Wedding Guides

You’ve been dreaming of getting married in a different country or at the perfect vacation spot ever since you can remember, but will it be worth the trouble? Here are some of the facts when it comes to having an out of town wedding.

Scout the location first—do not rely on memory or photos. Some couples rely on referrals, photos, or their own memory to choose and book their wedding venues on the spot, when in fact, much might have already changed since the last time you saw it or the time it was photographed. If your dream venues are a drive or short airplane ride away, include your “ocular inspection” into your wedding budget. If it’s going to be too pricey for you and your fiancée to go, ask for recent videos to be taken of the venue to be sent to you by friends or your point person in the venue.

Half of your guests might not be able to attend. When you’ve finalized the guest list and sent out the invitations, don’t be surprised if half of your guests or more send in their regrets. You can expect that only those closest to you will make the effort to travel to celebrate with you, especially if it will entail airfare or taking a leave from work.

Be wary of the language or dialect barrier. Traveling to an exotic province or to a foreign country may sound dreamy, but you might experience some misunderstandings along the way if you’re not a native speaker. Learn a few key phrases in the local dialect or language before heading out to your wedding, to lessen your stress before the big day.

Be clear of what you’ll pay for when it comes to your entourage. The rule of thumb to follow is to not give your entourage a hard time with anything, and to not let them pay for anything unless they offer. It’s expected that the couple will pay for the attire of the entire entourage, and that’s it. But if your wedding means getting on a plane, be clear on whose airfare you’ll be paying for. Usually, you only need to pay for your family’s airfare and lodging, and the rest of the entourage needs to fend for themselves. Make sure that your entourage is okay or not with this arrangement before you finalize your invitations, to give them enough time to say yes or no.

Consider the travel time, comfort, and expenses of your guests. Making it to a wedding is no joke for the typical wedding guest. They spend money on a gift, hair and makeup, and sometimes a new outfit. They spend on gas, or if they don’t have a car, they go through the trouble of looking for someone to hitch with or commute. If you’re having an adults-only wedding, guests with kids will have to make arrangements for their kids. Remember, the easier your wedding it is to access by your guests, the more it will be well attended.

Your suppliers might charge extra. If you’ll be getting suppliers that aren’t near your chosen location, you’ll need to shoulder their transportation expenses, and if needed, their lodging too. If you want to cut on costs, look for suppliers who don’t charge extra, or scout for local suppliers around your chosen venues.

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