10 Tips for Planning Your Dream Overseas Wedding

December 7, 2016 / Posted by in Planning

We love overseas weddings! They’re getting more popular and we can totally understand why! The novelty of someplace new is really exciting and there’s just something magical about being in a different country! So if you’ve got your heart set on saying your “I Dos” in another locale, here are some tips on planning your out-of-country dream wedding.

1. Start early. We cannot stress this enough. If you think planning a local wedding is hard, an overseas wedding is probably twice as hard! There are so many other details you have to consider, like flights, dealing with local suppliers or planners, even the weather! So get started early. In fact, as soon as you're set on a place, you can go ahead and start planning already.

2. Do an ocular. For all the brides out there who absolutely need to be on top of every single detail, doing an ocular is your best bet. That way, you know exactly what the venue looks like, and you can gauge what you need and who to get for your suppliers.

3. Research your suppliers. If you're looking for guidance and help, you can go with local suppliers. They may know the area better and have the contacts. However, we do recommend careful and meticulous research. Don't just look at websites and ask for references, try to have a video call (if you can't fly out to meet them), and try to get a feel of their personalities and styles before you commit to anything. It's also faster to ask them questions via video call than email. But don't forget that there are plenty of Filipino suppliers who have experience working abroad, who may also have contacts, and who may be less expensive as well.

4. Know the legal and local requirements. You don't want to have your wedding and find out that it wasn't even legal! Finding out what necessary documents you need to procure is critical. Everything from the marriage license, work permits for your suppliers, visas, and IDs are stuff you need to know beforehand so you can get everything in order for a smooth-sailing wedding. Also be aware of local requirements like residency requirements, that mandate you to stay in the country for a certain period of time before you get married. (There are some countries that only require 24 hours and some that require 40 days!)

5. Factor in the exchange rate. If you're planning on getting married in the U.S., and you ask for a quotation from a venue, they will most probably give it to you in dollars. Always check the currency, make sure you take note of the exchange rate, and check if it fits in your budget.

6. Check the local calendar. Some people might forget about this, but it's actually pretty important. Checking the local calendar for festivities, events, and holidays could be a factor when considering things like flight and venue prices, and even traffic! What if they're celebrating a local holiday and all the shops are closed? It's always safer to double-check.

7. Check the local weather. If you envision a lovely, summer wedding in the Bahamas on May, you might be disappointed. May is actually the start of the rainy season, and you'd be miserable if it started pouring on your special day. So checking the local weather, particularly on the season you're getting married, is something you should totally do. If you're not confident with the weather forecasts, ask the locals!

8. Be aware of flight prices. This is probably one of the trickier aspects of an overseas wedding--the flights. It's not something you can control. But that doesn't mean that you can't do your research. Check multiple airlines, compare the prices, the duration of the flights, and always be aware of sales!

9. Send your invites waaaaay ahead of time. Since this is a wedding taking place abroad, it's only right that you give your guests some time to plan and book their flights, take a leave if they have to, and prepare things like visas and after-wedding plans. They may also need the time to save up money too. A good practice would be sending your invites about four to five months before your wedding. If you think your guests need more time, send out Save the Date cards as soon as you've confirmed your wedding venue.

10. Keep your guests in mind. You may be asking a lot from your guests when you ask them to fly to another country to see you get hitched, but there are some ways you can make it easier for them. Search for group rates for flights and accommodations, provide information on getting to the venue from the airport, you can even give them details like what else they can do (e.g. visit the sights, go shopping, etc.)--anything to make things easier for them.

 

Ready to plan your dream wedding abroad, darlings? We know you’ve got this!

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