What to Consider When Marrying Abroad?
Are you contemplating getting married abroad? Whether you’ve recently got engaged, or you’re just thinking ahead for the future, there is plenty to consider for a destination wedding.
All weddings require a lot of planning from organizing the proposal, to buying the perfect engagement ring, to the day itself, the list can feel endless. However, if you want to get married abroad, there are extra things that you need to factor in and some differences compared with getting married in the country you live in.
Legal Requirements
Every country has different regulations which determine whether your marriage will be legalized. Therefore, before you begin planning the finer details, you need to investigate what these are for your chosen country.
For many couples, the easiest solution to this is to have a legally binding wedding in their home country first, and then have their abroad wedding as a symbolic ceremony, used to commemorate with family and friends. While this can seem overwhelming, it can make your abroad wedding day less stressful as there are no legalities to consider, and it gives you two opportunities to celebrate rather than one!
Budget
This will sound obvious, but you need to set a budget, otherwise, it could get out of control! There are a lot of different things to think about so ensure that you have your finances in order.
Firstly, assess your current savings to determine how much you can afford and are happy to spend. If you are receiving financial support for your wedding, now is the time to talk about this. Once you have a rough figure in mind, you can start figuring out your priorities and where you want the majority of your budget to be spent.
For an abroad wedding, it is expected that considerably more may need to be spent on travel and flights, so make sure to factor this in.
Budgeting for a wedding can be very challenging and you may decide that it is better to hire a wedding planner if possible.
Accommodation
When inviting guests to celebrate with you in a different country, you’ll need to consider where they are going to stay. While you may not be paying for the accommodation yourself, it is still useful to recommend various areas to guests that are close to your chosen venue, particularly if you’re planning on having your ceremony somewhere relatively remote.
Do some research into different options and make sure to find accommodations with varying price points to ensure there is something to suit everyone’s budget.
Save the Dates
Save the dates are crucial for any wedding, but most so for one that is taking place out of the country. Your guests will likely need to request annual leave from work to attend and may also decide to combine your wedding with their main holiday for the year.
With that in mind, send out your save the dates as far in advance as possible. If you’re planning on hosting your guests for more than one occasion, for example, welcome drinks the evening before the wedding or a pool party the following day, be sure to include all dates on the save-the-date for clarity.
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