5 Things You Should Know About Planning A Destination Wedding!
YOU’VE DONE IT!! You finally made the decision to tie the knot over seas and you’ve told all your closest family and friends!!!! Now what?? The reality is, there are just certain moving par that go into planning a destination wedding that you don’t have to think about when sticking to your own country! After you even figure out where to start, there are STILL questions that come up and you are sitting there thinking, wasn’t this supposed to be the easier route? Am I right?!
CHECKING YOUR DRESS
I have some good news.. In most cases you don’t have to!! I didn’t know this prior to shooting weddings overseas and not many brides do. Carry your dress in a cloth bag with a hanger onto the plane and your flight attendant will hang it in a closet for you. Be sure to check with your airline as I know there are certain planes where you have to lay it in the overhead. Good news is you do not have to worry about checking it!
THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT YOUR WARDROBE
If you are getting married somewhere hot, PLEASE have that in mind when picking your wedding parties outfits. Pants, jackets and heavy fabrics are not a good idea for tropical weather. I have seen this mistake and man, it is brutal. One tip for the guys white shirts is to invest in a good fabric!!! Those sweat marks tend to appear immediately and there is no way to edit that out sister, so be prepared and have the groomsmen invest in white shirts that aren’t see through as soon as they start sweating. Brides, this goes for you too when picking your dress, tulle and light fabric is a great option!!! Also, one thing that tends to be a saving grace for my brides is a slit!!!! I know, you wouldn’t think so but that are flow will be god sent in that heat. A little bit of wind too and you are all set!
BOOK A TRAVEL AGENT
Go through a travel agent! Guys, this is important. I know sometimes there are deals and you may be tempted to go the route of everyone just booking on their own. The reality is, you WILL turn into the travel agent and you do not want the stress leading up to your wedding day. Your travel agent will be god sent when it comes to changes, cancellations, PANDEMICS, and the list goes on.. Also, you get a little something for booking all those rooms under your name, so you may get a couple rooms complimentary which can go towards yourselves, parents or vendors!
BLOOD TEST
Did you know you that you have to arrive three days prior to your wedding date and take a blood test to determine your blood type, HIV, STD? I will use Mexico as an example but many countries have these requirements. This is typically done at the resort you are staying at and has to be in a Mexican Territory and by a certified Doctor in Mexico. Who would have t
BOOKING A PHOTOGRAPHER
You know I had to add this one because I can’t stress a few things enough! First things first, there are two ways you can go here and that is with your resort Photographer or with a Destination Photographer. It all comes down to how important photography is to you and what you really want out of a photographer. Sounds simple enough right? I will list the pros and cons of both and TRY to be as unbiased as possible.
Having a resort photographer is great because you don’t have to pay to fly them in AND you are supporting locals which is always a plus in my books no matter how you show your support. Also, some resorts require an outside vendor fee to be able to bring in your own photographer, so I always suggest finding this out first. (If they are considered a guest you may be able to get away without paying it, but this is really on a resort to resort basis) The down fall is, you do not know who you are getting. Many times, you will not know who your photographer is until the day of and for some people that is okay because you just want photos and that’s that. For others, it is nerve wracking not knowing who they are beforehand as you don’t have the opportunity to chat with them and get to know each other. Another important thing to look for is what is actually included. I’ve had brides tell me they almost missed the fine print explaining all photos are watermarked and you have to pay to have them removed or only a small number is included in the package with the opportunity to add on later. That is an additional cost and possible head ache that you have to consider.
My Destination brides can attest for me when I say it is so important to get to know your photographer before your day. This is a big plus when choosing your own photographer and bringing them with you. Connection is key to having genuine photos and that is something you will be able to accomplish when choosing your own. First, you have to be drawn to their work and second, you have to be truly comfortable with them! Do you share the same interests? Are they easy to talk to? Have they done Destination Weddings before? These are all great questions to ask yourself when choosing someone who is going to document the most important day in your life!
Yes, you will likely have to cover travel costs. BUT when all said and done, the cost will likely be similar as booking one through the resort and you will have a CLEAR idea of what to expect on the day of. One thing I want to include is starting the search for a photographer as soon as you book your venue is super important! Most of us Destination Wedding Photographers book 8-14 months out, so it is important to start the search as soon as you can. That means just one more thing you don’t have to worry about leading up to the day!