It’s the dream of many to have their nuptials said in one of the world’s most romantic locations — be it on a remote island beach or in the rustic Tuscan countryside. We took a look around to find out how you can plan your wedding abroad, and offer some valuable tips and advice to get you started.
Where to Go
This is the first major decision you need to make, as this will determine exactly how much planning you will have to do. For example, if you’re thinking of having your wedding on a secluded beach of a Caribbean island, you will need to organise things like seating, a gazebo, and transport for guests to and from the venue. This requires more planning than say, booking a church in Florence.
You will also need to look at how popular your wedding destination is and plan accordingly. A hot-spot like Paris may mean you have to wait longer for venues to open up or you’ll have to spend big on hotel accommodation for family and guests. This will require a healthier bank balance than having a wedding in say, Cape Town, South Africa where you can get cheaper accommodation, and equally breathtaking surroundings.
When to Go
Apart from deciding whether you want a summer or a spring wedding, you should try to have your wedding outside of peak tourist season – both in your own country and the one you are going to visit. Flights and accommodation will be easier to get, as well as being cheaper during this period. We suggest scheduling your wedding day a couple of weeks before the peak season is due to start, or a couple of weeks after it has ended.
Tips Before You Go
Weddings do cost a small fortune, and the wedding abroad will require a bit more. Protect your investment by talking to a travel insurer that provides cover for weddings. Not only will this protect the investment you made in your wedding, but it will allow you to claim should anything unexpected happen to your rings, wedding dress or suit.
You will also want to make sure you have all your paperwork in order before you go. This is important as some countries will require different documents and procedures to legalise the union. We suggest supplementing your internet research with a trip to the relevant embassy or consulate. This will help you to get concrete answers to any questions you might have. Most countries will require you, your partner, and four witnesses to go to the embassy to declare that there is no legal reason why you shouldn’t get married.
You will also want to keep your guests in the loop regarding wedding plans. In other words, you’ll need to give them plenty of notice to get flights and accommodation sorted out, as well as take time off from work. The general rule is to send out your invitations six months ahead of your wedding date. However, we suggest starting a wedding blog to make things a little easier.
Guests will be able to see how far you are with planning and also get the most up-to-date information on all the whens, wheres and hows. This will also enable them to share information about deals on flights and arrange to share accommodation if need be.
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