Planning a destination wedding can be a lot of fun if you set aside plenty of time. If you’re considering having your big day in the Grand Canyon, by a hot spring, near a waterfall, on a hiking trail, or in a favorite spot like Capitol Reef National Park, there are things you can do to make sure your wedding is as special as you hope for. For tips on planning a destination wedding, read on.
1. Asking Around Before Selecting the Location
The first thing to do when considering a destination wedding in the United States is to take a look at the National Park Service for ideal locations, like Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. A quick Google search for ‘Seeker’ for experienced travelers could be a great way to get suggestions for amazing locations, too.
When considering the right place for your big day, you’ll want to ask friends and family about places they’ve been and what they recommend. Your best friend may have vacationed at a campground near the Grand Canyon and know just the right spot for your wedding day. Maybe your brother visited Bryce Canyon National Park and can tell you all about why that specific national park would make more sense for you and your fiancé than a national park near Salt Lake City. Trust the people who know you best to suggest locations or go with a location you and your sweetheart have been to before.
2. Planning Ahead
Plan ahead after picking your destination. Consider taking a trip to the area where you’ll have your wedding and poking around. Something as simple as a Google search for ‘pawn shop San Fernando Valley‘ could lead you to discover more about the area than you knew before and give you ideas to incorporate into your big day. That same adventure could lead to picking up your wedding bands, maybe at the best pawn shop in the San Fernando Valley, while scouting out the perfect venue.
3. Considering Guests
When planing your destination wedding, start with a wedding checklist, but keep in mind that you’ll need to pack and transport many of the items you hope to use at your wedding ceremony. The same will apply to your guests. For this reason, many brides and grooms who host destination weddings arrange for baskets in hotel rooms or other accommodations for guests. These favor baskets can include items guests might have forgotten to pack or bring along in their travels. Travel-sized products, snacks, and even bottles of water would be a great idea to have available in guest hotel rooms.
4. Creating a Theme
When planning a destination wedding, it can be easy to come up with a theme. If your wedding is at an apple orchard in New England in the fall, for example, the rustic feel of that area and time of year will guide you naturally toward a theme. After you know your destination, think about your location and the time of year to come up with a theme that you can apply to not only your cake design but to the overall decor and feel of your reception.
At the end of the day, your destination wedding can be as memorable as you hope for by setting a wedding timeline and paying attention to detail during the planning process. While getting married by your favorite rock formation or monument could take some extra planning and work ahead, it could also be the perfect way to begin your new life with your sweetheart.
Regardless of where your wedding planning takes you, be sure to take time to touch base with your loved ones before setting a final plan to make sure your wedding is something everyone can enjoy logistically. For those who can’t attend, think about offering a live-stream, too. Congratulations on your engagement and good luck with your destination wedding planning!
