Let’s face it you’re only planning on getting married once and you’ve been saving since you were about seven, still, there’s no way that an economical wedding is going to happen. No way.

When you want a wedding that everyone will talk about for years to come and know that you made all of your dreams come true, you’re talking destination weddings.

One thing you can safely assume about this style of wedding is that you get what you pay for. If you’re prepared to pay a little more, then the difference in quality between a destination wedding that was good and a wedding that was outstanding is very real.

But, how do you know you’re getting the real deal and not going to get ripped off after laying down thousands of dollars? Follow our guide on what to look for when making your wedding a marriage made in Heaven.

Check reviews

When doing your initial research make sure you take time to trawl through the reviews of the hotel offering the package. Make sure that you take them from more than one source and not just the hotel themselves. Take your cue from lifestyle bloggers and bridal websites to get the bigger picture.

If you can, contact the reviewers themselves or hop on a wedding forum to get in direct contact with someone who has used the service of the destination you have in mind.

Keep an open mind

A beautiful Caribbean island might be your idea of the perfect venue but if the hotel and the package isn’t up to scratch, be prepared to keep an open mind and consider alternative destinations. You never know, Mexico might not have even featured on your list but the cross between stunning beaches and picturesque just won your heart.

Make comparisons

Write down a list of what you absolutely must have as part of your package. Do you need help with hair or want to hire a Makeup Artist? How many rooms will you need and what is included and what comes as an optional extra? Once you’ve got your shortlist, you can start to do side-by-side comparisons that will give you a better idea of what you will get for your money and what kind of quality you’re looking at.

As much as you want to, don’t let your heart rule your head. If there are obvious deficiencies in one venue, don’t overlook them. You won’t appreciate trying to find workarounds to problems when you arrive when you should be concentrating on the business of tying the knot.

And what you should be asking

There are so many things you’ll want to ask but some of the basics are going to be the availability of the hotel, in terms of accommodating all the guests you want.

Consider also, the time of year you’re planning on holding the nuptials. What will the weather most likely be like and will there be any issues with pests, such as mosquitos? You’ll want to know if the venue sorts out any administration requirements to hold a wedding with the local council.

For the big day itself you might want to know how the day will run. You’ll want a wedding coordinator and you’ll want to know if there’s a website that guests can visit with all the details they’ll need to plan their trip. Will you have a dedicated room for the bride and her bridesmaids to get changed in and similar for the groom?

In terms of the decorations, you’ll want to double check that absolutely everything is included, specifically chair covers, table decorations, flowers the bridal bouquet and so on.

,Then of course, for the ceremony itself, who is that will officiate? Are you planning on bringing someone yourself? Will the marriage still be recognized as a legal ceremony? Turn your attention to the post-ceremony celebrations, what will the reception look like and how long will you have access to the reception room? You’ll also want to know if there are any other weddings taking place at the same time and figure out if you need to hire in entertainment or if it’s included in the price.

There is also food to consider, especially if you are inviting children or know that you will have guests with specific dietary requirements or allergies. Try not to leave anything to chance.

Ask if the alcohol is included in the price, if you will have to pay extra of if there’s a limit of bottles put out per table.

Lastly, think about the security of the venue. Will there be somewhere that guests can leave coats and wedding presents where they will be safe and out of reach?

Ask your contact if they can send you any photos from previous weddings, so you have a good idea of what your celebration could look like.

However you look at it, getting married is a big deal. You‘ve finally found the one for you and you’re ready to settle down and start your life of bliss together. But you want to kick start this with a wedding that is going to look amazing in photos and give you very many happy memories to look back on in years to come.

The key to making your destination wedding a success is careful planning and not rushing into making any decisions that you will regret later. If you pay a deposit and get cold feet, you could stand to lose thousands so make sure you make your decision wisely. Consider how the venue will manage all your guests in the build-up, during the service and after as well as what’s included in terms of food and drink. Make sure that the ceremony is legally accredited and carried out by an official of the country you are in if required.

Then your job is simply to turn up, have a great time and celebrate the best day of your entire life.