Your weddings all booked and as you tick off each week the date of your destination wedding grows nearer and nearer, now is the perfect time to get organised and plan what you actually need to take with you to get married abroad.

Our destination wedding packing list is a must to ensure you pack and take everything you need when heading overseas to say your nuptials.

Don’t forget to take a thing by printing off our PDF wedding packing checklist, allowing you to tick off each item as they make their way into your suitcase plus there’s extra space to add your own must have items and make notes as you go along.

Ultimate Destination Wedding Packing List

We’ve included all the key items as well as everything else you need when travelling abroad but remember if you are combining your honeymoon with your wedding abroad you will need to increase your clothing amount.

Destination Wedding Packing List: The Most important Items

Flying away for a destination wedding, here are the most important items you want to make sure you have with you when you reach the airport.

  • Passports
  • Flight tickets/boarding passes
  • Visas (where necessary)
  • Copies of your birth certificates
  • Travel insurance & wedding insurance paperwork
  • Any marriage/legal documents required including Certificate of No Impediment (CNI)
  • Hotel booking confirmation
  • Wedding Dress/Gown
  • Veil
  • Wedding tux/suit
  • Wedding Day Shoes
  • Wedding Rings
  • Jewellery
  • Credit card/traveler’s checks/cash
Tip: Make sure you pack all of the above and any other valuables and key items in your carry-on luggage to ensure they arrive with you. It’s advisable to include any personalised items or irreplaceable keepsakes just in case (heaven forbid!) anything happens to your checked baggage.

Destination wedding packing list for the Bride

Key items for destination wedding bride’s to pack include;

  • Wedding dress
  • Veil
  • Wedding day shoes
  • Wedding day jewellery
  • Wedding day bag
  • Underwear including any support wear
  • Garter
  • Wedding day hair accessories (headband/headpiece, special pins or combs)
  • Getting ready robe or attire
  • Makeup
  • Perfume
  • Wedding night underwear

Destination wedding packing list for the Groom

Key items for destination wedding groom’s to pack include;

  • Wedding day attire and suit
  • Tie or bow tie
  • Cufflinks
  • Wedding day shoes and socks
  • Razor and shaving cream
  • Hair styling products
  • Cologne
  • Speech notes

Destination Wedding Packing List: Basics

List of key things to have packed for a wedding abroad and what you want to ensure you have ready.

  • Sunscreen
  • Aftersun
  • Toothpaste & toothbrush
  • Deodorant
  • Comb/brush
  • Shaving cream
  • Razors
  • Nail filer/Emory board
  • Nail polish and remover
  • Sweater, light jacket, or wrap
  • Handbag
  • Swimsuit(s)
  • Beach towel
  • Reading glasses or Contact lenses
  • Sunglasses
  • Sun hat
  • Beach bag
  • Sandals
  • Flip Flops
  • Sleepwear
  • Underwear
  • Toiletries
  • Prescription medicine(s)
  • Safety pins
  • Travel sewing kit

Destination Wedding Packing List: Hair/Makeup

  • Inspiration print outs/photos if hiring a makeup artist and hair stylist
  • Makeup (blush, mascara, foundation, eyeliner, lipstick/gloss, eyeshadow, etc.)
  • Makeup brushes
  • Moisturizer, eye cream, etc..
  • Makeup remover
  • Facial cleanser
  • Hair gel
  • Hairspray
  • Hair straighteners

Destination Wedding Packing List: Electronics

  • Phone
  • Phone charger
  • Camera and memory card
  • Camera charger
  • iPad or Kindle
  • Drone

Destination Wedding Packing List: Important Paperwork

You will need to take a selection of important information, paperwork, printed confirmation with you which will depend on where and how you are getting married. If you are legally marrying abroad ensure you or your planner has completed all of the necessary documentation before flying out and you have everything to hand including CNI’s when asked.

  • List of supplier contact details
  • Copy of venue and supplier contracts
  • Payment information for suppliers
  • Wedding insurance
  • Copy of your birth certificate
  • Table plan print out for venue
  • Decor sketch to hand to venue/suppliers
Tip: Have this all printed out in a folder or binder so it is organised and easy to reach if needed.

Other things to Pack

Gifts

  • Groomsmen gifts
  • Bridesmaid’s gifts
  • Parent’s gifts

Decor

  • Wedding favors
  • Wedding stationery including orders of service, place names, seating plan, thank you cards
  • Guest book
  • Additional personalised decor
  • Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue
Tip: Bring extra wedding stationary and invites for your wedding photographer to take some nice photos of these too.

What not to take

Think seriously about what you are likely to wear and what you probably won’t, dress for the destination you are going to, don’t pack bulky towels and don’t take large unecesary items such as hairdryers (which will most likely be available there).

If you are hiring a makeup artist, it’s likely you won’t need to pack your entire makeup bag just a few touch up items considering the remainder of your time away will most likely be spent soaking up the sun without a face full of makeup.

Make sure your liquids are securely packed, add tape to the top of bottles and keep in a sealed plastic bag, you don’t want them leaking all over your wedding or holiday clothes.

Unless you plan on driving to your destination try to avoid taking large, bulky wedding decor with you. Items such as fairylights and centre pieces if not available from your venue will be available to hire from local suppliers which should work out cheaper than flying/shipping out large decor.

Print off your PDF checklist

We have a nice PDF checklist you can download and print making it easy to ensure you have everything you need with space to add on all your extra items and others thing you need to take too.

Download & Print The Destination Wedding Packing Checklist

Open and save to your desktop and then you can print the ready.