There are couples who want to have their wedding somewhere close to the family, that's why getting married in their hometown might be the perfect choice. However, there are other kinds of couples who prefer to have their wedding someplace exotic filled with deep impressions and memories, perhaps a location where they met or a city that both of them love so much. Imagining how beautiful it would be to exchange the sacred vow, surrounded by panoramic view and vacation vibe, we totally get the attraction of having a destination wedding. But before you get too excited, there are some factors you have to take into consideration before opting to have a destination wedding. Read the complete guidelines here.

The Dos and Don'ts of Destination Wedding

Dos

1. Check the weather
This is one of the most crucial issues to consider. In comparison to other months, January is the most popular month to have a destination wedding. However, you still need to do some research because not every country has the same climate. For example, United States and Australia has opposite season calendars.

2. Give your guests a heads-up
Attending a destination wedding will require your guests to check their schedules as not everybody will be available on that specific date. Thus, it's better to inform your guests earlier so they can make scheduled arrangements.This is also important if you're having guests with children. They could consider whether to bring their children along or they could plan childcare arrangements if yours will be an adult-only party.

3. Plan your family accommodation
You should arrange this especially for your close relatives. If you are on a tight budget, you can give advanced information to negotiate whether to pay only for their airfare or their accommodation. Most people will understand as you've spent so much for your wedding needs.

4. Visit the place
Don't take the risk by relying on the photos only. Pictures might be a good reference but they shouldn't be your only decision making tools. What you've seen in the pictures might not be the exact thing you have in mind as the colors in pictures could've been altered to make the venue looks better or the angle it's shot from to make the room looks larger. So, you must make a personal visit to your venue at least twice before your wedding day.

5. Do some research about their culture
As you are hosting your wedding in a different country that has its own value, traditions and cultures, you have to be able to compromise on some matters that they cannot change for you. Things those are urgent for you might to be the same to them. But, just keep the communication intact to ensure the preparation goes well.

Don'ts

1. Feel bad for not inviting everyone
This is your wedding; you're the one who have the right to decide who to invite. Destination wedding is identical with the idea of having an intimate celebration as the guests have to fly hundreds of miles to attend your wedding. So, don't simply invite people just because you feel uncomfortable with people you've never spoken to in 10 years.

2. Bring too many things from your hometown
Get your wedding needs at your dream destination. You might be surprised how great the local options are. For instance, you'd have thousands of antique tableware available if you decide to have a destination wedding in Bali. So, rather than troubling yourself bringing the fragile plates you want to use, why don't you come early and look around locally to find the items that suit your preference best.

3. Forget the timing
There is such a thing as vacation season and usually hotels charge a peak season price. It wouldn't be a big deal if you decide to have an elopement but when you have an intimate wedding to pay along with paying for your relatives' accommodation, you'd end up with higher expenses to bear. So, do research on the local calendar as we've mentioned earlier.

4. Take it easy
Planning ahead is always a better option in preparing a wedding. Arranging a destination wedding requires more effort and time, especially if your venue is in a different time zone. You might have to sacrifice your sleep to call the vendors when you have urgent matters. You must keep a clear and open communication with your wedding vendors.

Amazing Spots to Throw a Destination Wedding

Aside from things to prepare, knowing where to go is the foremost important thing you need to decide first. Most famous places are the ones with breathtaking beach views or mountainside area. The trending rustic weddings also help places with woodland features to soar into the peak of destination wedding location list. To make it easier for you to pick one location to celebrate in, here is a slide of the most amazing spots to throw a wedding far-away from home.

How to Trim the Expenses of Destination Wedding

Destination weddings are exciting and yet expensive, since most of the plan would require you to pay for plane tickets, book a block of rooms for your guests' accommodation and transportation rental for them to get around. Just as Ayodya ─ one of Jakarta's best wedding organizer ─ says, the problem that most couples encounter when deciding on a destination wedding are budget and guest count. So if you're having an issue with these two areas, read these tips to trim the expenses of your destination wedding.

1. Hire local vendors
This is the most efficient option when having a destination wedding. Instead of paying up all the airfare and accommodations fees for the vendors from your hometown, you can actually find the best local vendors in your wedding location. Ask around and do some research before deciding which ones to hire. Our resourceful vendor list will be a great tool for you to plan a wedding miles away from home as you can select the vendors you need based on their location and price range.

2. Double check your guests list
When having a destination wedding, you'd have to build your guest list carefully. Make sure you invite the people who are genuinely willing to put out an effort to travel and celebrate with you.

3. Know the local calendar
Different countries have different holidays as with certain cities with their public holidays. To save yourself from a high wedding expense, find out your destination peak seasons in order to avoid higher charges, especially for the venue.

4. Be thorough with the decoration
Destination wedding is identical with stunning views or majestic architectural buildings you can't find anywhere else to create a lasting impression for your guests. Too many decorations might end up looking tacky. Embrace the beauty of the venue and think why you chose to get married in that place. Remember that, sometimes less is more.

5. Choose the right venue
Remote islands might be an appealing destination as it's far from the buzzing city crowd. But when you choose to host your wedding in an unfamiliar venue, you need to spend extra because there probably aren't many wedding vendors available in the area. There are still many stunning and breathtaking places you could choose with resourceful vendors available.

The Timeline of Planning a Destination Wedding

After all the details, here we'll give you the comprehensive destination wedding timeline to be your guide, you can also print it out and pin it to your wedding board. It's only a reference as everybody has different preferences and schedule. Before stressing over the preparation time, you can follow the basic timeline down below.

Click here to download the image