How to Plan a Destination Event: Tips for Weddings, Corporate Retreats, and More

Most of us love to travel. To witness a sunset from the beach or enjoy scenic views far from one’s own city can be therapeutic and exciting and a dream come true for many. It is mainly due to this reason that destination events create endless opportunities for the expansion of one’s horizons and lead to unforgettable experiences.

However, some may shy away from planning destination events due to the complexities of coordination and logistics. What they often overlook is that, with thorough planning, destination events can be just as enjoyable, meaningful, and successful as those held closer to home.

Therefore, whether you’re hosting a destination wedding on the beach, a team-building corporate event in the mountains or a grand bachelorette party in a historic city, we’ve prepared a comprehensive guide packed with essential tips to help you plan a seamless and successful destination event.

Identify a Goal and Budget for Your Event

Before diving into the complexities, take a moment and identify your event’s goal, overall aesthetic, and the budget you’re willing to allocate to the event.

Goals and objectives from event to event. For instance, is the purpose for the day to focus on team-building and relaxation? Knowing what you need to achieve helps make the planning and coordination smooth and hassle-free.

Here’s how to determine the focal point for your event:

• Weddings: focus on the couple’s preference along with the guest experience.
• Corporate Retreats: think about the business goal – whether it’s team-building, training, collaboration, or employee appraisal.
• Social Events (birthday, graduation parties, or bachelorette parties): think about the ambiance, décor, and guest activities to keep them engaged.

Once the objective has been set, it’s time to estimate a budget – the event budget defines the majority of the aspects of the event to what your attendees will have access to, such as:

• Transportation
• Accommodation
• Meals
• Event activities
• Local experiences

Determine the Location

Next, choose the dream destination and venue. For a destination wedding, this can be a location that holds special meaning or value to the couple, whereas for a corporate retreat, it can be any location that enables the employees to relax and have fun – all while maintaining productivity (if that’s one of the goals for the retreat).

Moreover, it’s also significant to consider locations that meet the transport, infrastructure, aesthetics, accommodation, and service quality demands for the event. As the host/organisation hosting the retreat, you’re responsible for ensuring the guests have a comfortable and fun experience at the event. So, it’s important to be mindful of their needs or any aspects of the event that may directly be linked with their time at the destination.

Recruit a Local Event Planner

Planning an event far away from home makes getting décor and other items to the venue a challenge. This can get overwhelming and stressful if you’re not familiar with the destination, local vendors, and how they operate. This is where a local event planner can help you!

Professional event planners have the heads for décor, aesthetics, and customer service. However, they may prove to be costly. If hiring a professional event planner does not fit well within your budget since destination events can be costly to host on their own, consider a sustainable approach by renting out event equipment. Event rental equipment – be it for weddings or corporate retreats – has become a popular option due to the trendy yet cost-effective décor and other necessary event items rental event management companies offer.

Most of these companies also provide delivery, set-up, and pick-up services, which can be highly convenient for destination events – saving you the time and hurdle of logistics.

Iron Out the Logistics of the Stay

Thoroughly planning and coordinating the logistics of the stay can help avoid any last-minute issues and emergencies. Therefore, it can be helpful to establish a clear and realistic event schedule, coordinate transportation, organise meals, and ensure every touchpoint runs smoothly.

Start off by planning an itinerary that outlines the major activities guests can expect at the event along with travel time between locations. Transportation is another central factor to consider – coordinate airport pickups, shuttle/car services to and from the venue, and transport to and from any destination if needed. Make sure to consider accessibility and comfort and watch out for any guests with mobility issues.

Lastly, carefully hire a reliable and good caterer – make sure to check social media reviews to ensure that food and beverages are up to the mark and align with the guests’ preferences (consider any dietary restrictions).

Send Save-the-Dates Early

Make sure to send out the invites timely so the guests have sufficient time to make travel plans. This is particularly significant for international travels. Guests will need time to make visa arrangements and also arrange necessary documentation.

Therefore, send save-the-date at least 8 months in advance and follow up with proper invitations 3 months prior to the event. Another important factor is to provide comprehensive information well in advance so the potential guests can get to planning their travel. Make sure to include all potential details about:

• The destination
• Travel options
• Activities planned
• Even Event
• Local tours and trips

Plan Engaging Experiences

Once all the arrangements are planned and coordinated, another factor to consider is to plan engaging experiences for the days of the event to ensure the guests have a memorable and enjoyable time. Plan unique experiences that make the most of the destination’s offerings.

If you’re hosting a corporate event, organise networking events, team-building activities, or optional tours that showcase the local cuisine, culture, and landmarks. Activities such as hiking, group yoga, or wellness sessions are also great ideas to incorporate at a corporate retreat.

However, if you’re hosting a destination wedding, plan adventure activities such as zip lining, hikes, ATV cars or a group beach/pool day, and fun games such as scavenger hunts, lawn games, and setting up a selfie booth with creative décor all around.

Manage Legal Requirements or Documentation

Consider any legal restrictions, particularly for a destination wedding. Make sure to research marriage licence laws in the country, get permits for public spaces or outdoor events, and secure liability insurance.

Final Thoughts

While planning a destination event may be demanding and overwhelming, the payoff is worth it. With the right planning and coordination, you can create an unforgettable experience for everyone involved. Moreover, whether it is reading the wedding vows out loud on a beach in Europe or relaxing in the Swiss Alps with your co-workers on a Friday – it’s the people and memories created that make an event worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

How to plan for a destination wedding?

To plan a destination wedding, start off by researching destinations, setting aside a budget, hiring a planner, researching marriage laws, sending invites, booking/confirming vendors, and reserving accommodations.

What is the cheapest destination wedding?

The most popular and cost-effective destinations for a destination wedding include the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, Turkey, and Aruba. However, the definition for cheap or affordable varies by the budget. So, make sure to thoroughly research and estimate all potential expenses, including contingency plans, before finalising a location for your event.

What is the minimum cost for a destination wedding?

The average cost of a wedding abroad is estimated to be around £11,099, according to the data collected by money.co.uk. Although this can vary depending on the chosen location and aesthetic you may have in mind for your special day.