It’s official, you are getting married in Bali! It is an amazing wedding destination, but you already know it. Now that you know the location of the wedding, do you know what steps does the process involve? If you are going to get hitched in Bali, you need to get some inside scoop first.
If you want to organise the wedding of the century, and to impress all your guests, you need to understand the beat of this slice of paradise. We offer you some ideas that will help you run your wedding smoothly. Do not hit the panic button, carefully read and we will walk you down the aisle.
Why have a wedding day when you can have a wedding week?
Bali offers everything you need to have a wonderful vacation, so instead of inviting your guests to a destination wedding, you can offer them the opportunity to spend their holiday in an exotic place. And no, you do not have to pay for their stay in Bali. The groom and bride do not have to pay for the costs of the guests; you need to announce them with at least a year ahead, to offer them enough time to save the needed money. What does Bali offer? Well, during your wedding week you can have cocktails, spa treatments, you can go to beach clubs and you can enjoy some fine dining. Bali is famous for pampering its tourists, promote this aspect to your guests when you send the invitations.
Speaking of invitations…do not send them before having the venue
The venue is one of the most important things you will have to check for your wedding. It is as important as the location. It will influence all the aspects of the wedding, from the wedding experience the guests will have, to the tone and type of event you will organise. How do you know that you have booked a good venue? Well, when you have to wait a few months to get the possibility to have your wedding there. Great venues are booked with months in advance. You should not send the invitations before you know for sure that the venue is free to book on the day you want. Send the invitations only after you sign the contract for the venue.
Be creative when choosing the venue
This recommendation might seem obvious. But, you have already decided to have a different wedding, you have decided to plan a destination wedding. Why not going a step further? Instead of having a chapel wedding, you can choose a venue where you can have both the ceremony and celebration. Choose a place that offers you privacy, if you want to have a small wedding with a few guests. Choose a wedding venue that offers personalised services. You are planning the wedding from distance, therefore you need all the help you can get to organise a perfect event. Hire a wedding planner to help you find the venue and organise your Bali wedding. Check if the venue also offers catering services or if the wedding planner will need to find someone to create the menu of the wedding.
Pro tip: choose the venue that will offer you the opportunity to take some breath-taking pictures. Close your eyes and picture your wedding day. This is the answer to your question.
Hire the best wedding planner
As stated above, the wedding planner is one of the key persons in organising a destination wedding. Planning a wedding in Bali is not an easy feat. Hire a person who has experience in organising destination weddings, they will make sure not to leave unfinished last-minute tasks. You do not save money if you intend to plan the wedding by yourself. You can lose money, because if you do not speak Indonesian, you will not fully understand what the caterers, venue providers and florists communicate to you. You do not have a second chance for this day; let professionals do their job. They will work with your budget and will find you the perfect venue, a yummy menu and the most romantic flower arrangements.
Find the vendors, and make sure they are experts
If you have visited Bali before, then you definitely have a favourite restaurant. You can contact the restaurant and check if they offer wedding catering services. Alternatively, you can organise your reception at the restaurant. If you have never stepped in Bali, then you should let the professionals do it for you. Ask the wedding planner to offer you a list of vendors, and choose the one that better suits your needs. Inform the planner on your budget and theme of the wedding, they will make recommendations, according to these aspects.
And now we need to discuss money
Well, this is one of the aspects, people do not like to think about, but now we are talking about a destination wedding, of course it will cost you some pennies. Weddings cost, destination weddings cost even more. Yes, the prices in Bali may be lower than the ones from back home, but you should not forget about the airplane tickets, wedding attire, and healthcare insurance. You have to be real with the budget from the first day you start planning this event. Make a list, include the cost of the venue, the cost of the accommodation, the foods, drinks and flowers. And these are only some of the main aspects you will pay for. Do you want an estimated cost of the wedding? Ask a wedding planner to do the math for you. And do not forget about the honeymoon. You will also need money to organise it.
Recommend accommodation to your guests
Do not forget, they will pay for their accommodation, therefore it has to be close to the venue, but it does not have to be expensive. It is about the experience they will have. This should be a moment they will remember their entire life, and it should be a positive experience. A part of your guests may not be familiar with Bali, they will definitely appreciate the suggestion.
