Planning for gay destination weddings can be exhausting, confusing, and expensive. From the DJ to the venue to the seemingly endless expense (not to mention trying to figure out where to seat your partner’s Trump-supporting uncle …) putting your gay wedding together can be challenging.
ManAboutWorld has put together the ultimate guide to Honeymoons, Weddings, and Celebrations, with answers, advice, and hand-holding guidance about gay destination weddings (and much more) from the industry’s top gay wedding and honeymoon specialists.
Here’s a slice of what you can expect in this info-packed guide: a few sanity-saving tips from our most trusted sources:
1. Selecting the perfect destination and hotel for you wedding: determining gay-friendliness, ensuring privacy and staff training
“Selecting the perfect destination (to start) and hotel (to follow) is not necessarily a walk in the park,” said Brennon Zwingli of OUT Adventures. “Same-sex couples need to consider what it is they are looking for in a destination. And of course, the prospective countries politics and laws towards same-sex marriage will impact the decision.
2. Determining the timeframe for the wedding and related festivities is a crucial step.
Ask yourself: is this simply about the ceremony and a night on either end or is this a multi-day wedding experience that includes events throughout the period? Budget (yours and that of your average guest) will largely drive consideration but just as important is the distance guests travel.
“Ideally, give guests one-two days to arrive and settle in before the ceremony and another one to two days to recover after the party, but not more than this,” said Jonas Rask of RASK Travel. “Destination weddings should not, in any event, exceed 7 nights (including flights).
3. Building excitement and providing timely information through smart, tech-enabled communications that are specific to weddings.
“A web designer is a great investment,” said Rask. “That person could be crucial in making the communication with your guests a lot easier and entertaining. Send a save-the-date email to the guests as soon as the main arrangements are confirmed. Consider creating a dedicated website and a wedding app with all the needful information about the wedding, the destination, the guest list and more. A wedding app is a great way to enhance communication between you and the guests and between the guests themselves.
Rask added, “Get social. Create a dedicated hashtag on Instagram and/or a page on Facebook for your friends to share pictures and memories about the wedding.”
4. Avoiding hidden costs and costly mistakes by thinking about budget considerations specific to weddings.
“The best way to avoid hidden costs and costly mistakes is working with a wedding planner. You’re most likely getting married for the first and last time while your planner will hopefully have a few weddings under their belt,” said Hannes Palsson of Pink Iceland.
“Your planner’s expertise will save you countless hours and many costly mistakes, more than making up the fee they will charge you. Decide how much you are comfortable with spending on your wedding and if you’ve chosen a good planner they will make sure your money works hard for you. Items that couples typically forget to account for include guest transfers, staff meals and overnight accommodation where applicable, tech transfers and setup at remote locations, bus snacks for guests and kilometre fees for suppliers like officiants, photographers or hair and makeup, who may have to travel long distances to provide their service.
5. Planning a memorable (in a good way) ceremony.
“Same-sex ceremonies are often very personalized experiences that reflect the couple and don’t often follow the traditional framework of a heterosexual wedding,” said Zwingli. “For guests attending a same-sex ceremony for the first time, this might come across as “different” or somewhat awkward. To ensure a memorable experience (in a good way) for all involved, it is crucial that the ceremony truly embodies the values and traditions of the couple.”
Click/tap here for a FREE three-month subscription to ManAboutWorld to download the free Guide to Weddings, Honeymoons and Celebration Travel along with other free and paid guides.
Photo credits: From top: Bears Hammock by Dylan; Champagne Flutes by Juan Antonio Capó Alonso; Swan Towel by MudFlapDC; Villa Bart by Speelman; Honeymoon Pier by Dylan.
Don't forget to share: