If you have always imagined saying your “I dos” on a breathtaking white sand beach overlooking the ocean, then a destination wedding may be perfect for you. Planning a wedding hundreds of miles from home, however, is not quite the same as making arrangements for a ceremony in your neighborhood church. Let these destination wedding planning tips help you to plan the long-distance wedding of your dreams.

Find a resort with an on-site event coordinator. Planning any wedding can be challenging for a first time bride. Making arrangements across many miles can be nearly impossible without someone local on the scene. Many popular resorts have their own in-house coordinators who can do all the legwork for you in sourcing caterers, florists, and musicians – take advantage of the service!

Check the calendar before booking a destination. Do you really want to run the risk that your wedding will be de-railed by a hurricane? If you are imagining an autumn wedding in the Caribbean, that is a real possibility. Do your due diligence about the weather at various destinations in the month during which you wish to be married. It is definitely more expensive to have your event during peak season, but there is a reason why certain times of the year are the most popular.

Double check paperwork. You now need a passport for virtually any trip outside of the U.S., and it can take months for a passport to arrive, so get one right away. Find out if you need any additional paperwork to travel to your wedding location, such as a visa. You can check online to see if the government recommends any special vaccinations, which can be completed well in advance of your trip. One critical bit of planning is the marriage license. Each country will have its own particular requirements and may require the bride and groom to bring certain documents. Don’t forget about what you need to do once you get home to make your marriage official in your home state.

Choose attire which suits your destination. For a tropical wedding, bridal gowns in lighter fabrics like chiffon or organza are popular. Add some beach wedding jewelry to complete the look. Bridesmaid dresses in a similar fabric and a sunny color like mango will look wonderful; give your attendants beach theme jewelry as your wedding gifts to them. Black tie is too formal for a ceremony on the sand, so consider khaki suits or a jacket and trousers for the groom and groomsmen. Remember that many islands can be windy; choose a wedding hairstyle which will keep your hair out of your face, and consider a veil which is weighted with crystals or pearls to keep it from flying around too much on a breezy day.

Send out a save-the-date card. Since making travel arrangements to a far-flung locale can be challenging, give your guests as much advance notice as possible. That will allow them to seek out the best deal on airfare by booking early, as well as to schedule vacation from work. Make things as easy as possible for your wedding guests by reserving blocks of hotel rooms, recommending travel agents or airlines, and keeping them updated on the travel requirements to your wedding destination. A wedding website can be a fantastic way to keep in touch with your guests and make sure that they are as excited about your upcoming wedding as you are.

Author Bio: Bridget Mora writes for Silverland Jewelry about wedding planning, travel, and style. Visit http://www.silverlandjewelry.com/ to find fabulous beach wedding jewelry for your destination or resort wedding.

Category: Marriage
Keywords: beach wedding jewelry, destination wedding, wedding planning