Planning a destination wedding might seem daunting, but it could be the best decision you’ve ever made. Not only could you say your vows anywhere in the world, you could also start your honeymoon immediately, and a wedding package could save you from the hassle of planning the whole event. While the rules of planning a destination wedding may be a little different from planning a wedding at home, there’s one planning tip they both have in common – plan ahead to stay organized. So make sure you’ve got everything checked off this list.

[Photo by Tom Pumford/ Smart Photo Courses]

Set your budget

As with any wedding, your first step must be setting a budget. If you’re set on a destination wedding, you need to establish how much you’re willing to spend on plane tickets, accommodation, and the wedding package itself. Also, if you’re planning on invite any friends and family members, you need to decide if you’re contributing to any of their expenses. Finally, depending on your destination, you also need to factor in the costs of visa fees.

Pick your destination

You can opt for a popular Mexico or Hawaii wedding, or you could go for something a little more romantic, such as a castle in Ireland or a cottage in Scotland. There plenty of wedding destinations from around the world that could suit any budget, preferred dates, and wedding specifications. You should do some research into the destination before you pay a deposit. Consider if the weather will be suitable for your proposed date, if the area is what you had in mind for a honeymoon, and if the package includes everything you need. You should also contact the Foreign Embassy or Consulate to confirm the legal and residency requirements to get married in the country of your choice.

Negotiate the details with your location

There are many ways you could go about planning your destination wedding. You could go directly to a venue and discuss your plans with their catering and event staff. There are also websites that can obtain quotes from your preferred venues on your behalf free of charge, which will help if you decide to plan the wedding yourself.

Book plane tickets

When you know there’s going to be travel involved in your wedding, you need to finalize the guest list and send out the invitations much earlier than you would with a local wedding. Ideally, you should do this at least 8 months before the wedding so that everyone can begin booking their flights and accommodation as soon as possible. This also gives everyone time to renew their passports, sort out visas, or get any vaccinations that might be required.

Make sure you have everything when you leave

As with any other trip abroad, you should make sure you have your passport, plane tickets, and travel insurance details. However, you will also need to bring your wedding attire, rings, a binder with everything you need for the reception, and any documentation required to obtain marriage license, such as birth certificates.