With the popularity of destination and cruise weddings increasing among couples, it is important to know some of the most essential steps and information to help ease the stress levels and increase the likelihood of an enjoyable and memorable event. There are numerous articles available online that offer very detailed ideas and advice for making the most of your destination wedding.
Since there is so much online information already available for destination weddings, this article is meant to simply highlight what we consider to be the 7 essential steps to take if a destination or cruise wedding is being considered. The seven steps are Budget; Timing; Destination; Planning; Guests; Wedding; Honeymoon.
Step #1 – Budget
The first important step is to establish your budget for the destination wedding. Everyone talks about the importance of having a realistic budget set for your wedding, and when it comes to a destination wedding that budget is even more important because of the additional factors such as travel, accommodations, and activities to be considered. Even with the added factors, a destination wedding can cost considerably less, provide more, and have a better chance of matching-up to tight budgets.
When setting your budget it is useful to start with a clear understanding about the typical costs of both a traditional wedding and one to a select destination or cruise. The average cost of traditional wedding reception that lasts about 4 hours and attended by 150 guests is about $30,000 and that cost can increase dramatically to more than $100,000 if you are in a large U.S. city such as New York. On the other hand, average cost of a destination or cruise ship wedding is several thousand dollars less than the average traditional wedding reception. Also, a destination wedding gives you significant flexibility in managing your available budget – everything from the destination, the type of resort or cruise ship, and the guest count, just to name a few.
An approach to managing the budget that has gained some popularity over the last several years is to establish wedding and honeymoon registries. Similar to a gift registry, the wedding and honeymoon registries give friends and family members the opportunity to contribute to the events rather than buy gifts for the couple’s new home. For example, Cruise Planners has a honeymoon registry available at http://www.funfilledtravelers.com/pages/registry. The bride and groom can create their free registry on the site and then invite friends and family to view and contribute to the registry for the honeymoon as well as any portions of the destination wedding.
Along with budget, it is very useful to understand the etiquette related to who is expected to pay for the various elements of a destination wedding. The following chart provides the general guidelines.
Step #2 – Timing
When it comes to timing for a destination wedding, you need to think beyond simply picking a date as you would for a traditional one. It is important to consider timing in relation to the destination or cruise. The chart below was created from various sources and offers suggested months for the most popular destinations according to Fodor’s Travel. The best timing is based on weather conditions and overall expense of the location. Cruise ship weddings are somewhat different in that they can be timed according to the ship’s scheduled itineraries and destinations.
Step #3 – Destination
Determining your desired destination should be based on several considerations. The first is weather conditions and the second is likely costs, both of which were covered in #2 above. There are two other important conditions – determining the ease of getting to the destination; and marriage license procedures and requirements.
Determining the ease of getting to the destination is not only important for you but also for friends and family that may be traveling from various locations. Whether your destination wedding is at a resort or a cruise ship, you need to assess the likely travel costs and travel times between locations. Cost is certainly an important factor but the amount of time to get from point A to point B should also be considered. You do not want friends and family to have several stop-overs on the way to the wedding. That makes for a very long trip and the more stops needed increases the likelihood of missed flights and lost baggage. Cruise Planners helps assess flight costs and times by running various travel scenarios.
The marriage license and other requirements or procedures will vary from country to country. In some cases the preparation can be a long process so it is best to determine the rules well in advance before you travel. For example, many countries have “residency requirements” where you need to reside in the selected country for a specific length of time prior to the wedding. Some may only be a few days while others, like France, are much longer at 40 days. It is also important to understand the logistics, requirements and capabilities related to cruise ship weddings and how they can or cannot be officiated.
Cruise Planners has information on its website at http://www.funfilledtravelers.com/page/17266-Marriage%20License%20Overview and we can assist you with all aspects of your destination wedding and honeymoon.
The U.S. Department of State also has information pertaining to marriages abroad on its website at http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/abroad/events-and-records/marriage.html. The site also recommends contacting the embassy or tourist information bureau of the country where you plan to marry to learn about specific requirements. A listing of foreign embassies and consulates in the United States is available on the Department of State's website.
Another important factor is to determine if your marriage abroad will be recognized in the United States and what documentation may be needed. This can be determined by contacting the office of the Attorney General of your state of residence in the United States.
Step #4 – Planning
Having completed the first three steps, you are ready to accomplish the planning. Your decision here is whether you attempt to do everything yourself or rely on a travel and destination wedding specialist to understand not only your needs but the things that will turn your dream for the perfect destination wedding and honeymoon into reality. The latter is certainly going to be the way to go since there is a lot of work involved in planning, coordinating and conducting the entire affair. Add to that the travel factor and you now have a situation that is best left to the experts. This will come easy for those of you who are comfortable entrusting others to do the research, plan the details, and accomplish the entire event. It will be more difficult to let go of those things if you are the kind of person that likes to control every part of every situation. When it comes to a destination wedding, you will need to put your trust in the planner with whom you have chosen to work – it will literally make your life easier and the event successful.
You certainly have ideas for your perfect wedding and honeymoon but planning and accomplishing those ideas on your own simply is not feasible in today’s busy environment. For example, you give the Cruise Planners specialist your ideas and he or she will come back to you with creative solutions, budgets, and the steps for accomplishing all the related details, which helps eliminate much of the worry and stress for you and your guests.
