Now that the world is traveling again, let’s talk about how to plan the perfect destination wedding. I’ve shot dozens of destination weddings over the years. Whether it was a wedding in Aspen, CO, or a wedding in Florence, Italy, I’ve done it all. This post is going to share my top 5 tips for couples who are planning destination weddings, including destination weddings at the beach in Mexico. Off we go!

Plan A Wanderlust Destination Wedding in the Mountains

My #1 tip for any couple who wants to plan the perfect destination wedding is to hire a great planner who has planned and coordinated destination weddings. Sometimes, that means using the wedding planner at a particular resort, but not always. Most times, that means using a wedding planner in the city you’re marrying in. But again, not always. In rare cases, couples hire wedding planners from their hometown to bring with them to the destination wedding. In any case, hiring a planner to help you with logistics, design, vendor communication, etc, is crucial to a successful wedding day.

Emma and Sam Bradford were married at Aspen Mountain in Aspen, Colorado. They enlisted the help of Bluebird Productions in Aspen to help carryout every fine detail of the couple’s wedding on top of the mountain.

Check out more images of Emma and Sam Bradford’s wedding in Aspen, CO.

Plan the Perfect Destination Wedding

Plan the Perfect Wedding Abroad

My #2 best tip is that your photographer can be from anywhere in the world, but I would choose your home country if possible. Emily and Ford have lived in NYC, California, and TX, but chose Benfield Photography – a Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer – because they loved my images and my personality. Just a little bit of warning, sometimes other cultures and countries make it challenging to communicate with your photographer. If you’re based in the U.S., choosing a U.S. based luxury wedding photographer for your destination wedding will give you peace of mind!

More from this beautiful wedding + reception in Florence Italy at a private villa and vineyard:

https://benfieldphotography.com/weddings-best-in-arkansas-italy-photographer

Plan the Perfect Destination Wedding at the Beach

I have a ton of advice for destination weddings at the beach. I’ve shot a ton of beach weddings in Mexico. First, by choosing a place that is all-inclusive (which is my tip #3), you don’t have an additional food and beverage cost! Because your guests are staying at the resort, everybody’s meals are already included. And so are their drinks! This alone is such a huge selling point for having your wedding at an all-inclusive resort. If you’re trying to plan the perfect destination wedding in Cancun, I would suggest Excellence Playa Mujeres! I’ve been there a dozen times and it’s always beautiful, the food is amazing, and the staff is so fun. The only downside to weddings in Cancun is that their style of photography is dated and, honestly kind of cheesy. So my tip #4 is do NOT use a resort photographer. Wedding images are just too important.

For that reason, I must insist you bring a destination wedding photographer for your Cancun wedding. It’s an easy trip for me, and while I’m more expensive than the photographer on-site, the images you will receive are far better than what you would get otherwise.

Finally, my final tip to plan the perfect destination wedding is to add on a couple of days to the trip before or after the wedding. Let’s be honest, weddings can be a lot of work. A destination wedding can sometimes even be stressful, though if you follow all 5 tips you’re going to minimize your stress big time. Allow yourself some time with your partner to enjoy the place your marriage is beginning.

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Talk to you soon,
Dale