Avoiding the Stress When Planning a Beach Wedding

Planning a wedding is certainly a challenge and many brides are now turning their attention to warmer shores and considering getting married abroad, perhaps on a beach. But how can you be sure that this is the right decision for you? After all, this is your big day so you want to get it right. One of the biggest drawbacks encountered by people trying to plan a wedding abroad is the ability to communicate their needs and requirements effectively. In fact, this will often put people off booking a foreign wedding all together, which is a real shame because there are things you can do to ensure your big day goes to plan, no matter where you are.

Getting married in your home country will usually involve lots of close communication, with everybody from the florist, wedding venue, reception venue and even the minister officiating the ceremony. With a beach wedding overseas much of this communication is lost. In many cases, the bride and groom will not even step food in the wedding and reception venue until the big day itself and you will find that many plans are made last minute. This can be incredibly stressful and can leave many couples feeling that their wedding is not going to be a success.

The Solution?

Info, Info, Info…

Arm yourself with lots of information about the resort, your hotel and the wedding ceremony venue as far in advance as possible. The internet is a great resource for this and many hotels and restaurants will have email addresses that you can use to communicate effectively. Don’t worry about sending multiple emails to your chosen venues; they will usually be more than happy to help you make any plans and arrangements. If you do not get a satisfactory response to your emails then try telephoning. OK, this can be expensive, but you really should not cut corners for this special day. A short phone call is sometimes all it takes to start up a great line of communication with your hotel / venue / restaurant.

Use your Tour Operator

Furthermore, you will more than likely have booked your overseas wedding through a tour operator. In this case you should use the services of their wedding planners to the full. They are on hand, both in your home country and in resort, to help make your day special. You are paying for their services, so it would be foolish not to use them and they will have a specific insight into your chosen destination. They may even reveal a hidden gem of a venue to you that you would never have found simply by searching the internet.

Avoid slipping into Holiday Mode

When arriving in resort, many countries will require you be resident for a number of days before allowing you to marry. Use this time wisely and don’t slip into “holiday mode”. Meet up with your wedding planner on a daily basis, take note of her mobile phone number so you can reach her easily and ask her to show you around the resort so you can get a better idea of the most suitable spots for a photo opportunity or a quick, refreshing drink with your guests. You will need to meet with the florist for your flowers and the baker for your cake, so ensure the planner takes you to both in good time.

Planning any wedding is stressful and planning a wedding in a foreign country can seem like a daunting task. However, the reality is that a wedding abroad, especially one booked through a tour operator, is much less stressful than the big white wedding at home. Just use the resources available to you wisely and everything will run to plan, ensuring you have the day of your dreams.