Are you recently engaged and considering planning a destination wedding? YAY, congratulations! This is such an exciting time, and destination weddings are SO dreamy! Today, I’m sharing 6 things to consider before planning a destination wedding. I hope these tips will come in handy as you make a final decision about where your wedding will be!

So, without further ado, here are the six questions you should ask yourselves before planning a destination wedding!

#1. Do you love to travel?

Ok, let’s start with the first and most obvious question: do you love to travel? If the answer is YES, then we’re definitely on the right track! One of the greatest joys of a destination wedding is traveling to a beautiful, unique place that you or your guests may never have been to before. Traveling to your destination wedding is going to require a little extra work – planning your itinerary, making transpiration arrangements, and packing, to name a few. If you’re a seasoned travel-lover, this isn’t going to be a big deal for you at all. However, if you travel rarely and aren’t used to the airport security lines, packing the necessities or making the travel arrangements, this might not be for you!

#2. Do you want a wedding day or a wedding experience?

Next, you need to ask yourself what it is, exactly, that you want out of your wedding day. If you’re a huge fan of the traditional stuff and want to keep it all to one day, then a destination wedding is probably not for you. However, if you’re looking forward to the event and celebrations as a whole and want to have a more dynamic range of experiences, then a destination wedding is for you! Destination weddings allow you and your guests to experience new cultures, foods, sights, excursions and more. So if you love the sound of a potentially multi-day experience with the people you love, a destination wedding is for you!

#3. How “Type A” are you?

Alright, brides and grooms: you really need to do a bit of soul-searching for this one! Are you Type A? If you answered YES . . . just how Type A are you? I personally am pretty Type A, but I also am able to let my own stress and control go when I know that I’m in good hands. For destination weddings, you will absolutely have to let go of the reigns and allow a planner, coordinator or travel guide help you with some of the details. Let’s be honest: they are professionals who know what they’re doing and they have the ability to bring your wedding day vision to life! However, if you are the type of person that can’t let go of control in that way, a destination wedding may not be a good fit!

#4. How many guests do you want to invite?

Ah, the guest list! This is a detail that many couples, planning both locally and destination weddings, will stress over. If you’re considering planning a destination wedding, you have to review your guest list pretty thoroughly. Who on that list is a must-invite for you and your families? Are there important people that definitely will not be able to make it? Are you excited at the idea of having a more intimate celebration with only the closest of close friends and family members? Knowing how many guests you want to invite AND being aware that many won’t be able to come are important factors to consider when planning a destination wedding. For some couples, they simply can’t imagine not have a giant guest list. But for others, this is actually a huge advantage: they don’t have to worry about inviting the “obligatory” people or those who aren’t close friends or family, and they’ll actually get to spend quality time with those who are most important! If that sounds like you, a destination wedding might be a good fit!

#5. Are your parents onboard?

If either any parents are playing a significant role in your wedding day (or if respecting their wishes is important to you!), then you need to consider what they’ll think about a destination wedding. For many parents, this is the dream! They are totally onboard! But for others, the idea of a destination wedding may be overwhelming or not ideal for them. Including parents in the conversation and understanding their desires for your wedding day are really important in deciding whether or not a destination wedding is right for you. Make sure to talk with them before officially making a decision!

#6. Can the most important people come?

Finally, when it comes down to it, you need to think about your most important 10-20 people and consider whether or not they will be able to come. If your two best friends are both going to have newborn babies at the time of your wedding, the answer might be no. Or if you have several elderly family members who you are close with, this also might be a no. Consider those guests, above all, before making the decision to have a destination wedding!

So, there’s the list! Has this helped you come to a decision? If you’re planning a destination wedding, we would love to be a part of it! Click the link below to learn more!

THE HBP DESTINATION WEDDING EXPERIENCE