the wedding, leaving you with an image of how beautiful you will look on the day, and ensuring one less worry. Gemma Sutton Artists are alway available to travel for a destination wedding - we’ve got quite a few under our belt! Take a look at some of our most recent ones here:
Do Plenty of research!
Don't just rely on this blog post - we've got some super useful pieces about planning a Destination wedding, our top two to check out are:-
- Do's and Don'ts for Destination Wedding Hair and Makeup
- Lauren's guide to Planning a Destination Wedding
If you’re thinking of a destination wedding, get in touch to find out how we can make you look like a better, more beautiful version of yourself for your special day.
