How to Plan a Destination Wedding in the Bahamas
When it comes to planning a Bahamas wedding or any destination wedding, it may seem challenging to get all of the necessary details in order. Unless you can fly out to the destination on a regular basis, most of your wedding planning is done over the phone or through the internet, and you might feel as though you are not as involved with the details of your wedding as you would like to be, as you would be if you could actually be in the Bahamas, personally choosing and approving your location, venue, caterer, etc.
Luckily, with a quailed Bahamas wedding planner, planning a destination wedding in the Bahamas does not have to be difficult. It can be fun and easy—even more fun and far easier than planning a wedding in your hometown. We have some vital tips and tricks to make the destination wedding planning as easy as possible.
Find the right Bahamas wedding planner.
Someone who specializes in both local and destination weddings is the ideal candidate. She will know not only how to make sure a couple in a remote location still get a personalized wedding and what locations, caterers, florists, and decorators are best to work with. She can also advise you about the best Bahamas wedding design and help you meld your personal style with the mood and atmosphere of the islands. She will be able to anticipate your needs and act as a proxy in your stead to make sure your wedding comes together perfectly.
Pick the right time of year.
Not only will the right time of year be integral to ensuring you can get most of the people you want to attend to the Bahamas, it will also dictate much of your budget. In planning a destination wedding, hotels and flights are going to be more expensive at some points of the year and far less expensive during others. Your Bahamas wedding planner can likely tell you when hotels and flights are going to be at their cheapest. If you are not particular to any time of year for your wedding, you can save money by planning your wedding early and on an off-peak month.
Talk to your guests.
Traveling can be prohibitively expensive or too time consuming for some of your family and friends. Unless you’re willing to foot the bill, make sure that all of your bridal and grooms parties are going to be able to make the trip. Giving them the opportunity to gracefully bow out is the best option—it will be less embarrassing and you don’t have to worry about a hole in your wedding party.
Plan for island weather.
No matter what time of the year you’ve chosen to get married in the Bahamas, chances are it is going to be just as hot, if not hotter, than your home. When buying a dress, keep the weather and the location in mind. If you are getting married on the beach, for example, something understated and less formal is the norm. If you are getting married in a church, something more formal is traditional, but it might be too hot for three layers of crinoline and a heavy dress. One of the benefits of an island wedding is the ability to pick something non-traditional for your wedding dress.
Stay organized.
While a wedding binder is never a bad idea, it is especially important when planning a Bahamas wedding. You can’t just run down to the cake shop if you want to change the frosting color. There are going to be lots of phone numbers, email addresses, pictures, lists, and notes to collect and have on hand. Staying organized can help decrease some of the stress of being so disconnected from your wedding location.
Plan a pre-wedding visit.
While you might not be able to spend every weekend in the Bahamas, meeting with your wedding planner, sampling catering menus, etc., it is a good idea to take at least one trip out before your actual wedding date, to meet your planner in person and see everything with your own eyes. It will be a bit of a whirlwind, scouting locations, tasting menus, picking flower arrangements—all of things that are normally done over weeks and weeks, done in just a few days. It is, however, a vital part of the destination wedding process.
These tips and tricks will make your Bahamas wedding much easier to plan, and take away some of the stress of wedding planning. To contact a Bahamas wedding planner and get started on your destination wedding, contact us today!