Planning a Winter Tropical Destination Wedding

It may be hard to think about it during the hot summer months, but before you know it, the cold air will return, the snow will be falling, and everyone will be wishing that they could escape to someplace warm. Enter the destination wedding! There is nothing better than getting married with a warm breeze in your hair, the sand under your toes, and the sun on your shoulders when the rest of the world is freezing in the ice and snow back home. This is what you need to keep in mind to plan a successful winter destination wedding.

Location, location, location. It is as true in weddings as it is in real estate. When you are planning a winter tropical destination wedding, it is important to choose an island that is warm all year long. Many people may not realize that a place like the Bermuda does get fairly cool in the winter; the average high temperature is in the upper 60s to around 70 in December and January. A far cry from the average high of 22 degrees in Minneapolis in January, to be sure, but it is not the best choice if you want to swim in the ocean. On the other hand, islands like Aruba and Jamaica tend to have temperatures in the mid 80s, making the weather ideal for a destination wedding. (Also keeping in mind that by December, hurricane season has ended in the Caribbean).

After you have done your due diligence on the best winter weather in the tropics, you can get on to the fun part, which is choosing your wedding details. The bride will want to find an appropriately breezy and light wedding gown and set of jewelry for a tropical wedding. The good news is that unlike in regular fashion, you can find summery bridal gowns in shops at any time of the year. The same is likely to be true of beach wedding jewelry, although you may find a wider selection in the warmer months.

For your bridesmaids, if you are planning to order dresses from a traditional bridesmaid line, you will again find no difficulty. On the other hand, if you were hoping to have your attendants each pick out their own unique dress, then they will need to do so before September when the summer styles disappear from the stores. One nice thing is that they will be able to take advantage of the end of season sales in the department stores and boutiques.

The winter months can be very busy, especially around the Christmas and New Year holidays. If you are scheduling your destination wedding for this time, be sure to send out your save-the-date cards months in advance. This will alert your guests to keep their calendars open, and will also give them time to book their airfare and hotel early for the best rate. Bear in mind that if you are planning a wedding in the few days right before or after Christmas, you are likely to get a fair share of invitations that are declined due to family obligations.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember about planning a winter destination wedding to the tropics is to enjoy it! Let the resort’s staff worry about the details while you relax and enjoy the time with your loved ones in a tropical paradise. This is the perfect way to start a happy new marriage.