If you and your partner are considering a destination wedding there are a few questions you might want to ponder before sending out your invites.
Travels with Baggage writer Jody Robbins joined Global Calgary on Wednesday with details.
Will the ceremony be legal?
Whether a wedding ceremony will be legally binding depends on the country you’re visiting and the resort.
“In Jamaica, for example, every wedding is legal,” Robbins said.
“This is something that does come up with destination weddings,” she added.
“I had a girlfriend who got married on a Caribbean island and it turned out it was just a blessing ceremony and she didn’t realize that.”
On its website, the government of Canada recommends those planning to marry in a foreign country “contact the nearest embassy or consulate of the country where the marriage will occur to determine the legal requirements for your marriage.”
“Canadian government offices abroad can also provide information about laws and regulations in the countries where they are located.”
Is the location accessible to all of your guests?
If you have specific guests you definitely want to attend your wedding you’ll have to make sure it’s reasonable for them to visit the venue.
For example, Robbins points out that not all foreign wedding destinations may be LGBTQ friendly.
Another concern is that ceremonies in the sand may not be reasonable for guests with mobility issues.
Will guests need vaccinations or have any health concerns?
If guests are pregnant, trying to conceive or have young children, they may not be willing to travel to certain hot-weather destinations due to Zika concerns.
“Even though we don’t hear about it in the news as much, the risk is still there,” Robbins cautioned. “So you just want to think about that.”
(The government of Canada has a list of countries with recent or ongoing Zika virus risks on their website, which was last updated on Dec. 20.)
Other guests may be willing to attend your destination wedding but might have to get vaccinated before their trip.
“Vaccinations such as rabies and yellow fever have been in short supply this fall and winter,” warned Robbins. “So make sure that you plan that out far enough out in advance.”
Will it be affordable for your guests?
Getting married abroad may be cheaper for you and your partner, but will your guests be OK spending the extra money?
“Destination weddings typically run around $10,000 whereas an average wedding in Canada is about $30,000, so it’s cheaper for the couple — but the guests incur that,” Robbins said.
She said guests to destination weddings normally have to pay about $2,000 each.
“Some places, like Sandals, do offer free weddings if you book in for three nights.”
What time will your DJ be shut down?
If you’re hoping to party all night long you may be surprised to find out that’s not always an option.
On her website, Robbins suggests an important thing for couples to check is what time the resort will force the DJ to wrap up, warning that a lot of locations cut off the entertainment at 10 p.m.
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