The Ultimate Destination Wedding Checklist: Everything You Need to Plan the Perfect Day Abroad
Destination Wedding Checklist
Planning a destination wedding, whether a lavish over-the-top affair with all your friends and family, or an intimate ceremony with you and your partner, can require a lot of (literal) moving pieces.
Using an experienced, expert travel advisor will take the stress out of all these moving pieces and assure your dream destination wedding goes seamlessly.
With over 5 years of experience organizing destination weddings (including her own!) Gina is an expert in the field and is here to support you through this process. Whether your wedding is an intimate affair or a grand event, Gina is here to help you pull off your dream destination wedding wherever you decide to say, “I do”.
In addition, we have created this comprehensive destination wedding planning checklist to guide you every step of the way.
PRE-PLANNING
(12–18 Months Before)
⏹️Decide on your destination
With so many incredible places in the world, it can be hard to narrow down the perfect place for your destination wedding, but don’t worry, we have you covered! Head over to our post on Dream Wedding Destinations to help you narrow down your decision!
⏹️Research local marriage laws & requirements
Any time you are planning a destination wedding, even if it is domestic but out of state, it is vital to research local laws and requirements to make sure your nuptials are legally binding. This will also give you a guide as to what documentation and paperwork you will need to submit ahead of time and/or bring with you.
⏹️ Set a realistic budget
This should include: travel, accommodations, vendor fees, tips, transportation, etc. Bre sure to take in to account all the details like luggage fees, welcome baskets for guests, hair and makeup, etc if those will be included in your special day.
⏹️Hire a destination wedding planner
This can either be local or travel-based (or one of each that can coordinate with each other). This planner will also work closely with your travel advisor, and other vendors.
⏹️Create your guest list
Creating a guest list for a destination wedding can be tricky as there are many factors involved with whether or not guests will be able to attend. According to this Zola 2024 article, couples should anticipate approximately 35% of invited guests to attend a destination wedding.
This number, of course can vary, so be sure to keep this in mind when planning budget and type of destination you are planning to have.
⏹️Choose your wedding date
Be sure to consider local climate & holidays (both locally and at your destination), as well as season which will impact costs and availability.
Booking & Logistics
(9–12 Months Before)
⏹️Visit the destination (if possible) to scout venues
This can certainly be easier in some places than others, but is best practice whenever possible so you can get the most accurate view of what venue best suits your dream day.
If you aren’t able to visit the destination, don’t worry! That is where your knowledgeable and capable travel advisor comes in! They can present you with a myriad of trusted and verified venues at your destination to help you make the best decision, even from afar.
⭐Pro tip: Travel Advisors can get you a significantly discounted rate to preview the venue before booking!
⏹️Book your wedding venue
Once you have found your perfect destination wedding venue, it is time to book!
But first: be sure to thoroughly read and review all the policies, fees, and contracts. This is where both a wedding planner, and travel advisor can be crucial in your planning process.
⏹️Send Save the Dates
As soon as you reserve your destination and dates, send save the dates to your guests, with travel details. This gives guests time to determine if they can attend based on cost and time commitment.
⭐Gina Pro Tip: Create an electronic save the date and/or response method to assist in tracking. This can be linked directly to your wedding website with all of the travel details. If using formal save the dates, add a QR Code to your wedding website for easy access!
⏹️Reserve accommodations for you and your guests
This can be especially important at this point if you are planning a destination wedding during peak travel season, want to assure all guests stay in the same location, or are getting married somewhere more remote with fewer lodging options.
This can be a stressful point of planning, and another area in which your travel advisor can alleviate all the pressure.
⏹️Lock in group travel rates
Group rates aren’t just exclusive to hotels, they are also available for flights, shuttles, excursions, and many other activities. Your travel advisor is a great resource for locking in those group rates, no matter the size of your wedding party.
⏹️Book officiant (or bring one with you)
Depending on what type of ceremony you are having, be sure your officiant is legally able to perform your ceremony.
⏹️ Choose local vendors
⭐Gina Pro Tip: When opting for an all-inclusive resort destination wedding in Mexico or the Carribean, you will be given a coordinator to assist with all these details! This takes all the overwhelming guess work out of finding and vetting local vendors.
This will vary depending on type of destination wedding you are having (ie: all-inclusive v mountain top), but whether you are booking photographers, florists, or a helicopter to take you to the venue, 9-12 months in advance is the best time to lock those in.
⏹️Create a wedding website with travel info, itinerary, and RSVP
This can be a huge help keeping yourself and your guests organized and in the know of itineraries, activities, bookings, etc.
This can also let guests from different places chat with each other, coordinate plans, and share information in a centralized platform.
⭐When working with Gina, she will create a wedding website with you, containing all of the travel details, itinerary and vital information for you and your guests!
Wedding Details
(6–9 Months Before)
⏹️ Choose wedding attire
Do not just consider the temperature, consider the climate! We cannot stress this enough. 85 degrees in dry heat and 85 degrees in 100% humidity are NOT the same.
This also goes for planning your hair and make-up, and bridal party attire.
⏹️ Send official invitations with travel instructions.
