The Truth About Destination Weddings


Truth be told, unless you're having a backyard ceremony or getting ready at your own home, all weddings are destination weddings. Packing, preparing, planning, and making sure you don't forget the essential items AND all the little things is crucial to your day going smoothly! So, if you're entering OR are already in planning mode for your destination wedding, just remember, whether you're getting married 20 miles OR thousands of miles away from home, there's some major checklists for both! Don't let the fear of forgetting something, or planning your destination wedding overwhelm you to the point of changing your mind.

If you envision you and the love of your life tying the knot surrounded by red rock canyons, on a beach in Mexico, or near a beautiful waterfront city in Italy, don't let the preparation keep you from that vision.

The Best Tips and Tricks: Planning and Packing for you Destination Wedding


As a wedding photographer, and a recent bride (destination wedding), I've had the privilege of seeing things go incredibly right aaaaaaand things going a little off-schedule or stressful. From these experiences, I've combined this list from what I've learned from clients and in my own wedding-planning journey.



The Place, The Date, The Time, and the Season


Most people already have an idea of WHERE they want to get married, but perhaps haven't narrowed down when and what time. When taking into consideration the time of day, think about how much sunshine (or lack thereof) you want exposed in your photographs. Sunset weddings are, no doubt, beautiful every time and a favorite of most couples getting married. And why season? All over the world, countries experience seasons very differently. Several locations, like Costa Rica or Thailand, experience rainy seasons. Make sure that wherever you're planning on saying I Do, you've taken into consideration the time of day and which weather season will be underway on your preferred date.


The Vendors


No doubt about it, picking your vendors will come with A LOT of legwork and research. If you want to bypass the hassle and don't mind spending the extra money, hiring a planner or coordinator might make your life much easier. For my own wedding, I chose not to hire a planner or coordinator. Don't get me wrong, I think they're amazing! I just didn't want to spend that extra money, and I didn't mind doing all the research, getting price quotes, and making reservations/bookings. For those who might be in a similar boat, I would suggest joining Facebook groups or following blogs that are specific to bridal advice, vendor searches, and destination weddings/elopements. You'll find a lot of really good advice AND you might even find your vendors there. Shameless plug: I'd love to photograph your destination wedding :) And if you're getting married in one of our preferred destinations, you might consider applying for our travel exchange wedding photography! Instead of paying for the cost of the photography, you pay ONLY for our travel/accommodations. Depending on the time of year you're getting married and location, this cost may be significantly less than photography cost.


Important Ideas, Tips, Advice for your Destination Wedding


  • Getting the dress there. Waste no time, head to our favorite one-stop-shop, Amazon (LOL) and purchase a garment bag. These are going to be necessity for long car travel or flights. To keep your wedding day attire safe from tearing, getting dirtied, severely wrinkled, or wet, opt for a waterproof garment bag. Pro Tip: If you're flying, before boarding, make small talk with your airline's stewardess and ask for best advice on where you should put your dress's garment bag. In some cases, they might let you board early OR personally hang your dress in a safe place on board the airplane.


  • Pack a travel steamer. That's it. That's the advice. No matter how you fold it, hang it, or pack it, there's a pretty good chance that something will end up wrinkled. A travel steamer is going to make a world of a difference.


  • Carry-On's: I cannot say this enough: Pack ALL essentials (rings, wedding dress/suits/hair pieces/medicine/reservation confirmations) and ANYTHING essential or of value to your wedding day IN YOUR CARRY-ON LUGGAGE. Yes, it'll be a tight squeeze. But in the event that your luggage is lost or delayed arriving to the airport, you will be SO thankful that you did.


  • Sending Save the Dates & Making Guest Arrangements: If you're hoping your family and friends will be able to join you in the mountains or beach paradise, send those save the dates AT LEAST six months before. Have a wedding website dedicated to travel arrangements, places to stay, places to eat, and how to rent a car if need-be. Most couples who have family and friends traveling choose hotel room/resort room blocks, so that their guests are all in the same place. A bit of heartfelt advice: there will likely be someone or multiple someones who won't be able to make the journey to your wedding. Remember that not everyone has the financial capacity, good health, or ability to take time away from work to travel. It's hard not to, but try hard not to let this overshadow your day or hurt your relationships with those you love.


  • Consider conversion rates and exchanges. If you're traveling from the USA, you'll definitely want to alert your credit card company and bank that you'll be traveling abroad. You'll also want to pack cash. Depending on the location you're in, like Mexico for example, it will be less expensive to pay for local services using cash that you've exchanged for the local currency. In several places around the world, the US dollar is more valuable than local currency. You will pay more / tip more when you pay with US currency or credit cards.


  • Marriage License: Research how to obtain a legal marriage license in the area you're wanting to plan your wedding! In most instances, this won't be a huge hassle (not any more than getting married locally), but to make sure your wedding is legally binding, take time to read into marriage licensing AND how to file your marriage into USA/local clerk records, so that your marriage can be legally recognized in the USA.


  • Visas & Passports: Depending on where you're planning your destination wedding, the country may require a tourist visa OR may have time limitations on how long you can stay in-country without a visa. No matter what, make sure you keep your passport on you, and keep a printed color copy safely tucked in a safe or in your luggage, in the event that it would get lost or stolen. I also recommend having a scanned version of it saved in your phone's files. You can never be too safe.


  • Notifying the Local Embassy of your travels. No one ever thinks of this. But, if you're an American Citizen traveling out of the country, not just for a wedding, ALWAYS notify the local US Embassy that you'll be in-country. In the unlikely event of a natural disaster or medical emergency, you will want to be able to contact the US Embassy so that they can arrange your safe travel back to the United States.


  • Pack A Wedding Emergency Kit. There's a good chance that everything is going to turn out alright. But since you'll be far away from home, and you may be far from shopping centers, I full recommend packing yourself an emergency kit. While this is not a comprehensive list, ESSENTIALS in Wedding Day Emergency Kit should include items like:
  • A sewing kit
  • Fashion tape
  • Baby Wipes/Makeup Wipes
  • Advil/Tylenol/Tums
  • Bobbypins/Hair Tyes
  • Lint Roller
  • Travel Size Hairspray
  • Clear Nail Polish
  • Tide To-Go Pen and White Chalk Pen (if you have to cover up a stubborn stain on your white dress)
  • Oil Blotting Sheets
  • Extra Earring Backs
  • Disposable Razor
  • Safety Pins


Destination Wedding Guide Summary


There will be lots of things to pack, remember, and plan, but don't forget to make this trip memorable by choosing to take some deep breaths, relax, and enjoy the beautiful place you're saying your I Do's. Make a vacation of it. Make an experience of it. This is YOUR WEDDING and you get to celebrate and indulge in the beauty of the moment!