When is the right time to start planning your destination wedding?
By Laura Rostenberg Sangster, CTA
The exact answer to this question is almost as varied as the number of possible wedding locations! Let’s first consider the required time-frame to secure your desired ceremony date at the resort. High Season in warm weather locations for a Caribbean wedding, Mexico wedding, and Hawaii wedding is from mid-December to mid-April. High Season essentially means the airfare and resort rates are higher, spiking because of the popularity of these four months. High Season in the tropics also correlates with the best months for perfect weather, an important consideration for any bride! Being that resorts sell out first for High Season dates, 12 months out is a good scale for brides preferring this time of year. Following High Season, May and June is the second most popular time of year for Destination Weddings and planning 9 months out is recommended. Fall is peak hurricane season and the least desirable weather-wise, but offers the most advantageous rates. The lower the rates, the more people will likely be able to attend your wedding day“ something to consider if fêting the night away with your entire family and many friends is important! For a fall wedding, you can usually secure your top time choice 6 months out.
Of course, there are other essentials to consider when knowing when to start planning. Because photography is likely the most crucial element to any wedding, many brides are opting to bring their own wedding photographer. Good Destination Wedding photographers and wedding coordinators book out 12 months in advance. Most other necessary vendors such as florists and caterers are based locally and 6 months out is a good plan, longer if you want flowers that are not grown locally. For my own Destination Wedding in Jamaica, I dreamed of a Calla Lillie bouquet, not being grown on the island we had to have them flown in, requiring extra planning time.
Lastly, but certainly not least important, your guests will appreciate as much notice as possible so they will have adequate time to plan and research their own travel plans!
Cheers,
Laura Rostenberg Sangster, CTA
