Collage of three images with a place setting with white plates and napkins, a staged image of the invitation, brides jewelry and shoes, and green plant accents, and an image of a resort building with the palm trees to the side of the shot

Your Ultimate Destination Wedding Checklist

A complete step-by-step guide to your perfect day in paradise. Here’s your ultimate destination wedding planning checklist.

Congratulations! Your journey to happily ever after is about to begin. Whether you dream of a beachfront ceremony in Mexico, a romantic escape to Italy, or a tropical paradise in the Caribbean, planning a wedding away from home is an unforgettable experience.

The fact is, planning a destination wedding vs a more traditional wedding isn’t as different as you might think. To help give you some better insight, our Destination Wedding Specialists at D’Amico Travel have crafted this step-by-step destination wedding checklist to get you through the entire process—from choosing the perfect location to saying “I do” with the ocean as your backdrop.

How long does it take to plan a destination wedding?

The steps for planning a destination wedding aren’t much different from organizing a wedding closer to home, although much less stressful and more affordable. Many elements of the checklist remain the same—you still need to book a venue, choose a theme, find vendors, create your guest list, send out invitations, and so on. The good news? With the right plan, it’s easier than you think!

Typically, planning a destination wedding takes between 12-14 months. But if you’re working with a shorter timeline, don’t worry! Destination weddings can be planned more quickly, especially if you choose an all-inclusive resort or a venue with built-in services.

One key difference between a destination wedding and a local wedding is that your guests will need more time to prepare. Booking flights, securing passports, and arranging PTO days doesn’t happen overnight! So to make sure everything runs smoothly, try booking your venue and key vendors at least 12 months in advance. This timeline will give you enough space to secure the best locations while allowing your guests enough time to RSVP and make travel arrangements.

Get ready for your dream getaway! Download this all-inclusive step-by-step Destination Wedding Checklist PDF to print and have it at-the-ready at all times.

A destination wedding setup with wooden chairs and a rectangular arch with big green fern leaves and flowers with the ocean in the background

Destination Wedding Checklist: 12+ Months Out

Time to make some of those big decisions that will create the framework for your perfect destination wedding.

Choose your destination: Mexico? Dominican Republic? We’re so curious to find out! If you aren’t sure, we’ll help you get started with a questionnaire that will have you plan your vision and logistics. We’ll use our first hand experience and extensive knowledge to help narrow down countless options.
Vet potential venues and schedule virtual site visits to get a complete walk-through of the resort. On the call, you want to make sure to get the full run through and look out for any potential red flags.
Book your hotel + venue and confirm your wedding date: It’s all happening! 🎉
Set a budget ($): Lay out the costs for your wedding ceremony, reception, travel, accommodations, any additional activities, events, and guest favors.
Hire a Destination Wedding Specialist: Onboarding an expert to help you with navigating contracts, negotiations, coordinating logistics (& so much more!) can truly be a game-changer when it comes to planning your destination wedding.
Dream up your wedding vision: theme, colors, and other exquisite details.
Review all legal requirements & documentation needed.
Start building your guest list: If you’re having an all-inclusive destination wedding, inviting more people to your wedding can help you save money, because the more rooms you fill, the better the resort price! It’s also worth noting that only about 40-50% of the people invited to a destination wedding will actually say “YES” to being your guest.

Pro tip: Familiarize yourself with the resort before the call so you can ask the appropriate questions. Check out maps of the resort and surroundings for any potential red flags, such as if the venue is located next to a highway or an agricultural area. Ask these key questions during your virtual tour! It also can’t hurt to read reviews from past couples to get a feel for the resort’s services.

Close up of four bridesmaids in white robes with green ferns and a bride with a white robe holding up a champagne bottle while the bridesmaids hold up champagne glasses

10-11 Months Out: Planning Key Milestones

You’re still in the early planning stages, so have this destination wedding checklist at the ready:

Choose your ceremony venue & locations for private events you want to throw.
Connect with your resort’s wedding planner and coordinator and make sure you vibe well.
Secure your room block with your Destination Wedding Specialist.
Send out Save the Dates: Can either be in digital or printed form—just make sure they include travel details. Our team will help you with this!
Create your wedding website: Don’t forget to allocate a little bit of your budget and time for this task! Post relevant booking info, itinerary details, and FAQs to keep your guests informed. We actually create a wedding website on your behalf as part of our complimentary service as your Destination Wedding specialists.
Scout potential vendors: Once you’ve secured the resort, time to book your key vendors like photographer, videographer, officiant, DJ, florist, etc.
Travel logistics: Make sure your passports are up-to-date if you’ll be traveling internationally—passports must be valid for at least 6 months from the return date. You can remind your guests about this through the wedding website and save the date cards.

