{"id":18232,"date":"2020-02-27T07:00:56","date_gmt":"2020-02-27T12:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/?p=18232"},"modified":"2020-02-27T07:00:56","modified_gmt":"2020-02-27T12:00:56","slug":"the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition","title":{"rendered":"The Do&#8217;s and Don&#8217;ts of Destination Wedding Planning: Couples Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><i>Amira Harris is the owner and destination wedding specialist of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aisletravelcalgary.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Aisle Travel&#x2122;<\/a> based in Calgary, Alberta Canada. Aisle Travel&#x2122; provides Canadian couples with full group travel services, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/online-event-courses\/destination-wedding-planning-specialization\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">destination wedding planning<\/a>, and customized wedding group experiences. In addition to running her own business, Amira is also one of QC&#8217;s leading tutors for the Destination Wedding Planning course.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Today, we will review the do\u2019s and don\u2019ts of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/online-event-courses\/destination-wedding-planning-specialization\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">destination wedding planning<\/a>. This is for all the couples who are having, or even <em>considering<\/em>, a wedding away. Any type of wedding, regardless of where it is, has its challenges. Destination weddings are no different! But if you know what to expect early on, it won\u2019t be so overwhelming and stressful later.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-57.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18239\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-57.png\" alt=\"beautiful Wedding setting on the beach with sunny at Phuket Thailand\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-57.png 672w, https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-57-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition\/#What_to_Do\" >What to Do<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition\/#What_NOT_to_Do\" >What NOT to Do<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_Do\"><\/span><strong>What to Do<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The following can be seen as a check list of things you should do in order to be the most prepared for a successful, stress-free (or at least, stress-reduced) destination wedding. By staying on top of these things, you&#8217;ll be putting yourself in a good position!<\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. Do your research:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s very easy to get swept away when looking at wedding magazines and joining online wedding groups. But you need to keep at least one foot grounded in reality! It\u2019s essential to do your research on the destination you want to travel to. You need to know if you plan to wed on or off a resort, and understand the different options to you in that particular location or country. Some other questions to research are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/destination-wedding-planner-answers-5-most-asked-questions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the marriage requirements<\/a>?<\/li>\n<li>Can we legally get married there?<\/li>\n<li>What are the cultural norms?<\/li>\n<li>Does this location have any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2016\/09\/quiz-know-wedding-traditions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">traditions<\/a>?<\/li>\n<li>How long do I need to be in the country before getting married?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Remember: The local marriage requirements of that destination are a MUST to look into before picking a place and setting a date!<\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Location:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Even though your dream is to get married across the world in a rain-forest, is that actually realistic? Another major factor you have to consider is the travel time for yourselves and your guests. Is it a place they can travel to with ease? Are direct flights an option? Where are your attendees traveling from, and to?<\/p>\n<p>The easier you make it for everyone, the better the turn out will be. Travel time, and making it affordable, has to be sorted out in the initial stages of your planning. Sometimes, we\u2019re so excited about the location itself that we don\u2019t put a lot of thought into the <em>logistics<\/em> &#8211; namely, how it may impact everyone.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-59.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-59.png\" alt=\"Happy newlyweds walk from wedding altar on the sea shore\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-59.png 672w, https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-59-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. Discuss with your immediate family:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>If your plan is to have a destination wedding, discuss this with your family and bridal party <em>before<\/em> booking anything. You want everyone on board with your plans before you set anything in stone. If the most important people in your lives can\u2019t be there, this is something you want to know sooner rather than later. After all, it can very well be a determining factor in whether or not you want to proceed with the wedding at that location.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. Set a wedding budget:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Most people assume that destination weddings are always super expensive. Wrong! Actually, destination weddings <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2019\/06\/skip-these-5-destination-wedding-expenses-you-dont-need\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">can be on the cheaper side<\/a>, so long as your stick to packages and steer away from all the fancy upgrades. It\u2019s easy to get carried away when you add more flowers, or upgrade your linens and chairs for the reception.