Before I started graduate school, my parents took me and my sister on a dream vacation. During this amazing trip, we visited several historical sites including the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. We made memories that will last a lifetime. Do you want to take your family on an unforgettable vacation? Consider hiring a professional travel agent to help you plan the perfect getaway. This individual can help you choose the right location based on your budget, interests, and time frame. On this blog, I hope you will discover the benefits of consulting with a travel agent before going on your next extended trip. Enjoy!
There are any number of reasons to plan a destination wedding. Maybe you have always dreamed of having a tropical beach, a historic castle, or a quaint bed and breakfast as a backdrop to your wedding, or maybe most of your family is scattered in different locations, so as long as everyone has to travel, you may as well make a vacation out of it. No matter what your reasons, the key to planning a successful destination wedding is planning well. Take a look at some great tips that can help make your destination wedding everything you've been dreaming of.
Visit the Location Before Booking
Once you've narrowed your choices down to a favorite destination, book yourself a mini-vacation and go visit your destination in person. You can learn a lot from researching a destination online, and you can even see pictures and video, but there's always the chance that the images you're seeing are out of date.
What happens if you get to the resort where you plan to have the wedding, and there's a big construction site next to the spot where your outdoor reception is supposed to take place? If you've already booked the spot and have just arrived for the wedding, there's not going to be much you can do; you'll have to go with it even if it means that most of your wedding pictures will have cranes and building supplies in the background. A brief visit ahead of time can help you avoid that scenario—you'll have time to make other arrangements.
Make Things Easy on Your Guests
You're asking your guests to travel to a destination that they might never have chosen to visit for themselves if it weren't for your wedding, and unless you have a lot of disposable income, you probably are asking them to use their own money for their travel and lodging expenses. That's asking quite a bit.
When you have a destination wedding, you have to accept that you may have a smaller number of guests than you might otherwise like because some people simply won't be able to willing to attend. However, more people will attend if you make the process as easy and appealing for them as possible. Make advance arrangements for guests who will need something extra, like a crib in their hotel room or a wheelchair. Research activities in the area that will appeal to people in your guests' age ranges, schedule some group activities for the weekend of the wedding, or provide your guests with maps and lists of attractions. See whether you qualify for a group discount, and even if you can't pay for everyone's travel and lodging, try to work a few meals or extras for your guests into your budget.
Know the Local Marriage Laws
Each state sets their own marriage laws, so your destination may have a longer or shorter waiting period or different requirements to get a marriage license than you home state does. If you're having your wedding in a foreign country, laws can vary even more. The last thing you want is to find out that your wedding can't take place or that your marriage isn't legal because you've overlooked some technicality in the law. Make sure you do your research so that you know exactly what's required for your wedding.
With proper planning, a destination wedding is a lot of fun and will be a great memory for you and your guests. Take your time and make sure that you get all the details in order before the big day. Talk to locations such as Georgios Banquets, Quality Inn & Suites Conference Centre to get started.
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