Getting married can be quite difficult in your own country, in your own country, speaking your own language, but imagine trying to plan a wedding in another country where you don’t speak the language.
“What a disaster”, as they say in France or as the Germans would say “Was für eine Katastrophe”.
It does not have to be like that. By following a few basic guidelines, you can host a destination wedding in France or Germany.
Know the local laws: There can be a lot of red tape to cut out when getting married in a new country. Make sure you are familiar with local laws and customs.
Reserve accommodation provisionally: your guests will come from all over. Tentatively book accommodations that suit a variety of budgets.
Plan Activities – For some of your guests, your wedding is not just a chance to celebrate your nuptials, but also a chance to explore a new part of Europe. Prepare an itinerary of activities that allows them to see the best of the area.
Keep things simple: often less is more. Don’t overcomplicate things. Whether it’s the food, the decor, or the venue, the more finicky the details, the more room there is for error.
Get a wedding planner – this is probably the most valuable tip. No matter how strong an idea you have of what you want for your big day, getting married in a country that is not your own, in a language that is not your first, can be overwhelming, to say the least. By hiring the services of a wedding planner, you can leave all the details to them while you go about the business of getting married.
Find a Venue – This can be one of the most challenging elements of any wedding. Venue can make or break a wedding, and when “you’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” it can be a truly terrifying task.
There are several factors to consider before you go looking for a place. Do you want at an indoor or outdoor wedding? Do you want a reception in a tent? Are you getting married in a church? Will the celebrations be during the day or at night? How many people? How remote? Will you have a seated reception? Will there be dancing and entertainment?
If you opt for an outdoor wedding, even if it’s a summer wedding, remember that European weather can be somewhat unpredictable. Make sure your spot is suitable for some type of cover attempt. A tent wedding not only looks spectacular, it also means your guests can dance into the wee hours of the morning without having to worry about Mother Nature making an unexpected appearance in the form of bad weather.
Speak like a local: Whether it’s researching the internet or interacting with potential wedding vendors, the thought of communicating in broken English is something that probably sends chills down your spine. Imagine ordering 120 baby quail for entree at your ‘best’ French, only to find out the day that what you actually ordered was 120 live geese. Make sure you have a good translator! Whether it’s Google Translate for the various local wedding websites or figuring out what the local florist is trying to sell you, the road ahead is full of obstacles, don’t let language be one of them. .
Here are some helpful wedding phrases to help you get started:
English:
Rental of tents – Rental of tents
Reception tent – Reception tent
Take me to church on time – Take me to church on time
Where’s the champagne? – Where’s the champagne?
German:
Festzelt – party tent, party tent or party tent
Strandhochzeits zelte – Beach wedding tent
Wo ist der priest? – Where is the priest?
Wo ist der Champagner? – Where’s the champagne?
Whether you say “I do” or “Ich mache,” don’t let your wedding planning get lost in translation. Follow these guidelines and get hooked without problems.