Dreaming of gorgeous sunsets? Looking for the perfect city skyline to be the backdrop of your vows? Over a third of UK couples are planning destination weddings and we only expect this to grow since 18-24-year-olds were the most likely to want to get married abroad, with 63% agreeing with the statement “If I could afford it, I would like to get married abroad” according to The Wedding Travel Company. We totally understand the desire to escape miles away from home for a romantic whirlwind wedding but planning a destination wedding can seem like a daunting task. It can be hard to plan a destination wedding without actually being in the country you’d like to get married in. With our simple 8-step guide, you’ll be able to have your dream destination wedding. Passports at the ready - let’s go! 

How to plan a destination wedding in 8 steps

1. The Location

First things first, you need to choose your dream destination and venue! Maybe there's a location that holds special meaning to you as a couple? Or maybe you've always wanted to visit and thought a wedding was the perfect opportunity! The main criteria when you’re choosing your location are flight length (some guests may not be able to travel for long periods of time), the weather (if you want somewhere sunny check when the rainy season is), accessibility, and check any political issues, travel warnings or rules of the religion of the country you want to go to. You want to ensure that your guests feel safe attending your wedding. When choosing your venue, the exact same rules apply if you were getting married here. You can use our questions to ask your wedding venue for all the tips! 

2. Save The Dates

Unless you're happy eloping and want to keep your nuptials low-key, we highly recommend sending save-the-date cards ASAP (ideally a year before). This will hopefully give guests plenty of notice in advance to book time off work and pay for flights and accommodation. The official wedding invitations would then follow this around 6 months later. 

3. Planners & Suppliers

The most stressful part of planning a destination wedding is trying to organise everything whilst you’re sitting tucked up at home. Our advice is to hire a wedding planner. They will help coordinate planning whilst you can't be there. Your planner will also be able to assist in bridging any language barriers you may come across with local suppliers. As with any wedding, it's important to choose suppliers you can trust. Your wedding planner will be able to aid in this! Or if you're going solo, make sure you stalk all their social channels, read their testimonials and ask as many questions as you can. Perhaps an on-the-day coordinator may be a better option if you’d like to plan the day yourself. 

4. Legal Documents  

There are a few legal steps we recommend you be aware of. First, make sure your passport is in date and make sure it is renewed in plenty of time if not. Check to see if there are any visa requirements for the country you’re jetting off to. Our advice is to always expect the unexpected, it will make you feel more confident in the lead-up to the wedding knowing that you’ve planned for emergencies. One way of doing this is with wedding insurance. Some venues require this but even if your venue doesn’t, it’s a good thing to have to protect your financial investment. Lastly, check out the laws around marriage. Some countries will require a lot of paperwork from birth certificates to letters of intent. Get educated in advance so you have enough time to sort this out. You may find it easier to have your ‘legal’ ceremony in the UK and the symbolic wedding abroad.

5. The Wedding Dress

Most couples choose to have a destination wedding so they can enjoy a sun-kissed day. However, if your dream is to have a princess gown with layers and layers of heavy tulle and lace… you may want to reconsider. Choose loose-fitting, floaty fabrics, for extra comfort. This applies to your whole wedding party attire, no matter how much the groom demands he wears his favourite tweed jacket! We also have top tips on how to store your wedding dress when travelling to avoid creases etc. 

6. DIY & Destination Weddings

We absolutely love seeing how creative our brides and grooms can be on their wedding day. But unless you want to take a road trip to your destination or pay for additional luggage charges, it pains us to say, that you should keep any DIY projects to a minimum. This means you’ll be relying on your suppliers a lot more. We recommend chatting with your suppliers regularly to ensure you’re both aligned with the vision. Choose local suppliers where you can to save money!  

7. Costs & Finances 

Be sure to let your bank or credit card company know about your intention to marry abroad. This is so you don’t get lots of foreign transaction fees or declined when you’re about to pay a deposit or for your flights. We definitely recommend taking some cash (in the right currency) with you too. This is just in case your card gets blocked or if some local places do not take card payments. Beware of unexpected costs that sneak up too. We’re talking about airport transfers, shipping costs, extra baggage fees etc. 

8. General Advice 

Try to get out and visit your wedding venue at least once before the actual wedding. This will give you a better idea of the space for styling purposes but can also help ease any nerves. If you’re anything like us, being able to picture the walk you’ll take down the aisle will help soothe and worries. Meeting the people who run the venue and will look after you on the day will also reassure you that your wedding and your guests will be in good hands. Lastly, keep your wedding dress/suit, wedding rings and anything else of value in your hand luggage! It’s horrible to think about, but luggage gets lost all the time, so keeping the most valuable and essential items with you is important. 

Why Should You Have A Destination Wedding? 

According to The Wedding Travel Company, these are the top reasons why Brits are seeking to marry abroad.

In 2023, it was reported that the average cost of a wedding in the UK currently sat at £20,700 with 89% of Brits saying they found this expensive, and a mere 1% saying they’d been comfortable with spending that much. So, British couples are seeking cheaper options abroad. A package wedding in Cyprus for 25 guests is 66% less than the average UK wedding price, with over half of Brits (56%) considering it affordable. 

38% of Brits claimed that ‘not having to invite as many people’ was also one of the appealing factors of getting married abroad, with 28% saying they would prefer it as it also felt more intimate. There’s something that feels so romantic and whimsical about jetting off to a country to commit your love and life to one person. With the extra pressure on guests to pay for accommodation, it also gives you a valid reason to invite fewer people.  

Top Things To Consider For Destination Weddings

Based on this table, the main concern couples have regarding destination weddings is guests not being able to afford the wedding. As guests usually pay for their own accommodation and flights, attending a destination wedding can be expensive. A recent survey conducted by The Wedding Travel Company highlights that 63% of Brits have said they’d be concerned about the cost of being involved in a wedding party. If this is something you’re concerned about, try getting a travel agent involved to help with the booking process. Make group chats and a clear wedding itinerary so guests have all the information they need and can discuss things together in one place. 

In terms of the effort and planning involved in creating a destination wedding, we hope the 8 steps above have helped you feel more in control and able to tackle the task!

Could a destination wedding be for you?

Planning a destination wedding is one thing, but planning your honeymoon is another. If you’re wondering how to choose your honeymoon destination, we’ve got you covered. Plus, we also have a honeymoon packing checklist! You don’t need to worry about what to pack for your honeymoon when you’re focused on your wedding! Our checklist will help you remember every detail.