Planning a destination wedding is one way for a couple to lessen the time it takes to plan the wedding. With destination weddings, the majority of the work is done by the staff and others at the destination. While these weddings are sometimes thought to be more expensive than a local wedding, there are some financial reasons why the destination wedding might be the best choice for your needs. As is the case with any wedding, planning ahead is the key to pulling off a successful destination wedding and getting to enjoy the accompanying honeymoon.

Getting Help
When you are planning a destination wedding, you need to find a wedding consultant or planner in the destination area that specializes in working with couples from out of town, especially if you are from out of that state or country. Most places require you to meet certain residency requirements. This is something an experienced wedding planner can help you with. An alternative to this is to get married on a cruise, as cruise ships usually offer weddings that don’t have residency requirements.

Financing the Event
According to Smart Money, destination weddings are often less expensive than traditional weddings. The magazine attributes this to the fact that certain colleagues, family members, and friends may feel obligated to attend a local wedding. However, a destination wedding provides an easy “out” for those people. As such, you won’t have to pay for food and other expenses for that person.

Faking It
When the requirements to have a wedding at your preferred destination seem to be daunting, there is an alternative to tying the knot there. Before you leave on your trip, you can get married by a justice of the peace in your hometown. Once you are at the destination, you can still have your “show” wedding complete with the wedding party, decor and gown. Your guests will never be the wiser unless you tell them.