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2019\/03\/how-to-pull-off-a-destination-wedding-planning-budget\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Set your budget early<\/a>! Figure out an amount that you&#8217;re comfortable spending for your wedding and then remain firm on it. If you\u2019re not sure whether your budget is realistic or not, it may be in your best interest to hire someone with certified wedding and event planning training. A professional wedding planner or destination wedding planner is, by their very nature, an expert in assisting with these sorts of things!<\/p>\n<h3><strong>5. Save the dates:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Give your guests as much notice as possible by sending the Save-the-Dates and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2015\/11\/8-creative-alternatives-to-traditional-invitations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">invitations<\/a> as quickly as you can! This way, they can plan to attend and budget their finances accordingly. The more notice you provide guests, the better the chances are that they&#8217;ll come.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-60.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18242\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-60.png\" alt=\"wedding decor - invitations and envelopes on table\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-60.png 672w, https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-60-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>6. Keeping family and guests in the loop:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>While this step is by no means mandatory, when trying to organize a long-distance wedding, it&#8217;s a smart and extremely helpful way to keep everyone in the know about what&#8217;s going on. The best way to do this is through a wedding website. There you can list everything needed and update it when there&#8217;s new information.<\/p>\n<p>List your wedding date, the time of the ceremony and reception, and the locations\/addresses where everything will be held. If it\u2019s in a different country, list things such as the local currency, things to do in the area, and cultural norms. It&#8217;s also a great idea to have your travel agent\u2019s information listed, so that your guests can book with them as well for the big day. Lastly, you should also consider sharing any important due dates that your guests need to commit to, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Deposit dates<\/li>\n<li>Final payment dates<\/li>\n<li>Meal preferences, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2018\/11\/why-i-switched-from-planning-local-weddings-to-destination-weddings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">professional destination wedding planner<\/a>, I can\u2019t stress enough the importance of having all the information in ONE place. It&#8217;ll help your guests, but most importantly, it&#8217;s help reduce\u00a0<em>your\u00a0<\/em>stress load. Time is precious when planning a wedding, so instead of having to worry about answering all sorts of questions, you can simple direct them to the place where all that info already is!<\/p>\n<h3><strong>7. Hire professionals:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Booking reliable and reputable <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2017\/03\/destination-wedding-planning-101\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">vendors<\/a> is a must! When researching different services and suppliers, make sure you pay attention to the company&#8217;s reviews. Be as thorough as you can to ensure that, to the best of your knowledge, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2018\/12\/how-to-find-the-perfect-vendors-for-your-event-career-in-event-planning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">each business is reputable<\/a> and trustworthy.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-58.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18241\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-58.png\" alt=\"destination wedding ceremony arch with sea view and olives at sunset\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-58.png 672w, https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-58-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Having a certified wedding planner on your side, that can help navigate and do much of the legwork for you, is also a MAJOR stress-reliever. They have the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/clients-hire-wedding-planner-part-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">event planning training and experience<\/a> to ensure your vision comes to life. They can use their knowledge and networking to help you select vendors, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/destination-wedding-planning-trends-your-clients-will-love\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">create your theme<\/a>, and set a realistic budget. Your wedding planner can also make sure you <em>stick\u00a0<\/em>to your budget, and so much more!<\/p>\n<h3><strong>8. Attention:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Your family and friends have traveled (sometimes a long way) to be with you. It\u2019s important to make them feel welcome. There&#8217;s a certain expectation for you to be social, and to some degree, you really should be. You don\u2019t have to spend every waking moment with them, but do plan at least something.<\/p>\n<p>It can be an all-inclusive event for all the guests to get to know each other. It can even be something as simple as stating where you\u2019re going for bunch, in case anyone wants to join. Either way, you need to remember that they are there because of YOU. It&#8217;s part of your responsibility to show them your gratitude, and give them a portion of your time and attention.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_NOT_to_Do\"><\/span><strong>What NOT to Do<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Now that you know the practices that need to be put into place in order to have a smooth, positive experience, let&#8217;s take a look at some of the things you need to definitely avoid doing:<\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. Expect everyone will attend:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Even though most people will <em>want<\/em> to attend, it\u2019s not always possible for everyone to do so. They may not have the budget. Maybe they can&#8217;t get the time off work. It\u2019s possible they already have a planned vacation in the works, and so they can&#8217;t do both. This is one of the biggest causes of stress when planning a destination wedding: will ANYONE attend? How many people will actually be able to go? What if people you really care about won&#8217;t be able to make it?