Congratulations, you are now engaged to be married! Now you have the next biggest decision to make: what kind of a wedding party will you have?
For some couples, a destination wedding is one of the most obvious choices. The groom and bride are from different cities or countries, they currently live in a different place altogether and their friends are from all over the globe. Even if they host the party where they live, they would still need to plan out the days and events quite extensively. That is why, many times, the couple chooses a location that is completely unrelated to either of the families or honours one of the countries of origin.
Some also transform their wedding into a trip so that they have the perfect excuse to invite less people. Because hosting it in their city could mean the guest list would be closer to 2, 3 or even 400+ relatives, business partners or colleagues, friends or people invited by the bride’s and groom’s parents, a getaway can be the best case scenario to be able to invite a few dozen or even just the close family.
Other couples also choose weddings that involve a trip because a certain location really means something to them: maybe the place where they met, where they first travelled together or where they got engaged. Or maybe they just really love beautiful hotels and travelling and they want to turn their most important party into one that seems to never end, in a gorgeous environment.
If you too are thinking of choosing a destination wedding instead of a classic one-night wedding, here are a few things to consider:
- Do you both love traveling and are comfortable with new environments easily?
- If there are guests without which you would not want to get married (grandparents, other family, a close friend), will they be able and willing to travel?
- Are most of your guests accustomed to traveling and will they feel excited about your decision?
- Are you willing to host a maximum of 60 to 120 guests? A number larger than that is more difficult to manage.
- Does at least one of you like planning trips and parties?
- Is your budget very tight or can it fit a more complex event?
If you love travelling and planning, start with how many people you would want there with you.
You can choose:
- an elopement, where it is only you and your future spouse and maybe a couple of friends of family members.
- a very small wedding of 10 to 30 guests
- a small wedding of 30 to 60 guests
- a medium wedding of 60 to 120 guests
- a larger wedding of 120 – 250 guests
Elopements, small weddings and medium weddings are best for turning into a destination event. Larger weddings are of course also possible but take more effort not only on your part, but also on the part of everyone invited.
The size of the wedding many times can also dictate the potential venue and destination. It’s wonderful to be able to book out an entire place or an area. That means you can either decide the number of guests based on your coup-de-foudre venue or find the perfect place for 10,40 or 150 people.
In my experience, the best way to start is with an honest conversation with each other. Things to take into consideration: your dream landscapes, your country(ies) of origin, who you do not imagine hosting your wedding celebration without and your approximate budget.
Ultimately, it is your wedding, your dreams and your wishes.
Get “The Ultimate Guide to Planning and Enjoying your Destination Wedding in Romania” guide now and learn exactly how you can plan your event like a professional. You will receive the best advice about how to choose your venue and your vendors and how to make the event unforgettable for all of your friends and family who have traveled to celebrate with you.
Photo Credit: Razvan Lupan