An Easy Time Line for a Destination Wedding

Get started nine months to one year before you want to get married.  This is not something that can be pulled together on the fly, the more time out from your wedding date, the better.

Put together a notebook or better yet a binder for details, research, magazine pictures you see that define the perfect wedding to you.

Make a guest list and gather everyone’s email address and mailing address.

Decide on a budget and if you are getting family help, exactly who is paying for what.

Select a destination, this is where you contact a travel agent so that you know the marriage requirements of the location you wish to be married in, as well as all the help you need managing the moving parts of not just a wedding, but a long distance wedding.

Your travel agent will help you with the location and style of wedding.   

Get your engagement photos done, smile . . . next.

It’s time to start selecting a gown.  Be aware, when you are picking out your wedding gown, of how well the gown will travel and the location and climate of your destination wedding.

Choose your wedding party, both bride’s maids and groomsmen.

Put together a website or a Facebook page with all the details and links to the hotel, tourism links about the location, and the contact information for your travel agent.  You might find that you can get some help with this from your travel professional.

NINE TO SIX MONTHS OUT:

At least nine months out set the date and location, and by the six month mark you should send out save the dates.  Remember, this not your typical wedding, so don’t spring this on people at the last minute.  They will need to take vacation time from work and have enough cash in their “fun” budget to be able to be with you at your wedding.

Start ironing out the details of what you really want.  Flowers, photographer, sit down, buffet or something else altogether.

Choose a number of group things to do while you are there.  Not everyone will want to do everything, but have an option every day or nearly every day.

Have your gown fitted and get those bridesmaids’ dresses chosen.

Set up a wedding or honeymoon registry.

FOUR TO SIX MONTHS OUT:

If you don’t have them yet, it is time to select wedding rings.

Take care of passports, visas and blood tests or vaccinations that may be a requirement of your destination.  If vaccinations are required, be sure to share this with your guest list.

Get your wedding invitations and thank you cards printed.

Make arrangements for the men’s garb, be it bought or rental, so everyone is happy.

Pick out your attendant gifts and if you plan to give them to them at the wedding, remember, they have to go in a suitcase with all your other things.  Or you could do what most women do and make the man pack them.  Men never need as much stuff anyway.

Check in with your travel agent, if they aren’t already contacting you regularly, to update you on bookings for your guests.

Set up a beauty and spa appointment for you and the ladies, or get your travel professional to set your appointments.

Shop for all of your accessories and any travel clothes you will need for the trip itself, while you are there, and of course, the wedding.  Jewelry, shoes, something borrowed, something blue.

TWO TO FOUR MONTHS OUT:

Double check everything, all the details, and be sure that you have written confirmation of all of those details.  If it’s not in writing, you only have a 50/50 chance of having things exactly the way you want them.  Flowers, photographers, venue, menu, all of it.

TWO MONTHS OUT:

Send out your formal invitations and be sure to include the group schedule and details.  Not everyone is on Facebook, but they all want to know how to dress and what to bring.

ONE MONTH OUT:

Time for a final gown fitting and a double check of your shoes and accessories.

Don’t try to do everything yourself.  Delegate some of the detail checking for the wedding day to close friends or family members.

TWO WEEKS OUT:

One last review of all of your details.  I know you got them in writing, but double checking will make you feel wonderful before you set out.

Do a seating chart and place cards if you are having a larger group, or if you want to avoid conflict on wedding day.

ON ARRIVAL:

Meet with your on-site coordinator, and get the paperwork done for your wedding license.  If you are doing welcome bags or gifts at the hotel or resort, make sure they are delivered to your guests’ rooms.

THE WEDDING DAY:

See?  All that planning worked out.  Your hair and makeup are perfect and the setting is wonderful and yesterday or this morning you had a massage to work out the last of the stress.  Enjoy!