Sharing a few of my best tips for your destination wedding or elopement!
Still choosing the destination? Here are some things to consider that will help you narrow it down:
Is there somewhere meaningful to you, or somewhere you've always wanted to go?
Is it somewhere you would want to have your honeymoon too? It can save you lots of money if you have your destination wedding at the same place you want your honeymoon!
Is there a beautiful destination that has really affordable options? For example, getting married somewhere like Indonesia will have an expensive plane ticket, but once you are there everything is extremely cheap!
Another budget tip...if you want to make it even more affordable, consider other ways you can cut down on cost: going during the off season, cutting down on decorations and using the scenery instead, etc...would that open up more destination options for you?
Are there adequate accommodations (parking, hotels) for your family / guests?
Will you need a permit to be in a spot you're considering?
If location looks or pictures are your main motivation, and you want adventurous destination photos but it doesn't fit with your budget, do research about areas in or near your state that have a similar look. You would be SO surprised, for example, in CA how many places you can find that look like Hawaii, the Amazon jungle, Morocco, Japan, Ireland -- I am always MORE than happy to give my couple's location suggestions based on the type of destination they like! Just think about what kind of scenery you envision for your wedding, and there might be somewhere just like it that's closer than you realize!
Airbnb instead of hotels - while this is cheaper mostly for weddings - the larger the group the more money you'll save with Airbnb vs. hotel. Depending on the destination, even if you're eloping you might find Airbnb is cheaper. Again, see if this opens up your options or helps you narrow it down.
And lastly, consider having your bride and groom portraits done at your honeymoon destination (in your dress and tux) if you can't have your whole wedding in a destination :)
The locations in the images above are: Florida, Hawaii, Yosemite, Puerto Rico and California! Please feel free to ask me about any locations!
Comments