Destination Wedding: What it is and how to organize yours

More and more couples are choosing to fulfill their dream by organizing a destination wedding in their favorite place on the planet: Barcelona, Madrid, the Italian Tuscany, Greece, Costa Rica… It’s not just a wedding, but a whole experience, both for the couple and the guests.

If your dream is to travel and organize a destination wedding, keep reading our article where we explain what a destination wedding is and how to organize yours.

What is a destination wedding?

A destination wedding is a wedding celebrated in a location far from where the couple and guests live, usually abroad.

This type of wedding is becoming more common, especially among couples from the United States and central and northern Europe, who choose to travel and celebrate their wedding in warmer countries such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Mexico, Brazil, etc.

How long does a destination wedding last?

Destination weddings typically last not only on the wedding day but usually between 2 and 5 days, for example, an entire weekend.

The days before and after, the couple often organizes a pre-wedding or post-wedding party, more informal. Alternatively, they organize various activities for the guests to get to know each other and to do tourism arround the area until the big day arrives. For example, a wine tasting or a catamaran ride followed by a brunch.

How to choose the ideal location for your destination wedding?

Choosing the location where the wedding will be held is key when organizing a destination wedding. Deciding which country or area the wedding will take place in will be the first task to do.

To decide on the wedding location, it is important to consider different factors such as:

• The distance of the destination
• Travel requirements for the country
• Legal procedures to conduct a wedding there
• Climate
• The best time of year to hold the wedding there
• Transportation and logistics
• Destination facilities
• Available options: wedding venues, hotels, caterers, etc.
• Price

In addition to these more “logistical” factors, there is also a sentimental aspect. It may be the place of your dreams to celebrate the wedding, a special place where you have lived or studied, or perhaps the city where you met while traveling the world.

Once the location is chosen, it will be time to find the ideal venue for your wedding. We recommend choosing a venue that offers all the necessary services for the wedding: catering, decoration, event coordination, DJ, accommodation, etc. It will save you a lot of time!

Destination wedding in Barcelona

Many couples decide to travel to Barcelona for their destination wedding. Especially for its good climate, gastronomy, beaches, culture and history of the city, the landscape of the area, and good prices.

Can you imagine getting married in a Gothic castle in Barcelona, a typical Catalan farmhouse, or a venue surrounded by vineyards…?

If you want to organize a destination wedding in Barcelona and want to know about our wedding venues, do not hesitate to contact us. At UAUU Weddings and Events, we have all the necessary services for you to organize the wedding of your dreams in the easiest and most comfortable way.

Tips for organizing a destination wedding

• Define the location of your destination wedding: to start planning the entire wedding.
• Start early: Organizing a destination wedding requires more logistical work. We recommend starting the organization well in advance, at least 1 year before the wedding.
• Choose a venue for the wedding that has all the necessary services: We recommend choosing a venue that offers all the necessary services for organizing the wedding (catering, decoration, DJ, wedding coordination, accommodation, etc.). It will be essential for you to be able to organize it easily from a distance. Another aspect to consider is whether you can do all the organization online without having to travel to the destination. Don’t miss our article on how to choose your perfect wedding venue.

• Notify guests in advance: Keep in mind that guests will likely need to take some days off to attend the wedding. Notify them in advance so they can organize themselves. It will also be necessary for them to confirm their attendance in advance so that you can organize accommodation and possible pre-wedding or post-wedding events or activities.
• Organize accommodation and transportation: Booking hotels and accommodations for many guests can be complicated. Our advice is to book accommodations and transportation (buses, taxis, plane tickets, etc.) well in advance to ensure availability. Or if guests do it themselves, send them different recommendations.
• Schedule pre-wedding and post-wedding events: Destination weddings usually last between 2 and 5 days. It is usually not just the wedding day, but since guests have to travel to the destination, activities and events are held before and after the wedding. We recommend planning these activities in advance to create the best experience for your guests.
• Prepare the necessary documentation: You will need to prepare all the documentation to travel to the destination and inform yourself about the legal procedures to formalize the wedding there (if you wish). Guests will also need to prepare documentation, so a good idea is to share with them a document with everything they need to travel to the destination country, to avoid last-minute surprises.
• Hire a Wedding Planner: Organizing a destination wedding is not an easy task. If you think you need help with planning, do not hesitate to hire a Wedding Planner. They can coordinate and organize accommodations, transportation, pre-wedding and post-wedding parties and activities, decorations, etc.
• Enjoy the process: Organizing a wedding can be overwhelming, especially if it is a destination wedding, but it is important that you enjoy the process. Enjoy traveling to the destination to find the best venue, choosing the menu, planning all the details… Our advice is to take it step by step, with time, and let yourself be guided and advised by your wedding coordinator or Wedding Planner.

Organizing a destination wedding is an unforgettable experience. Do not hesitate to contact us to organize your destination wedding in Barcelona.