Wedding Theme: Destination Honeymoon

Today, many couples are combining their honeymoon and wedding into one event. This carries the festivities far away from home and makes for a lengthy celebration. The wedding and honeymoon will both take place in the destination of your choice. These weddings take a little more planning than traditional ones, but are well worth it in the long run. They assure that your family and friends take part in the entire celebration. These weddings aren’t large, but instead are small intimate affairs.

To assure that everything goes well, you need to plan this type of wedding far in advance. You will be expected to pay for your guest’s expenses. If you’re on a tight budget, possibly you and your guests can compromise. You can pay for the airfare and they can pay for their accommodations. Paying for airfare will guarantee that your guests arrive on time for your wedding. Be sure to give your guests plenty of notice that you are planning this type of wedding so they can arrange their schedules and book time off work. If they have children, they will also have to arrange for a babysitter.

Make sure you discuss the destination with your guests. You may want to be married in a busy resort where children are allowed. Your guests may not relish spending two weeks listening to screaming children. Try to choose a destination that everyone will be happy with. If you involve guests in the planning, they are more likely to attend and enjoy themselves.

Keep the guest list short. Remember, you are paying for all or part of the expenses. Invite only your most intimate family members and friends to this type of wedding. I’m sure you don’t want to spend two weeks in Fiji with Cousin Susan, who you despise and who continually talks in her high pitched voice, often interrupting others. Guests should be able to stay with you for a weekend or the entire time you are gone, their choice. Try to make sure they have time to enjoy both the wedding and the holiday.

Here are a few tips for planning a combination wedding/honeymoon.

• Check your budget and ask family members and friends to check theirs if you’re not paying for all expenses.
• Hire a consultant who specializes in this type of wedding. They are becoming more common but are still a little hard to find. Be sure he knows his business because some resorts and airlines offer discounts for bridal parties traveling to destinations abroad. If you know how many guests will actually be attending, you can look for group discounts.
• If there is something special you want at your wedding, you will need to remember to take it. Make a list of the things you will need to pack.
• Check with your dressmaker or the store where you purchase your bridal gown to find out how to pack it properly. Keep your dress with you at all times. Do not allow it to go into the baggage compartment of the airline.
• Check details on marriages in the country where you are holding your wedding. Will your marriage be legal in your country? Will there be certain legal requirements? Can you have a religious ceremony or does the law in the country where you are holding your wedding allow only civil ceremonies?
• Can your family members act as witnesses, or do witnesses have to be citizens of the country where you’re planning to be married?
• Do you have to have medical tests such as blood tests to be married there? If so, you will have to acquire them and forward all documents ahead of time.
• Is there a waiting period after purchasing the marriage license? If so, you will have to allow for that.

After you find out all the details, go ahead with the planning of your combination wedding and honeymoon. Follow the rules of the destination country and have a fabulous wedding that will be remembered by all.

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