How to Plan a Picture-Perfect Destination Wedding in Hong Kong :- Tips for Organising the Destination of Your Dream

Ranked among Asia's most romantic destination options for weddings large and small, Hong Kong offers engaged couples the chance to say "I Do" in some truly exotic locations. Whether one is planning to tie the knot in a traditional ceremony or hoping to plan a more bespoke event, organising an event in a bustling metropolis such as Hong Kong can prove challenging. Here's how to circumnavigate common wedding planning hurdles and put together the perfect nuptials in the island nation.

Select the Right Time

Although Hong Kong is a fantastic vacation destination for most months of the year, those who intend to get married in the country cannot afford to choose the wrong time of year. The best time to host a wedding ceremony in Hong Kong falls during the peak travel season from September to December. This is when sunny weather conditions are a given and there's no chance of rain ruining the most important day of one's life. Couples with budgetary constraints will find that this is also a costly time of year to host any event in Hong Kong so they may want to choose a date in the shoulder season from May to June instead. Although the high humidity is a factor, it will not be an issue for indoor events.

Send "Save the Date" Cards

Wedding Invitations for the Destination wedding | Image via Unsplash

When planning a wedding overseas, it's crucial to keep the nearest and the dearest in the loop when it comes to the key details of the nuptials. This is why sending out Save the Date emails or cards is essential when it comes to destination weddings as friends and family will need to take time off work and other commitments to attend a wedding abroad. Ideally, the date and venue details should be shared a few months in advance although those in a rush can let their guests know at least 3-4 weeks before the big day. It may also be prudent to cut down the guest list to those loved ones and friends that one is convinced will make the trip and the effort without inviting every casual friend or acquaintance.

Advanced Booking is Essential

As a country where real estate values are high due to the lack of space, advanced bookings are a non-negotiable fact of life in Hong Kong. Whether one is planning a kid's birthday party or a corporate event, it's important to get a head-start as the best venues and vendors in Hong Kong cannot be secured a few weeks in advance. Hong Kong's chic, luxury wedding ceremonies captured by blogs such as The Luxury Travel Channel all required months, if not years of planning and preparation due to the high demand for event spaces and vendors on the island. This is why most overseas couples hire a local wedding planner to see to the smaller details.

Perform a Site Visit

Although it's possible to make reservations and book wedding vendors online, it's important for couples to get a sense of the event space with a site visit. No photograph or portfolio can accurately demonstrate the energy and feel of a room or its spaciousness so it's necessary to visit the resort ballroom or outdoor venue selected at least once, before making a down payment.

Take Care of the Paperwork

Unlike most destination wedding hotspots such as the Maldives and Sri Lanka, it is possible to legally marry in Hong Kong, provided that the couple files the necessary paperwork in time. 

Consulting the Hong Kong government's immigration page related to registering marriages is essential for couples who wish to understand the legal aspects of saying 'I Do' in the country. Affianced couples that wish to dispense with these formalities can simply get married in a civil ceremony in their home country and consider the Hong Kong wedding as the spiritual or personal celebration of the union.