Destination wedding tips to consider….
Thinking of a destination wedding? Dreaming of the romance of your nuptials on a beautiful beach? Destination weddings have grown in trend in the past 15 years. So how do YOU decide if a destination wedding is right for you?
Checking with relatives and closest friends is a nice way to get an idea on the perspective of your guests traveling as you consider a destination wedding. If you want older relatives to be there, ensuring they’re okay to fly. Families with children, will you work around their dates?
Does the destination offer what you would like included in your celebration? Consider authenticity of heritage and customs that can be included. Is the destination totally in keeping with what you and your guests would love to experience? Does the destination have a strong focus on destination weddings with fabulous experienced vendors? Most of all, will it make awe inspiring memories to last a lifetime?
Image by Rebecca Davidson Photography
Once you’ve decided on your Destination Wedding location, and begin to build your planning team, consider working with a destination wedding travel specialist. This integral part of your wedding planning team will be a substantial asset in value, knowing the destination, hotel and travel values and assisting you and your guests. A destination wedding travel planner specialist is different than a wedding and events planner. Your destination wedding travel specialist is a travel planner for you, coordinating every single element having to do with the destination, travel, concierge services and helping your guests arrive happy and ready for your special events!
Guests are so excited to travel to destination weddings, as they also make it a vacation trip as well. With the services of Luxury Destination Travel, your guests are treated to services just for them that includes booking their travel, answer questions about the trip, travel, destination and most important, travel documents required. Imagine the delight of your guests getting info on activities, where to dine (when not at the wedding events), local info, wedding info and just having someone they can reach out to at any moment and through their travel to your wedding. This experience for your guests is invaluable, to you it is incomparable in relieving your being the person your guests would go to for their travel questions.! Leaving you time to plan your wedding, not their travel!
Check out a few tips to navigate today’s travel environment!
Many international destinations now require U.S. passport to be valid for no less than 6 months of intended travel dates. Checking passports early to ensure the validity date allows them to travel is important. Your Destination Wedding Travel specialist will ensure your guests are aware of this.
Travel insurance is such an important component of travel with today’s travel environment, families, weather and just “stuff” happening. A small added cost to the travel budget can alleviate so much stress should life happenings get in the way!
Do you store your boarding pass on your phone? In the unforeseen event that you may have connectivity issue at the airport, screenshot your boarding pass before leaving home so you don’t have to rely on an email download or an airline app. You can also print your boarding pass as a backup.
Take a photo of your luggage as you check it in. Should you have the unforeseen circumstance of lost luggage, a photo for the airlines is so very helpful!
Avoid added scrutiny at security by not over packing your carry-on bag. If it’s too dense for the scanner to read you may be pulled aside for a hand check.
Check with your airlines months prior to travel on their policy of carry-on of your wedding gown. With so much less available carry on storage space, airlines are now eliminating the option to carry on your gown on hanger. They will require you to pack in carry on. Have it professionally packed into a carry on size box or luggage to avoid any issues the day you travel.
Check out a few fun items to include with your Save the Dates!
- Hand held luggage scale – know the weight before you get to the airport!
- Personalized map of your destination – Tourist boards will provide maps then you can personalize!
- Personalized luggage tags! So fun and unique to get guests excited to pull out their luggage!
- Pre-addressed postage paid post card for guests to mail back to you. Include questions like “what do they enjoy doing on vaction” This can help you plan activities.
- Local gifts like mini bottles of rum, local scented items, soaps, candles!
Most of all enjoy this special time and allow the talented people in the wedding industry to be part of your wedding panning team. Thinking now “do I really need this person” may bring totally different thoughts than during the time leading up to your wedding and during the time traveling and also when there, when their services have become invaluable, their expertise incomparable, their kindness comforting and their presence reassuringly perfect! Build a great team and let them build you a fabulous wedding.
Wishing you fun and magical planning!
