From booking beachfront villas to getting legal documents translated (yes, that’s a thing), planning a wedding abroad comes with a few more moving parts than a local “I do.” But with a well-paced destination wedding checklist, the process can actually feel fun, inspiring, even a little glamorous. Here’s your complete month-by-month guide to pulling off the most incredible celebration of your life.
9–12 Months Before
This is where the dream turns into a plan. Think big, then start putting those ideas into motion.
- Choose your destination and venue
- Set your budget
- Pick a wedding date (keep an eye on hurricane season and local holidays)
- Research legal requirements for marriage at your destination
- Hire a destination wedding planner or travel agent
- Finalize your guest list and collect contact info
- Book room blocks or preferred accommodations for guests
- Secure the venue and put down your deposit
- Send out save-the-dates
- Create your wedding website with key details and RSVP info
- Book core vendors: photographer, videographer, florist, caterer, officiant
- Shop for wedding attire and decide on the overall style
The foundation of your destination wedding checklist is all about logistics, but done right, it also shapes the guest experience in the most thoughtful way.
6–9 Months Before
Now it’s about building character into the day – the kind of little details that make guests say, “This is so them.”
- Order your dress, suit and accessories
- Choose bridal party outfits and confirm colours
- Book your DJ or live musicians
- Plan any group excursions or pre-wedding events
- Finalize ceremony details: symbolic vs. legal, religious vs. civil
- Start welcome bag plan and order any custom items
- Confirm decor and rental needs with your planner or vendor team
- Decide on your menu direction and schedule a tasting if possible
Every destination wedding checklist needs space for fun. This is when signature cocktails, steel drum bands and sunset rehearsal dinners start to shine.
4–6 Months Before
The bookings should be locked in. Now it’s time to fill in the blanks and start gathering all the tangible pieces of your wedding day.
- Mail out formal invitations
- Order wedding bands
- Schedule hair and makeup stylists for the wedding day
- Purchase accessories, vow books, signage and décor elements
- Secure any necessary vaccinations, visas or blood tests
- Start building your playlist for the ceremony and reception
- Purchase wedding favours and any printed paper items (programs, menus, etc.)
- Double-check with guests to make sure they’ve booked flights and hotels
A well-paced destination wedding checklist will keep you ahead of stress – and this stretch is all about preparation, not panic.
2–3 Months Before
Now that the big-ticket items are in motion, it’s time to refine the experience and check in with your team.
- Confirm final RSVP numbers and start the seating chart
- Finalize the wedding timeline with your planner or coordinator
- Write your vows and choose ceremony readings
- Schedule pre-wedding beauty appointments (waxing, facials, nails)
- Order your guest welcome letters
- Prep travel packets for guests (maps, schedules, local recs)
- Book your honeymoon if it’s not already set
By this point, the destination wedding checklist should feel like a living document – evolving and adapting to each beautifully unfolding detail.
1 Month Before
The countdown is officially on, and it’s time to get seriously organized.
- Have your final dress fitting
- Double-check all legal requirements and documentation
- Finalize the seating chart and print your place cards
- Confirm all bookings with your vendors
- Schedule delivery of any items to your hotel or planner
- Finalize ceremony script and music selections
- Prep tip envelopes for vendors
- Put together your wedding emergency kit
One of the perks of a solid destination wedding checklist is the freedom to focus on the joy, not just the juggling.
1 Week Before
Get your bags in order, tie up loose ends at home and give your future self a break.
- Start packing your wedding attire and accessories
- Ship or assign any extras (favours, signs, etc.) to trusted friends
- Organize documents in a carry-on folder (passports, vendor contacts, etc.)
- Apply for a marriage licence if your destination requires it upon arrival
When You Arrive
You’re there. Take a moment to breathe, savour something local and get your bearings.
- Meet with your planner and walk through the event spaces
- Do a hair and makeup trial
- Confirm flower delivery, setup timing and vendor arrival
- Rehearse the ceremony
- Deliver welcome bags to the hotel or the front desk
This is the heart of it all – the space between effort and celebration. The right destination wedding checklist leaves room for moments that matter.
Wedding Day
The sun’s up, the champagne’s chilled and everything’s exactly how it should be. Now all that’s left to do is get married!
- Eat a light breakfast
- Give rings and your marriage licence to your planner or officiant
- Keep water nearby (and maybe a mimosa, too!)
- Assign someone to handle your phone and logistics
- Embrace the mess if anything goes sideways – it’s real life, and it’s beautiful
- Celebrate the day that was built for you two
From first sip to last dance, this moment is the whole reason the destination wedding checklist exists.
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