We are going to say it again: with travel instructions. You want to be sure that guests have all the information prior to RSVP’ing and that are aware of potential costs and commitments of attending your big day abroad. This will help eliminate last minute cancelations.
⭐Add the wedding website information here as well for hotel room bookings, excursions, and other group activities!
⏹️ Research travel insurance
This is imperative for both you & guests. While you never want to think of something going wrong, life and travel can be unpredictable and you want to assure you are protected, especially for something as important as a destination wedding.
With so many policies and fine print to sift through, use your expert travel advisor to assure you have the best policy and coverage.
Travel & Legal Details
(2–4 Months Before)
⏹️Confirm all travel bookings
Confirm bookings for both you and your vendors.
⏹️Gather legal documents
Depending on destination and type of wedding, this will include passport, birth certificates, etc.
⭐Be sure to check expiration dates (many countries require validity 6-9 months past your last day in country) and be sure you have adequate blank pages available.
⏹️Translate and notarize documents if required
⏹️Create packing checklist
Be sure to make this as detailed as possible to help stay organized and not add stress on arrival. This is also a good time to shop for any additional items you plan to attend so you are not scrambling last minute or dealing with unexpected costs.
⏹️Final dress/suit fittings
After your final fittings, have your attire properly packed for travel. If your dress requires any special instructions (ie: bustling or lacing) take a video of your seamstress or consultant doing it so whoever is helping you on your wedding day has a clear guide.
⏹️Book honeymoon if it’s separate from the wedding trip.
Whether you are adding days to your wedding trip or heading off to another part of the world for your honeymoon, let your travel advisor handle all the planning and details to assure the most relaxing and romantic experience to start your wedded life.
⭐Gina Pro Tip: Working with a travel advisor and using group rates offers perks to extend your trip for a honeymoon!
Final Details
(1–2 Months Before)
⏹️Create a detailed wedding itinerary
This will help you keep yourself, guests, and vendors on schedule for the day and eliminate any confusion as the day progresses.
⭐When working with Gina, rest assured your wedding website will contain all of this information to keep your guests informed and on schedule.
⏹️Confirm ceremony details with officiant
This is especially important if using an officiant from your destination as some things may vary by location/culture. This is also a great time to discuss incorporating local customs and culture in to your ceremony.
⏹️Plan welcome bags
Your guests have likely traveled a long way and committed time and money to being present to celebrate you, so welcome bags are a great way to show your appreciation to them. These can include: maps, snacks, local gifts, printed itineraries, comfort items like eye masks, lotions, sunscreen, handheld fans, etc.
⏹️Confirm weather plans
After putting so much time and effort in to planning the perfect outdoor destination wedding, don’t let weather ruin your day. Be sure to have a backup space or tent rental in the event off rain, wind or even excessive heat.
⭐If all of this seems overwhelming in the month leading up to your wedding, you can be confident all these little details will be handled professionally and efficiently for you when working with Gina
Week of Wedding
⏹️Pack
This is when you put that packing checklist to good use! Pack wedding attire, rings, documents, accessories, etc and check them off your list to confirm they are in your luggage and ready to go. We even suggest taking photos of important items to relieve any last-minute stress and panic over whether something vital was packed.
⏹️Final confirmations with your wedding specialist, who handles all the vendor details and confirmations.
⏹️Host a welcome event or dinner
This is a great way to kick off your destination wedding celebration! It also allows guest to meet each other and make plans for the upcoming days surrounding the wedding.
⏹️Deliver welcome bags
Bags can either be awaiting guests in their rooms on arrival, or personally delivered by yourself, the bridal party, or hotel concierge service (your travel advisor can help arrange this)
⏹️Do a walk-through of the venue
⭐Gina Pro tip: Confirm the inclimate weather back up plan and do a walk through of the alternate site if planning an outdoor ceremony and/or reception
⏹️Relax with a spa day or beach time before the big day!
You have made it! Be sure to take some time to relax, reset, and enjoy the destination prior to your big day. A spa day with your partner, and/or close friends and family is the perfect way to connect with each other, and yourself, before saying “I do”.
Wedding Day
⏹️Eat something light in the morning
⏹️Hair and makeup on time
⏹️Emergency kit ready
Little mishaps can happen, so be sure to have the essentials ready just in case! Some things to include: safety pins, tissues, aspirin, Band-Aids, Tide Pen/Shout wipes, etc.
⏹️Have a timeline printed for all vendors
This helps everyone stay on schedule and task. Your wedding planner should have this all set, but make sure to give it a review to make sure you everything is on your desired schedule.
⏹️Enjoy every moment — you’ve made it!
The MOST important task!
Enjoy your day!
All the time, energy, and effort that went in to planning your fairy tale destination wedding has paid off and it is time to kick your feet up and enjoy your day with your love.
Expert Destination Wedding Planner
Ready to start planning your dream destination wedding? Let us take all the stress out of planning your perfect wedding getaway!
Gina is here to assure not only your wedding day is perfect, but that the months leading up to it are stress-free, and even fun! She is your go-to destination wedding pro who has not only planned numerous destination weddings (for up to 200 guests!), but has been through the process herself.
Reach out today to start planning your perfect destination wedding.
