You have decided that a destination wedding is right for you, but if you want to leave the country to get married, there are a few things you should consider.

1. Find a reputable wedding consultant. You don’t want to handle this one yourself. Wedding consultants who have handled weddings abroad work closely with travel agents and can provide better deals for their clients and guests. If you know where you are going, check with the resort as many include an onsite wedding planner in the cost of your wedding package. Make sure to ask as many questions as you need to in order to pick the wedding consultant that is the right fit for you.

2. Plan ahead and save. Typically, the earlier you plan anything, the better the savings will be. It is important when plannning a wedding abroad, to get planning as soon as possible in order to manage all the particulars. While it is usually not feasible to visit the location to check on things, it is not a good idea to leave anything to chance and you should start planning at least a year in advance for a foreign wedding.

3. Who is coming? Destination weddings are usually much smaller venues considering that guests are required to incur the cost of the trip in order to attend. Understand that some guests may not be willing or able to attend for this reason.  Before spending money on a Costa Rica wedding, check to see how many people can afford to make it. Look for package deals that include airfare for your guests or all-inclusive resorts that provide activities, food and drinks for even more savings.

4. What are their wedding laws? Things typically do not operate the same way in tropical destinations. If the wedding takes place at a resort, you’ll have to schedule well in advance for the ceremony and make sure to investigate their policies regarding marriage licenses, the wedding officiate and any fees the locals charge. Your wedding consultant should be able to answer these questions for you.

5. Be open to change. You can picture in your mind the perfect winter getaway wedding but despite the romantic notions you conjure up, you may need to be a little more practical. Choosing a popular travel time means hordes of people populating the resorts and higher prices. Choosing an off-season time such as April will result in a less populated resort as well as less money from your bank account (as well as your guest’s). These changes won’t affect your nuptials but it will save your pocketbook.

Destination weddings can be quite exciting. Just be sure to know what you need to do beforehand so there are no surprises on your special day.