Planning An Overseas Wedding

Are you planning an overseas wedding?

Why deal with the uncertainty of the British weather? Overseas weddings are becoming increasingly popular, and more couples opt to hold their wedding celebrations overseas. 

Having an overseas wedding also means couples can combine their wedding with their Honeymoon. Also, it’s very likely the wedding will be more intimate with your closest family and friends attending. Here are some details to consider when planning your overseas wedding.

Choosing the perfect location for your overseas wedding

Remember that the location you choose for your destination wedding will greatly impact your wedding style, travel arrangements, and overall budget, so location needs some careful consideration.

Wherever you choose, make sure it reflects your style – if your heart belongs to nature, how about a romantic outdoor wedding in the Tuscan hills? Or a safari wedding and lavish lodge party in Africa?

If a sunny beach location is your idea of paradise, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and Barbados offer perfect white sandy beaches and lush tropical garden backdrops.

For a stylish city wedding, nothing beats New York or Paris.

If possible, Visit Your Venue Beforehand

To ensure your overseas wedding is as perfect as you imagined, it’s advisable to check it out in person if at all possible. This way, you can ensure there are no hidden surprises that the brochure conveniently forgot to mention, and at the same time, you can find out how easy it is to reach the venue from the main airport and travel hubs.

It’s also a good chance to scope out the venue’s wedding facilities and packages and discuss any special offers. For instance, some hotels offer discounts if guests stay a certain number of nights. And it’s a great excuse to have a few days away!

Book Your Overseas Wedding Photographer

Find an experienced destination wedding photographer who loves to document your beautiful wedding naturally and unobtrusively with possibly some amazing portraits of you as a wedding photographer who has photographed weddings worldwide, in French Polynesia, via Singapore, Australia and New Zealand to nearer locations like France, Italy, Spain, and other European destinations.

It doesn’t matter where the wedding is; I’ll gladly discuss being your wedding photographer!

Timing

Although the weather is usually best in summer, this is when prices peak, and hotels and towns are likely to be heaving with tourists. December is also a popular wedding month, so expect prices to match peak season. Booking off-peak in Spring and Autumn means the weather will be less predictable, but your accommodation, venue, and flights will likely be cheaper.

Send Out Invites Early

Inviting guests to a UK-based wedding two months beforehand is fine, but if you’re planning a wedding abroad, giving your guests ample notice is important. Consider sending out ‘Save The Dates’ if you don’t want to send invitations well in advance.

As well as cost implications, friends and family might need to book time off work, make travel arrangements, speak to schools or arrange childcare. So send out a ‘Save The Date’ as soon as you know when and where you’re getting married, and an official invite around four months in advance.

Give Guests as Many Details as Possible

Logistics are more complex, so keep guests up to speed with travel and accommodation bookings. If guests book their accommodation, send them a list of the nearest hotels. It’s also a good idea to provide guests with a brief itinerary of the days before and after the wedding, so they know what’s happening and where the wedding party will be.

Block Booking Hotels

Making a block booking at a hotel or other venue is a good idea if you have several guests coming or need members of your wedding party (bridesmaids, best men, etc.) in the same place. If you opt for a date in peak season, block book rooms as early as possible (up to a year before the date) and always check the hotel’s policy regarding unsold rooms, as they may charge the total price if you don’t take the full room allocation.

Destination Weddings

View some recent destination weddings