Destination Weddings: A Planner's Checklist

A destination wedding is really three events stacked on top of each other: the ceremony itself, a multi-day guest experience, and a logistics operation most guests never see.

Permissions come first — venue permits, noise ordinances, alcohol licenses, and drone clearance if you're filming. In many destinations these take 8-12 weeks and cannot be rushed with money.

Guest journey planning is the part couples underestimate: transfers, welcome kits, a day-by-day itinerary that leaves room for rest, and a single point of contact guests can reach at 2am. Multi-day events fail on the small logistics, not the big design choices.

Hidden costs to budget for: local vendor markups, currency conversion swings if you're booking far in advance, weather contingency tenting, and repatriation logistics for décor and gifting. We build a 15% contingency into every destination budget as standard.