Choosing to get married abroad allows couples a lot of creative freedom as well as the chance to celebrate that special day in a very special way with only close friends and family members. Unlike wedding ceremonies held in one’s hometown, a destination wedding makes it possible to arrange everything in a way one’s heart desires. No obligation, no boundaries. But, like everything else on earth, wedding at a popular destination comes with its caveats. For example, it requires minute attention to every little detail. Sometimes, this is the one condition couples tend to overlook, resulting in terrible mistakes.
Here we have listed 5 things couples often overlook when planning a destination wedding at some exotic land –
1. Not giving much thought to the location: Destination wedding is not just about seeing a picture postcard, pointing your index finger at it and saying, “That’s exactly where I wanna get married!” Choosing a location based only on an exotic photograph is definitely not considered a wise decision by professional wedding planners as well. You might end up selecting one that could cost you fortune as well as days to reach. Also consider the fact that you’d have your guests with you. Couples often consider the selection procedure as not-so-important issue and, as a result, regret later.
2. Not considering the Foreign Exchange Rate: One of the major reasons behind the popularity of destination wedding over regular hometown wedding is that they could be a little inexpensive-comparatively. The key word here is comparatively. Often this fact is hugely perceived incorrectly by couples and, as a result, they end up overshooting their budget by three times as compared to that back home. All this is mainly due to the constantly changing exchange rates. So, the actual exchange rate you are going to have on your wedding day will be greater than what you planned one year back at your home. Add inflation to it and you will get an idea of how much you are actually going to shell out on your big day abroad. Destinations like Europe will also require some more planning on your part.
3. Inviting ‘em All: In the excitement of having a destination wedding, couples make the greatest mistake of inviting every person they know. First, it literally jeopardizes your wedding budget. It is not convenient and, somewhat, illogical to expect them all to fly down to that destination. The guest list for a wedding abroad should contain the names of a few chosen ones who are really close to you and will not mind paying their own airfare to be with you on your big day.
4. Letting the Guests Decide Their Transportation: In a hurry, couples forget to plan local transportation for their wedding guests. If you believe the guests will be able to manage their own transportation in a foreign land where they have never been before, you are, definitely, overestimating their capabilities.
5. Not considering the paperwork: If you are not considering the time needed to finish work in a foreign land, you are definitely going in the wrong direction. The time it takes to get the license varies from country to country. So, you should plan your stay abroad accordingly.
Featured Image Courtesy: Mahaveer Sharma
