Destination Weddings – 13 Top Tips

Organizing a destination wedding, blessing or renewal of vows ceremony can be much more complicated than organizing an event in your local area. Here are a few tips that can help you along to ensure your day runs as smoothly as possible.

1 – Get Help

If you haven’t already, check out the local wedding planners to see what services and packages they offer.

Organizing a wedding in your local area can be daunting enough but in a different country can be a minefield.

A Wedding Planner will shoulder the burden of researching, interviewing, and securing local suppliers especially if the said suppliers do not speak your language. They are also the behind-the-scenes fairy godmother, vetting special requests such as hair and beauty, dry cleaners, and so on.

They also get everyone where they need to be on time and ensure that you have a “go to” person to send your guests when all the itinerary queries get a little too much.

2 – Itinerary

Unlike a wedding in your local area, guests are dependent on you once they reach the destination. Create an itinerary of pre and post wedding events along with an itinerary of the day, important contact numbers and addresses. This will avoid them asking you when & where they need to be and will help them in the event they get lost or delayed.

3 – Pre-wedding visit

You’ll need to take a trip to the destination to visit local venues and suppliers such as the church, reception venue, hotels for you and your guests, rehearsal dinner venue and local suppliers such as florists, photographers and hair and beauty salons.

Food tastings and hair and beauty trials can be organized in this trip or a second trip may need to be made depending on the size and complexity of the wedding and the arrangements. You can also take advantage of organizing activities (golf, spas and excursions) for everyone while they are in the destination.

4 – Supplier checks

If you’re hiring a supplier without any experience of their work, ask for a portfolio of pictures and references from previous clients who held a similar event as yours.

5 – Build up a relationship with your suppliers

Building a relationship with your suppliers is paramount. They are not local businesses that you can pop in and see whenever you wish, so stay in contact with them as much as possible with updates and thank you emails or calls.

A little goes a long way; the level of service they offer you can make or break your wedding day so building a rapport can help you deal easier with any issues that may occur or even help you negotiate little extras.

6 – Bring your own professionals

Don’t be afraid to fly in your own pros for important aspects of your day such as hair, makeup and photography.

Organize for all wedding gifts are sent directly to your home address. If you do happen to have some gifts brought to the destination, arrange for family and friends to take them home with them to keep until you come back from your honeymoon. Alternatively pack an extra bag to bring them home yourself just in case.

13 – Welcome Your Guests

It can be customary to leave a wedding basket of destination essentials for your guests that have travelled a long way to share your special day with you. It can include samples of local cuisine or artisan goods, sun cream, local wines or spirits and can be adapted to your own budget. Coupled with a thank you note, it’s a lovely way to show your appreciation to your guests for taking the time and effort to come and stand alongside you on such a memorable day in your life.

If you’re interested in Gran Canaria for your perfect destination wedding, blessing or renewal of vows ceremony,

contact me, I’m more than happy to answer any questions or queries no matter how large

or small.

Bernadette Garside