Close up of a brides hand with her engagement ring on her finger holding her bouquet over the dress

6-9 Months Out: Let the Details Take Shape

Get those planning gears really going:

Work with your destination wedding planner to plan any additional wedding events. Think: welcome cocktail party, rehearsal dinner, day after brunch, etc. Time to map out the fun!
Shop for your wedding dress & schedule any needed gown alterations.
Buy your flights: Make sure to check with the airline about carrying your wedding dress onboard the plane.
Confirm your wedding photographer and videographer with the venue.
Finalize your guest list and send out invitations. Remember that about 40% will end up attending.

Two clear hexagon plates engraved with bride and groom on them laying on top of a big green leaf

4-6 Months Out: Finalize Your Vision

Let your dream destination wedding to come to life just as you’ve imagined with these checklist items:

Brainstorm additional group activities with your partner and coordinator.
Start selecting the menu(s). Make sure to include your guests dietary restrictions, if any.
Let’s get gorgeous: Schedule your spa, hair, and nail appointments for yourselves and the wedding party.
Schedule trial runs for your wedding hair and makeup.
Finalize your wedding ceremony and reception details (decor, flowers, cake).
Confirm ceremony and reception locations and request any changes if needed.
Review the final contracts with your destination wedding planner.
Follow up with guests who haven’t RSVP’d yet.

Pro tip: If you’re planning a civil ceremony, legal paperwork for the wedding is usually due 60 days prior to your wedding day. So, make sure that you and your partner have plenty of time to send out all the forms and documents needed to make your ceremony official.

View behind the bride showing just her hair and her hands holding a letter from the groom

2-3 Months Out: Putting It All Together

At this point in your destination wedding planning, all of the major details should be pretty set in stone. Now’s the time to keep in touch with your coordinator as you:

Finalize the wedding guest list and room requirements. Your Destination Wedding Specialist will send you your final guest list after the final payment due date. You’ll have access to this list throughout the process with the inventory link D’Amico Travel will provide.
Finalize your wedding vows! Don’t worry – if your words come from the heart, your partner will love them!
Confirm any requested readings, songs, traditions, etc., with the coordinator and make sure all is in order for the big day.

Say ‘I Do’ to a Destination Wedding today! Book a free call with us and let’s get started.

Modern place settings at a destination wedding reception with wooden tables and white place settings and green and floral arrangements

1 Month Out: The Finishing Touches

With just one month left before your dream destination wedding, review the checklist below so things will be as stress-free as possible:

Confirm all decor, floral, cake, and extras with your coordinator.
Confirm the food and drink menu for all wedding-related events: the rehearsal dinner, cocktail reception, wedding reception, etc.
Confirm the timeline of events + special requests with your wedding coordinator.
Finalize reception chart and seat cards (if applicable) and send them to the wedding coordinator.
Arrange a private dinner on the beach for you and your partner for when you arrive. This will help you center yourselves before all the big events start!
Have your program, menu, place cards, etc. printed (if applicable.)
Shop for welcome bag goodies for your guests (if desired.)
Review your wedding contract and make any final adjustments to it if needed.
Start putting together your destination wedding packing list. Are you beach ready, yet?

Destination wedding set up under a covering with white chairs and a simple arch with green leafy arrangement around half of it and palm trees in the background

1 Week Before: The Adventure Begins!

Only one week left until your magical day.

Arrive at the resort! It’s all happening 🙂
Meet with the wedding coordinator to go over all details, the timeline, and any last-minute changes.
Do a walk-through of the ceremony and reception area.
Arrange for a welcome bag room drop, if desired.
Steam and prep: Leave your wedding day wear with the coordinator to be steamed and prepared for your big day.

A bride and groom posing at a resort among a lot of palm tree trunks

Wedding Day: Celebration Time 🎉

Today is the day you’ve been dreaming of – your wedding day! Here’s how to start your unforgettable journey on the right note:

Have a nice breakfast.
Go to your hair appointment at the salon or your suite – don’t forget your wedding accessories and flowers and all those beautiful extras you may have.
Pre-ceremony photo shoot: Capture the magic before walking down the aisle.
Say your ‘I Dos’: Enjoy a ceremony filled with love, laughter, and maybe even a few happy tears.
Party time! Dance the night away, toast to your love with a drink in hand, and soak in every moment.

Your wedding day flies by, but hey, good call on planning a destination wedding because the party lasts much longer! The planning process is as unique as your love story, and we’re here to make sure that every step is an unforgettable journey towards creating the destination wedding of your dreams.

At D’Amico Travel, we love using our travel expertise to help our clients create a memorable and stress-free planning experience. Book a free call with our team today – we’ll guide you through our simple planning process to help the destination wedding of your dreams come to life!

💡 Pro Tip: Download our free printable destination wedding checklist so you can track your progress every step of the way.