How To Plan A Destination Wedding

The first thing I would say is: don’t choose a destination only because it looks beautiful in photos. Of course the setting matters, but couples also need to think about how easy it will be for their guests to get there, which airport they will use, where everyone will stay and how guests will move between the hotel and the wedding venue.

If you are planning a multi-day wedding weekend from Friday to Sunday, you need to hire a destination wedding planner and book your venue two years in advance. Multi-day venue buyouts and high-demand properties require this extended timeframe to secure dates and give international guests enough notice.

You should always hire your destination wedding planner first, before choosing your venue. Bringing a local planner onboard from day one saves you money, protects your vision, prevents time- consuming mistakes, and ensures you never face hidden venue costs or unwelcome contract surprises later on.

Choose the right venue before falling in love with the decoration. I see this all the time. Couples send us beautiful inspiration photos and start thinking about flowers, ceremony structures and tables before they have even chosen a venue. But the venue changes everything. Something that looks amazing in a garden may not work at all on a hotel terrace, on the beach or in a villa. Once we know the venue, then we can create something that fits the architecture, the background and the way the guests will actually use the space. I think the best weddings are designed around the venue and the couple, rather than trying to copy a design from somewhere else.

My number one piece of advice is that the perfect venue does not exist— every single property has its own unique strengths and weak points to weigh.