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Wedding Planners
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Tips to de-stress your destination wedding
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(ARA) - Whether you're planning a wedding close to home, or in the
destination of your dreams, wedding preparations require creativity and
precision. Destination weddings, however, add a range of challenges
that domestic nuptials do not - simply because they often involve
long-distance travel, obstacles of adapting to a location's cultural
differences and the management of all additional pre-event details from
a remote location.
In any situation, organization and preparation can help take the stress
out of planning; specifically in the process of planning a destination
wedding. From working with a wedding planner to investing in a travel
and medical assistance membership, the tips below will help
to de-stress your destination wedding, and to help ensure all of your
needs - and those of your guests - are met before you ever set foot on
the plane.
Balance your "musts" with realistic plans
From childhood images of a beautiful gown and flowers to blue skies as
you walk arm in arm down the aisle with your father, every bride has a
list of "must haves" in order to make her dream wedding a reality.
While saying your "I do's" in an exotic location may meet the terms of
your lifetime fantasies, it is important to consider realistic goals
and ensure that your "must haves" are attainable in the location of
your choosing.
Elderly guests such as grandparents of the bride or groom may have
trouble traveling long distances. You'll need to balance the travel
limitations of those people you must have at your wedding with the
realities of holding your event far from home. If you must have sand,
beautiful water and palm trees, it may be more practical for family and
friends to go somewhere in Florida or California as opposed to the
Caribbean or Bahamas. Compromise will be key in ensuring you get all
you desire - and have those you most love - at your destination wedding.
Remember - you're all traveling
Travel is one of the great complications of destination weddings. Even
if your bookings result in great airfares and discount hotel rates,
travel can still throw a wrench in your plans if you lose a passport or
important travel document, or someone falls ill far from home.
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One way savvy brides deal with travel complications is to invest in a medical
and travel assistance membership to ensure you and your loved
ones are covered in case something goes wrong. In the event
of a lost or stolen passport, other travel documents or credit cards,
travel and medical assistance companies, such as On Call International,
will provide the help you need if you're away from home. On Call
International offers 24/7 assistance with legal issues, lost luggage,
and flight delays or cancellations - and can also help with pre-travel
information, such as suggested immunizations and important information
about your destination prior to departure.
And if you or your fiance - or other covered member of the wedding
party - falls ill far from home, medical assistance ranges from a
24-hour nurse help line to unlimited coverage to evacuate the ill
person back to the hospital of their choice in the states. Visit www.oncallinternational.com
to learn more.
Capitalize on your budget benefits
One common misconception about destination weddings is that they are
lavish, costly affairs with large guest lists. However, many wedding
planning experts agree you can achieve a destination wedding for less
than $10,000 - because the travel and potential expenses encourage most
brides to pare down their wedding to what they truly want most.
Instead of having 250 guests who might not even put you on their
Christmas card list next year, your destination wedding can be an
intimate affair, with a conservatively sized guest list of only those
who love you best. Plus if you shop smart and plan well in advance, you
can score some great deals at top resorts in your destination of choice
- especially if you plan for shoulder season when destinations
experience less business.
Finally, don't underestimate the benefits - including cost and time
savings - of working with a wedding planner who specializes in your
destination of choice. Having someone who's tapped into the local scene
help you plan your long-distance wedding, can save you money, time and
aggravation.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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