Nowadays, destination weddings are all the rage, and it’s easy to see why. Your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so why not make it an exotic adventure in a place you’ll remember forever? If you happen to be marrying someone from a different country, you may be considering your partner’s home country as the most likely candidate to hold your nuptials. If that’s the case, then congratulations! You’re in for quite the experience, in addition to having what many consider to be the best day of their lives. Nonetheless, it’s only human that you’d have a few concerns about venturing abroad that need addressing. To help you on this exciting journey, here are five things you’ll want to keep in mind when getting married in your partner’s country.

Don’t Feel Like You Have To Cut the Guest List

When you first decide you’re going to have a destination wedding, you may be concerned with who makes the guest list. To avoid any hurt feelings, it’s typically recommended not to cut the guest list based on who you think won’t show. Instead, treat the guest list like you normally would and allow others to make the decision for themselves. Many will want to take advantage of the situation to not only be there for their favorite couple, but to extend their stay and turn it into an amazing vacation.

Make An Effort To Communicate With Your Partner’s Family

Depending on the circumstances, this could potentially be the first time you’re meeting your partner’s family face-to-face, and like any other situation where you’re newly becoming acquainted, first impressions are important. Naturally, this can be a bit more difficult when different languages come into play and create communication barriers between you and your partner’s friends and family. However, making an effort to communicate and convey your earnest intentions anyway will go a long way in establishing kinship with them. Your partner is probably aware they’re about to become a full-time translator during your stay, so take advantage of their help, and never underestimate the power of eye contact and a smile.

Make An Effort To Try And Understand Their Culture

Earth is a big place. As such, the ways in which we behave differ from country to country. What can make traveling such a thrilling experience in the first place is getting to learn about other cultures. When it comes time to get married, though, you may start to feel worried about how different your partner’s culture is and whether or not you fit in. When feelings like this come up, cast them aside. There’s a reason you and your partner decided to take your relationship to the next level, and one of those reasons was most likely that you had insatiable chemistry that transcended cultural differences. So, while you’re abroad, keep an open mind. Take part in ceremonies or traditions with which you might not be familiar. Doing so will only help you gain acceptance into your partner’s family and life.

Research How To Obtain A Marriage License

A destination wedding is an amazing experience, but make no mistake: the end goal is to come back as a married couple. When getting married in another country, you’ll want to make sure you understand the rules and requirements of the country in which the wedding is being held. In general, you’ll need your passport, birth certificate, and any divorce decrees (should either partner have one). In some cases, a country will require you to establish “residency” in order to obtain a marriage license. This can take anywhere from two days to six months. If you find this to be true, you may wish to hold a symbolic ceremony in your partner’s country and obtain the license upon your return. Whatever the case, try to do some research before venturing abroad so you avoid any unexpected hurdles.

Consider Help From Locals

Let’s face it, everyone needs a little help every now and then, and your partner is unlikely to know the answer to every question you may have. This is especially true in regard to marriage licenses. If there are language discrepancies between you and your partner’s native countries, then you may wish to employ the help of a local lawyer and translator who can work with your lawyer at home to make sure your paperwork is filed correctly. This will require compensation on your part, so you may want to leave some extra room in your budget for sudden expenditures like this. You may also find it handy to keep cash (in the form of local currency) on hand in case of immediate payments or to use a debit card with no foreign transaction fees to avoid having to pay any additional sudden costs. Local help isn’t just limited to lawyers and translators, however. At a destination wedding, you’ll find local vendors to be your best option for making all of your wedding dreams come true. Don’t know where to start? We’re here to help!