Sunny Says: 15 Destination Wedding Tips To Make Your Life Easier
Because Destination Weddings Should Be Fun And Carefree!
Sunny here! I firmly believe planning your destination wedding should be as fun and relaxing as a day at the beach. If you’re planning a wedding abroad, these are 15 destination wedding tips you won’t want to miss. From pre-planning and packing, to travel and honeymooning, we’ve got you covered with these awesome WeddingMoon hacks to make your big day easier than you ever imagined.
- If any place gives you the option to check-in online, do it! Airline, hotel, lounge- take this option. You never realize how checking-in online makes everything easy until you’ve actually done it.
- Before you send out your destination wedding invitations, send out a save-the-week so your wedding guests know which dates to block out for travel earlier in their planning phase. The happier you make your guests the better your wedding gifts!
- Create a “schedule-of-events” to send out with your wedding invitations. This will let guests know when and where dinners, gatherings, rehearsals and the actual wedding will take place so they know when they can schedule their own private time around wedding-related events.
- Create a romantic WedddingMoon playlist with your favorite honeymoon music for just-in-case rainy nights. Most rooms have iPod clock radios now and it’s a great way to complement the hot tub, all the free champagne and tropical fruit plates on a romantic night in!
- Bring a set of wind chimes with you and ask to have them hung up at your wedding venue (like a gazebo). This way you’ll have the soft, melodic chimes as ambiance on your wedding video, for your guests to enjoy and to drown out any background noise.
- Bring two copies of your wedding music, one digital (like on an iPod) and another hard copy (like a CD). Just in case one doesn’t play or gets lost – at least you’ll have a back-up.
- When packing for your WeddingMoon, pack half your items in each other’s suitcase- just in case one gets lost. This way both of you will have something to wear.
- Pack your bathing suit, a dinner outfit and sleepwear at the top of your suitcase. You’ll be able to have a full fun day and night without having to unpack your entire bag or at the very least, mess up your nicely organized bag.
- Pack any DIY or other wedding items you’ll be bringing with you in a carry on. Even if your suitcase gets lost, you’re wedding items will be safe.
- One of the deciding factors for brides in choosing an airline should be the priority they place on traveling with a wedding dress. Most airlines don’t let brides hang their dresses anymore but some will be nice about having your wedding dress as a carry on. There are others who may let you hang your dress in the “coat closets” in first class. It never hurts to call and ask before you book!
- Before packing or boxing your wedding dress, turn it inside out. In the event that airport security insists on opening your garment bag or box, they won’t actually touch the outside of your dress that will show.
- The first thing any destination bride should do when she gets to her suite is hang up her wedding gown. Most creases and folds will work come out due to the weight of the dress and the niftiness of gravity.
- Brides – pack a small bag before your destination wedding day and entrust it to your maid-of-honor to bring to the reception venue. In it should be, a change of shoes (dressy flip-flops preferably), a small towel (for blotting your dress or face), lipstick, a compact mirror, face powder (for make-up touch ups), your perfume, the little travel sewing kit from your room, safety pins, a can of club soda (for accidental stains), hair pins and a hair comb/brush). Hide it away as a just in case of a wedding emergency to avoid having to run back to your room for anything.
- Water, water and more water! Keep water with you in your beach bag or just when walking around; the more hydrated you are, the more you’ll enjoy yourself (and the more you can drink Bahama Mama’s without feeling ill!)
- Schedule room service or breakfast-in-bed for the morning after your wedding; trust us, you’ll be happy you did after a night of dancing, drinking and starting your honeymoon!
Enjoy Yourself!
(Photo Credit: SnapShots Photography)