How would you like to exchange vows on a pink sand beach in Bermuda, or perhaps among the sunflowers and rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside? For many brides, a destination wedding in a far-off, exotic location is the ultimate fantasy. From traditional locations like Hawaii or Mexico to more exotic places like Fiji or Australia, the options for a memorable destination wedding are endless. Many people believe that destination weddings are a luxury reserved for the rich and famous, but this is simply not the case. With enough planning and thorough research, a destination wedding fantasy can actually turn into a very affordable reality. Read on to learn how to plan the ultimate destination wedding without breaking the bank.

The Date

When choosing your ideal destination and date for the wedding, find out when the peak tourist season is. Rather than scheduling your wedding during tourist season, choose a date that falls either before or after peak time. This way, you and your guests will save money on airfare and lodging, and making arrangements with wedding venues and vendors will be much easier.

The Guest List

As a general rule, destination weddings are much, smaller than traditional hometown weddings. Whereas a Stateside wedding may include 150 or more guests, a destination wedding will usually range from 10 to 50 guests. Limiting your guest list to immediate family and close friends makes for a much more meaningful and intimate ceremony, and allows you to spend more quality together in the days beforehand. Financially speaking, a limited guest list is great because it can help you cut the cost of the food, drinks and cake at the reception. Remember: you and your fiancé should decide on a guest list and send out invitations as early as possible so your guests have time to make the appropriate work and travel arrangements.

Travel and Lodging Discounts

When you are making travel and hotel arrangements, be sure to find out about any available discounts or special deals for you and your guests. For example, many airlines offer discounted seats for groups of ten or more. Also, it is common practice for hotels to offer special room rates for the bride, groom and guests. Should you and your fiancé choose to stay at the resort for your honeymoon as well, you may be eligible for free room upgrades or discounts on activities and spa services. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or bargain with the hotel to make sure you get the best possible deal.

Planning

If you choose to have your wedding at a resort in a popular location like Mexico or the Caribbean, chances are you’ll work with the hotel’s on-site wedding and events coordinator at little or no charge. This coordinator will be able to help you with everything from navigating the country’s marriage laws to planning the reception. He or she can also recommend and book local vendors for things like flowers and music, all while staying within your budget. This will save you the trouble and high cost of hiring your own wedding planner, and you can relax knowing that your special day is in capable, experienced hands.



Decorations

The great thing about choosing decorations for your destination wedding is that you don’t really need any! Because you’ll already be in a stunning location, you can limit decorations to a few arrangements of local flowers, or perhaps some lights or lanterns for a nighttime reception. When it comes to destination weddings, allow Mother Nature to take care of the decorations for you.

When done right, destination weddings are a great way to throw a truly unique wedding without spending a fortune. This is the perfect chance for you and the ones you love the most to get together, have fun and celebrate the new journey that you and your fiancé are about to begin.