Having your wedding day in a Caribbean paradise, like the Dominican Republic, is not only a romantic and memorable experience for you but also for all the family and friends who will share this special moment in your life. For you it’s the wonderful dream wedding of a lifetime in an ideal tropical setting and for your guests it’s an opportunity to join in the celebration and holiday with old and new acquaintances. Just a little advance planning and you can be sure to create an event everyone will remember for a very long time. Advance notice is usually a good idea for a destination wedding as it allows your guests the time needed to plan a holiday to coincide with the wedding date and budget for the travel expense.

Couples getting married and planning their wedding, simply want their guests to enjoy the event, have fun and for the day to go pretty much as planned. When you get married in a tropical destination, you can virtually be assured that your guests will have a wonderful and memorable holiday, after all they have arrived in paradise surrounded by family and good friends. As far as planning your Caribbean destination wedding, that can be very easy if you follow some basic rules.

The first question you need to address is what is your vision for your wedding in paradise? Do you see yourself on the beach, exchanging your vows under a canopy of flowers, with the clear blue sea and coco palms as a backdrop or in a tropical garden surrounded by exotic plants? With a Caribbean destination wedding you can really allow your imagination to run wild as there are plenty of options available but as the weather can never be guaranteed, even in the Dominican Republic, it is worth making sure your chosen venue has alternative options available in the event of a tropical storm.

The important thing, more than the actual place is the vision you have; once you have that in mind, you will be free to discuss the arrangements you want with the locally based wedding planner. Most destination wedding locations have a co-ordinator and it is important to ensure they have the flexibility and ability to organise your wedding day as you want it to be and not just as they normally do it. You should also find out if your wedding will be the only one taking place at your location on that day to ensure the wedding planner will not be over committed.

In some cases if you pick a specific location first your “planner” is going to be dedicated to the hotel they work with and some of the extras in your “vision” may not be possible. Choosing a location where you will have exclusivity, such as a private villa specialising in destination weddings, or going to an independent wedding planning service will give you the initial flexibility to help you realize your vision. This can also be an important factor for your budget and will allow you to work more from an a la carte approach versus a total package. Packages are however a good place to start and they usually allow for some flexibility. Most packages will include some basics that are almost always included in at a wedding such as a cake, a variety of ceremonies, flowers, music and the reception. There are lots of other options that can be added to personalize your day but again they at least give you a basis and a place from which to begin your budgeting and planning.

You will also want to check all the legal requirements you will need to comply with if you are intending to marry legally at your chosen destination. Here again, a local planner will be able to provide all the information you need and should be able to arrange all the formalities for you, often as part of the wedding package. In the Dominican Republic for example the formalities are fairly straightforward except for the required document translations into Spanish.

In addition to having your wedding in paradise there are usually lots of additional activities for you and your guests to do, especially in the Dominican Republic. There are plenty of beach days, snorkelling, scuba diving, fishing, golf, and local tours if you are feeling energetic. If not you can just lay back and relax enjoying the company of your family and friends who have chosen to share this special occasion with you.

Some forward planning and a good wedding co-ordinator will ensure your wedding will be a day you and your new husband as well as all your family and guests will remember for always.

About the Author
Adrian Head is Marketing and Events Director at Island Villa Weddings in the Dominican Republic. Island Villa Weddings provide full facilities for Destination Weddings at three exclusive, fully staffed villas near the village of Cabrera. Complete wedding planning packages are offered as well as organizing the legal requirements for marriage in the D.R. Information about Island Villa Wedding can be found at http://www.islandvillaweddings.com