<\/p>\n<p>No matter how much of a head&#8217;s up you give people, you just can\u2019t control who will attend your destination wedding and who won&#8217;t. It may suck, but try to remember that it also isn&#8217;t the end of the world. As long as the most important people are there, you won\u2019t be worried about who isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-61.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18243\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-61.png\" alt=\"bride and groom chair with signs on back\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-61.png 672w, https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-61-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Cheaper alternative:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Just as there&#8217;s the assumption that destination weddings are super expensive, there&#8217;s also the flip-side misconception that destination weddings are always <em>cheaper<\/em> than local weddings. But this is not always the case! Just like with any wedding, it all depends on the amount of guests, what your vision is for your big day, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2018\/06\/stretch-budgets-and-shrink-guest-lists-with-a-certificate-in-event-planning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">what your budget is<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t let this discourage you, though. Many options and alternatives are totally possible, if you have realistic expectations!<\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. Weather:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Having to predict <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/6-common-emergencies-youll-face-the-day-of-the-wedding\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the weather<\/a> in any country &#8211; let alone ahead of time &#8211; is always a gamble. Although you may envision blue skies and sunshine at noon on your big day, it might not be the case when that time actually comes. Maybe it&#8217;ll be too hot to get married outdoors at that time; maybe there will be unruly winds and a dangerous storm. During the planning process, factor in the time of the year it&#8217;ll be, and the sort of weather that location is prone to.<\/p>\n<p>You can at least use that as a starting point for finding the ideal time to get married outdoors. Even though Mother Nature can be unpredictable, the more research you do, the more prepared you&#8217;ll be for any outcome.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. Over-scheduling guests:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Besides your wedding day, plan at least one other event for your guests. For instance, it can be a welcome party once everyone has arrived, or even a bonfire bon voyage at the end of the trip as a thank you. Just don\u2019t schedule <em>daily<\/em> activities and overwhelm your guests (and their calendars) during their entire stay. It\u2019s their vacation, too, so let them enjoy it! Plus, it&#8217;s one less thing you have to worry about!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-62.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"448\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18244\" src=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-62.png\" alt=\"Just married couple on yacht. Happy bride and groom on their wedding day\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-62.png 672w, https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-In-Post-Event-Logo-Overlay-135x135-62-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>5. Sweating the small stuff:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>No matter how much time, planning, or affordable options you provide your guests, there are going to be certain things that will NOT. Be. In. Your. Control&#8230; And that&#8217;s okay! Not everyone will be able to attend, that&#8217;s just a fact. Realistically, not everything will go exactly the way you wanted it to.<\/p>\n<p>Even though that&#8217;s unfortunate, couples need to be understanding. For example, don&#8217;t pressure your guests to attend. Some would love to be there, but just don\u2019t have the means to make it happen. Extra pressure from you will often only make them feel even worse. Try not to focus on those who\u00a0<em>can&#8217;t\u00a0<\/em>make it. Instead, be thankful for all those who\u00a0<em>will\u00a0<\/em>be there! &#x1f642;<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a lot more do\u2019s and don\u2019ts that can be added to the above lists, but in a nutshell, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/our-11-picks-for-destination-weddings-in-2020\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">destination weddings<\/a> require a TON of careful planning! If you don\u2019t allow the distance, or the little things, to get in the way of your vision, it\u2019ll make the whole planning process a lot smoother and more enjoyable. We wish you the best of luck!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Amira Harris is the owner and destination wedding specialist of\u00a0Aisle Travel&#x2122; based in Calgary, Alberta Canada. Aisle Travel&#x2122; provides Canadian couples with full group travel services, destination wedding planning, and customized wedding group experiences. In addition to running her own business, Amira is also one of QC&#8217;s leading tutors for the Destination Wedding Planning course. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":18238,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,4],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[342],"class_list":["post-18232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-from-the-experts","category-wedding-planning-tips"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.6 (Yoast SEO v26.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Do&#039;s and Don&#039;ts of Destination Wedding Planning: Couples Edition - Pointers for Planners<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"QC tutor, Amira Harris, discusses the do&#039;s and don&#039;ts of destination wedding planning, and why you should hire someone with event planner training!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Do&#039;s and Don&#039;ts of Destination Wedding Planning: Couples Edition\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"QC tutor, Amira Harris, discusses the do&#039;s and don&#039;ts of destination wedding planning, and why you should hire someone with event planner training!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Pointers for Planners\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/QCEventPlanning\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-02-27T12:00:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-25.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"672\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"300\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sarah Cavanagh\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sarah Cavanagh\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition\",\"name\":\"The Do's and Don'ts of Destination Wedding Planning: Couples Edition - Pointers for Planners\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-25.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-02-27T12:00:56+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/38b0a9c867412ac1a627821eebb1d192\"},\"description\":\"QC tutor, Amira Harris, discusses the do's and don'ts of destination wedding planning, and why you should hire someone with event planner training!\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-25.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-25.png\",\"width\":672,\"height\":300,\"caption\":\"bride and groom on beach looking at ocean\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Do&#8217;s and Don&#8217;ts of Destination Wedding Planning: Couples Edition\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Pointers for Planners\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/38b0a9c867412ac1a627821eebb1d192\",\"name\":\"Sarah Cavanagh\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/e7e627e8ed93941f7782051800dcd054\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7606.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7606.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Sarah Cavanagh\"},\"description\":\"Sarah Cavanagh is a seasoned writer with more than 20 years of experience and a background in English Literature. She has been part of the QC team since 2019, where she manages social media and crafts blog content across multiple schools. When she\u2019s not working, you can find her writing her debut horror\/romance novel, Hollowed Ground.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/author\/sarah-cavanagh\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Do's and Don'ts of Destination Wedding Planning: Couples Edition - Pointers for Planners","description":"QC tutor, Amira Harris, discusses the do's and don'ts of destination wedding planning, and why you should hire someone with event planner training!","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Do's and Don'ts of Destination Wedding Planning: Couples Edition","og_description":"QC tutor, Amira Harris, discusses the do's and don'ts of destination wedding planning, and why you should hire someone with event planner training!","og_url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition","og_site_name":"Pointers for Planners","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/QCEventPlanning","article_published_time":"2020-02-27T12:00:56+00:00","og_image":[{"width":672,"height":300,"url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-25.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Sarah Cavanagh","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Sarah Cavanagh","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition","url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition","name":"The Do's and Don'ts of Destination Wedding Planning: Couples Edition - Pointers for Planners","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-25.png","datePublished":"2020-02-27T12:00:56+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/38b0a9c867412ac1a627821eebb1d192"},"description":"QC tutor, Amira Harris, discusses the do's and don'ts of destination wedding planning, and why you should hire someone with event planner training!","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-25.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Event-Feature-Event-Logo-Overlay-100x100-25.png","width":672,"height":300,"caption":"bride and groom on beach looking at ocean"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/the-dos-and-donts-of-destination-wedding-planning-couples-edition#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Do&#8217;s and Don&#8217;ts of Destination Wedding Planning: Couples Edition"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/","name":"Pointers for Planners","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/38b0a9c867412ac1a627821eebb1d192","name":"Sarah Cavanagh","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/e7e627e8ed93941f7782051800dcd054","url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7606.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7606.jpg","caption":"Sarah Cavanagh"},"description":"Sarah Cavanagh is a seasoned writer with more than 20 years of experience and a background in English Literature. She has been part of the QC team since 2019, where she manages social media and crafts blog content across multiple schools. When she\u2019s not working, you can find her writing her debut horror\/romance novel, Hollowed Ground.","url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/author\/sarah-cavanagh"}]}},"authors":[{"term_id":342,"user_id":18,"is_guest":0,"slug":"sarah-cavanagh","display_name":"Sarah Cavanagh","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7606.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7606.jpg"},"author_category":"1","first_name":"Sarah","last_name":"Cavanagh","user_url":"","job_title":"","description":"Sarah Cavanagh is a seasoned writer with more than 20 years of experience and a background in English Literature. She has been part of the QC team since 2019, where she manages social media and crafts blog content across multiple schools. When she\u2019s not working, you can find her writing her debut horror\/romance novel, Hollowed Ground."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18232"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18232\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18232"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qceventplanning.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=18232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}