We hear you…our readers want to know about destination weddings!

We continually do our research into what brides want to know, and there is a lot of excitement these days around all inclusive destination wedding packages and many other similar searches (one major way we find out is by popular searches). You dream of getting married somewhere far away from your ‘normal’ life, and of creating special memories for you and possibly for guests as well. You want your wedding to be unique and special, and going away is a perfect way to do that. Presumably this will also double as your honeymoon, so you definitely want to make it worth every penny!

We all dream of a tropical destination wedding, getting married on a romantic beach with the waves splashing in the background, the tropical wind in our hair, and palm trees swaying in the breeze. Whether you are thinking of an affordable option (inexpensive destination wedding) or a completely luxury destination wedding package, here are some ideas and tricks which will help you make the most of your special day – or week – away.

How to get hotel perks and discounts: It’s possible you’ll be including other people in your travel plans, such as your parents and wedding party, and possibly some wedding guests as well. Making flight and hotel arrangements ahead of time by investigating destination wedding packages usually allows you to attain discounts for your guests. Having multiple hotel room bookings for your destination wedding often gets you extra perks as well; you may get an upgrade for your honeymoon yourselves, and your guests may get a discount, as mentioned, along with some niceties such as fresh fruit, champagne reception at check-in, or whatever else the hotel may offer. A great way to get perks thrown in is to call the hotel yourself and ask! Negotiate heavily as you both know you could easily choose another hotel, and they should offer to throw things in to attract your business.

Scheduling: First and foremost, let your invited guests know well ahead of time what your wedding destination will be, so they can arrange for time off, save money for the trip, etc.. For the resort, hotel, all-inclusive or beach destination wedding location, be sure and let them know how many confirmed guests you will be having so they can be appropriately accommodated. This may include everything from seating at the ceremony and reception to ensuring enough staff is available for check-in and guest needs during the stay.

Guest gifts: Because you are having a destination wedding, ideas for wedding guest gifts may differ greatly from traditional weddings. You must consider your ability to carry them to the location (consider ordering something local through the concierge) as well as the guests’ need to carry them home. Go for something memorable but not breakable or bulky, and something which will not cause them any problems at customs on the way home (no liquids over 100mL, for instance, and no food). Some destination wedding gift ideas include small candles, unframed local artwork as prints, photographs, a tropical pareo or matching hawaiian shorts or shirts, stationery, and customized t-shirts.

One lovely extra bonus about a destination wedding is that you can incorporate local flowers and themes into your wedding reception decor. For instance you can have a tropical wedding cake, flowers and tropical wedding favors. If you are going to at a beach, you can get a lovely beach wedding dress. Beautiful!

tropical wedding flowers