You should begin working with your specialist between 9 and 15 months prior to the wedding, especially if there will be a large group involved. A destination wedding can be planned with less time if it involves a very small group, you are open to various location options, and your budget has flexibility. The more time you allow for the planning, the better. Having the longer amount of time will increase the likelihood of securing the desired date and location; reserving the necessary number of rooms at a resort or cabins on a cruise ship; getting good travel rates; allowing guests to “save-the-date;” and just giving you time to think about options without having to make quick decisions. It also helps give your guests enough time to plan and budget for their travel, accommodations, activities and other incidentals.
When it comes to planning, you might also consider conducting at least one or even several site visits to a selected resort location or one cruise ship inspection. If this is not possible due to budget constraints, no worries! Your destination wedding planner should have experience with the inner workings of various resort locations and cruise ships and be able to work directly with an on-location or on-ship wedding coordinator to work out details and ensure proper execution of the event.
Step #5 – Guests
You might be thinking, “Guests? Why is this one of the essential steps? Isn’t it a given that I will have guests at my wedding?”
Yes, it is a given. But understanding your destination or cruise wedding from the perspective of your guests will improve them being receptive to joining you for the special occasion.
You need to first consider those family and friends that you want to attend. Unlike a traditional wedding conducted in your home city, you need to be even more selective when it comes to the invited guests. There are a couple of important reasons for this. First, space availability (e.g. rooms and reception areas) can be an issue for both the resort and the cruise ship. This is an important reason why planning should be started well in advance of the wedding. Second, you need to accept the fact that some friends and even family members will be unable to afford the related travel, lodging, etc. You can help keep overall costs low by booking early to take advantage of group rates.
If it is important for you to have certain friends and family members at your celebration then you need to offer ideas that can justify their trip. For example, they would not only be attending your wedding but also taking a wonderful vacation of their own to a location or cruise that may be on their bucket list. Another example would be to establish some type of funding method where your guests can “bank” a certain amount every month.
When your destination wedding involves a location in another country or a cruise to various foreign ports, be sure to notify your guests that all travelers, regardless of age, will need a new or up-to-date passport. For full details go to the U.S. Passports & International Travel site at http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports.html.
Step #6 – Wedding
Every previous step has been completed efficiently and effectively. Now it is time for the wedding. So, what is the best advice for the big day? The answer is “relax.” That may sound very over-simplified, but it’s true. After the wedding, most couples will say there were so many things happening they had difficulty remember all the various parts of the celebration.
Here are some things you will need to accept and do to make it more likely to relax…
- Be sure to have something to eat and drink prior to the ceremony but be careful not to overeat or overdrink.
- Accept the fact that your level of nervousness will be at its highest about 10 to 15 minutes prior to walking down the aisle. Take deep breaths, smile, and think positive thoughts to control your nervousness.
- Be calm and aware during the ceremony so you can take in all of the beauty and messaging of the event.
- Be prepared for crying by you and others. It is a positively emotional time so be prepared by wearing waterproof make-up and having tissues readily available.
- Accept the fact that relatives, bridesmaids, groomsmen and others will likely be very nervous and say things before thinking about them. So, be patient with off-the-wall comments or actions.
- Don’t sweat the small stuff, or maybe some big stuff, that may not go exactly as planned. Stay focused on the joy of the day versus something that may not be what you expected. Focusing on the wrong thing will cause you to miss out on all the great things happening around you.
- A lot of pictures will be taken, but be sure you get pictures of all those special friends and family members as early in the day as possible.
- When you need a short break at any time during the reception, take it!
- Be as fully aware as possible throughout the wedding experience so you are aware of those small but very meaningful things that you did not expect but will value for years to come.
Step #7 – Honeymoon
Here we are at the last step. The honeymoon! Unfortunately, the honeymoon too often takes a backseat to all the arrangements and planning of the actual wedding. And yet, you owe it to yourself to give honeymoon planning greater and more careful attention. After all, while the wedding is mainly for your family and friends, the once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon that follows is a private getaway for you and your new spouse to celebrate your marriage. Though you may spend a portion of your vacation relaxing and reflecting on this major life change, the honeymoon is most of all an opportunity to enjoy being newlyweds, spending quality time with each other, and experiencing a romantic and exciting get-away.
Honeymooners have endless options. Following months of wedding planning, couples often retreat to a luxurious resort that caters to their every need, while others trek to an adventurous escape from their day-to-day lives. Still others find retreating to a cruise ship to be the best option for a wonderful honeymoon. Whether a multi-day cruise, an all-inclusive beach resort, or an adventurous safari, the honeymoon should reflect your joint personalities and wishes. Cruise Planners has the vendors, options, and experience to help you evaluate and select the perfect destinations, venues, and amount of time.
The options for your ideal honeymoon are virtually endless. If you can think it, it very likely exists, and your wedding and travel planner can help turn the idea into reality.
Summary
There you have it. Seven essential steps you need to know and apply for your destination or cruise wedding. Remember, you need to establish a realistic budget (#1) for the kind of event you want. You need to be sure the timing (#2) is right for the location you prefer. The desired destination (#3) needs to be properly considered and evaluated, especially in lieu of the marriage license and other requirements of various countries. Planning (#4) should be done as far in advance as possible, preferably 9 to 15 months prior to the wedding. You need to accurately determine the guests (#5) you want at your wedding and consider their situations especially with budgets and time. There are specific things you can do to make your wedding (#6) more enjoyable and memorable…consider the ideas provided and relax. Finally, do not let your honeymoon (#7) take a back-seat to the overall planning and preparation.
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