Choosing Your Actual Destination

So, having decided Portugal you now need to choose where in Portugal if not already done so.
If you have chosen the area book a trip out, meet your wedding planner and get a feel for the area to discuss venues as not all venues may be for you , for example if you are wanting a large wedding where they only cater for 50 people you will need a re-think… (it would be a good idea to re-search some venues beforehand and your wedding planner can help you with this) You could then visit some of your shortlisted venues on this trip.
If you haven’t yet chosen your area, to make your trip simpler chat with your wedding planner beforehand who will go through all the options with you to help get some ideas and decide, then appointments can be made to view some venues, once viewed this is when the real ‘I’m getting married’ feeling kicks in…

Carefully Choose Your Guest List/Define Your Budget

BUDGET the word we would rather ignore but simply can’t.
My advice would be to really spend time on choosing your guest list and do it early as possible as it plays a huge factor in you budget. Most venues will price ‘Per head’ so the more guests you invite the bigger the budget will need to be.
So, lets invite everyone, family, friends, neighbours’ cats and dogs and everyone would love that…. BUT let’s be realistic, start with family and closest friends check the budget and if budget allows invite more people. Or the other way is writing up your guest list and add a budget that fits.

Time Scale Notice For Your Guests/Invites.

If your wedding was local to your home ‘save the dates’ would go out around 6 months before, but for destination weddings I would recommended you to send ‘save the dates’ 9-12 months before the big day, giving your guests time to plan and prepare. Your guests will be just as excited as you are and will have to book time off work, book flights, hotels and they may even book their annual holiday around your wedding, the more notice the better, we feel.
Just a thought, save the dates are the best time to mention whether you will be inviting children to the wedding or not, again giving your guests plenty of time to plan.

Guest Accommodation

When sending out your ‘save the dates’ it’s a great idea to include a list of accommodation and locations close to the wedding venue, I would give details of 5* hotels to budget friendly options.
You won’t be able to predict how your guests will want to travel so leave the price tag down to them.
The best you can do is give them plenty of information up front, so they have time to plan and book and then you have given your guests the tools to work with to plan their trip which gives you more time to concentrate on your perfect wedding.

Setting the scene

Chances are you will choose the venue at first sight which indicates it looks stunning to you, so a great piece of advice is let the surroundings speak for themselves and go for simple, yet sophisticated décor.
The décor is something to add to compliment your amazing venue and to just add a little bit of you as a couple.
I would consider letting your wedding planner, guide you with all of your décor and styling as its very likely they have worked at the venue many many times and will know how to set the scene just perfectly to fit you, your style and your budget.

The Wedding Planner

So, would you have a destination wedding without hiring a wedding planner – I would say NO…
To have someone helping and plan your wedding who is based in the location could be the best decision you make, your planner will have back up plans for anything un-expected.
Your wedding planner will be on hand and does so much more in the back ground from meetings with the venue owners face to face, managing the budget, helping with the design and deco arranging transport, co-ordinating the day, meeting with photographers, arranging the music to arranging the legalities, and a lot of quirky little extra’s along the way.
On the day you will have peace of mind knowing all your planning will come together in a timely fashion so you can enjoy your perfect day, it starts from the transport arriving, guests will be kept informed, the food to be served on time, and the party starts in full swing, giving you freedom to dance the night away with your family and friends, making memories to last a lifetime.

Dressing For a Destination Wedding

When choosing your wedding dress keep in mind the weather at your chosen destination, maybe check out what the typical weather will be in the month you have chosen and if it’s one of the hotter months you may want to think the weight of your dress and maybe go with a lighter material ie; silk, lace or organza and for the groom a great choice is linen which is a natural fibre and breathable or a light colour suit to reflect the sun.
A great tip for the groom and groomsman would be to take 2 shirts so they can change in the evening to a fresh crisp shirt in case the day has been extremely hot and another tip for the bride and bridesmaid for the cooler evenings is a shawl or a wrap.
Thought I would mention footwear, if you have chosen to marry on the beach, the beach can be un-even you would need to consider flat shoes or wedges.

There you have it just some of my top tips for your destination wedding in Portugal
By Faye-Louise

Hope you have an amazing time planning your perfect day, I know you will love Portugal just as much as we do, I can honestly say it is the most stunning location for any wedding and it will not disappoint!!!!!!