How to plan your destination wedding in Europe

A destination wedding can be expensive and stressful, so do your research before you book anything. The main things to think about are the timing, the weather and whether your guests can travel. With some planning, all of that is manageable.

Manuela and Chris, above, married at Villa Regina Teodolinda on Lake Como, with a ceremony on a terrace above the water.

The location sets the mood of the day. Think about how easy and how expensive it is to get there, how long the journey takes, and whether the place fits the feel you want: beach, rustic or formal.

Did you first travel together in France? Bring your friends and family to the south of France or the Dordogne. Katie and Joe married at Château de Lacoste, near Sarlat, in the small church near the château.

Did the proposal happen on Lake Como? Then a wedding at one of the lakeside villas on Lake Como might be the answer.

These articles can help with the decision:

Wedding venues in the Dordogne

Wedding venues in the south of France

Every season has its pros and cons. Autumn brings a higher chance of rain and cooler days, and winter can be cold. Spring weather is changeable. Summer is usually hot and, at popular destinations, more expensive because of the tourists.

Katie and Joe chose October: the trees around the lawn had turned orange.

A wedding abroad can cost less than one closer to home. Knowing what you will not spend money on shows you how much you can put into other areas. Many couples now look for vendors with a personal style, such as a destination wedding photographer, and the hard part is finding the right balance between quality and price. For reference, my full-day coverage starts from €2,800 (10 hours), with travel within France included.

If you can, travel to your destination at least once while you plan. You can see venues and places to stay, find a restaurant for the rehearsal dinner and meet vendors in person.

More about visiting France:

Holidays in the Dordogne

A honeymoon in the south of France

A wedding planner can find vendors for every part of the day and keep things running. When you hire one, make sure they know the local industry well: they can tell you which companies are good from experience.

With or without a planner, have video calls with your vendors. You will get a sense of who they are and how they work, and any red flags show up early.

On a tighter budget you can choose vendors yourself. Most venues offer catering, a DJ, flowers and a celebrant. You may also want a photographer who works at destination weddings; here are some questions to ask your destination photographer before you book.

This one is tricky: is it about the budget or the number of people? Consider both. Travelling is tiring, so make it as easy as possible for the people you most want there, especially those who live far away.

A good rule for a destination wedding is to invite the people closest to you, the ones who would be there anyway. Do not feel bad if a few names come off the list; you can always celebrate with them later.

Victoria and Ryan’s family and friends came all the way from the USA for their wedding at Château Le Petit Verdus, near Bordeaux.

Your guests need time to prepare. Imagine a wedding 1,000 km from home and telling people a week before: it would not work. Send the invitations at least six months before the wedding.

The exact venue can come later; the town or region is enough to start with.

You do not have to arrange your guests’ accommodation, but they will appreciate a list of places to stay at different prices. Most people like staying near other guests. Check the distance from the hotels to the venue and to the airport: if a place is close to the venue but far from the airport, plan a shuttle, taxis or another way to get there.

Choosing a dress for a destination wedding is not as simple as it sounds. You need to know where the wedding will be and what the climate is like. A summer wedding in the south of France will be hot, so choose a fabric that keeps you cool and still looks good in the heat.

Christina and Emil came from Sweden to marry at a family-owned villa in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, on the French Riviera.