With a 400-percent increase in destination weddings in the past 15 years, it is important for couples to know what they face when planning a wedding away from home. We’ve asked some of the industry’s top planning professionals to give you the scoop.

The important thing for couples getting married these days is to stand apart from the crowd. They want to have a unique and memorable ceremony that reflects their individuality. “A destination wedding gives you instantaneous uniqueness, and sets you apart from all your other contemporaries who are getting married,” says Joe Monastero. Monastero owns his own event planning company in Chicago, JSM Private Events, and he knows a thing or two about planning destination weddings. He continues, “All weddings are inherently the same in that the basic structure is universal. It is through careful and skillful planning that a wedding becomes unique.”

The Pros
Having a destination wedding can prove to be a lot easier than the traditional hometown soirée. Guests lists are cut to a minimum leaving the bride and groom with less expectations from their invitees. Martha Greenwood with Big Events Incorporated states, “Destination weddings are a great option for those brides needing to keep the guest list small, but who are also confronted with a large list of friends in their hometown. Some brides do not want the stress of a large wedding.” Venue variety is also a plus for a destination wedding couple. The location can be chosen sentimentally based on a previous vacation. Many couples choose to revisit the spot where they were engaged or shared another relationship milestone. “Some couples return to their ethnic roots for a truly traditional experience,” Monastero says. The most popular of wedding destination spots is the beach. Between the Caribbean and the Pacific, there are many wonderful destination wedding spots from Jamaica to Barbados to Hawaii. Plus, the tropics can almost guarantee perfect weather.

The Cons
Planning a destination wedding isn’t always such a bowl of cherries. Budget constraints and guests’ expenses are just a few of the minor obstacles that destination couples must overcome. “One obstacle of a destination wedding is customs,” says Greenwood. Coming into a foreign country to get married doesn’t always work out according to plan. Monastero adds, “First depending upon the location, language barrier could be a major issue. Along that same vein, cultural differences in the accepted ‘norm’ of a wedding can be in conflict with a bride’s presupposed idea of what her wedding should entail. Second being in a foreign location, be it a different U.S. city or foreign country, finding reputable and reliable vendors can become a nightmare, as well as navigating the legalities of marriage in a foreign country.”

The biggest difference between a destination wedding and a traditional hometown wedding is the budget. It changes drastically. Monastero speaks below about the dissimilarities.“There are significant changes to a budget when planning a destination wedding. If the destination is in the United States, then for the most part, budget elements will remain the same, with the exception of increased transportation costs. Regardless of where you have your destination wedding, if you are ‘picking up the tab’ for your guests’ travel, that significantly increases your costs.

Surprisingly, however, is that when going to a foreign country for a wedding, certain costs can be dramatically reduced. Flowers, for instance, are generally much cheaper in foreign countries, especially Europe. This, of course, is not the case if you are using flowers not indigenous to the area, but even so, the cost is usually less. Food cost is about the same as the United States, however, in many foreign countries, buffet service is standard at weddings and so while you are paying the same amount, you are actually getting quite a bit more food. Liquor costs are usually far less with a destination wedding.

The biggest difference in wedding budgets when having a destination wedding is affected by the simple fact that, usually, when you have a destination wedding you have fewer people. Unless you are hosting their travel expenses, you will have a much lower return on your invitations than an at-home wedding, and so you will be spending less from the perspective that you have far fewer people.”

A Word of Advice
One important tip couples should definitely consider is paying additional cost for their own coordinator, even if the hotel provides a coordinator for them. Greenwood explains, “The bride’s wedding consultant as compared to the hotel’s consultant protects the interest of the bride on each element. Most brides and family have never given a wedding and do not know negotiating points to address with the venue. We know where to ask for discounts for the bride and act on her behalf when working with the venue. Also the planning of the wedding far exceeds the details of the hotel and the day of the wedding. We walk the bride through planning the design of the wedding from day one…the invitations, the music, the flowers, menu, even down to the flow of the reception.” Because planning a wedding can be difficult whether in your own back yard or on the beautiful beaches of the islands, we urge you to hire a wedding coordinator to help with every detail. These professionals will help implement your visions so that your wedding destination will be your dream come true.