Congratulations Susan & Brad!
 
Choosing to have a destination wedding means that you still need to start as you would a normal local wedding...
- what mood / atmosphere / formality do you want
- how many guests do you hope to travel with you & are you okay with close friends/relatives not being able to come due to finances
- what is your budget for travel for the two of you, and what is your budget for your destination wedding (attire, hair, flowers, cake, dinner or cocktail reception, etc)
 
From there, you have to decide if you want to work with a travel agent or a wedding planner familiar with destination weddings.
 
A travel agent will assist you with determine the right location for your budget and your desires. They will help you determine travel insurance and direct you to who at the resort you can contact regarding setting up a wedding. Your travel agent may or may not be familiar with the wedding options that exist at your resort.
 
A wedding planner, will help you narrow down options based on your travel needs and wedding needs, and coordinate with a travel agent to ensure you get the best rate for travel, but may be able to book you directly into your choosen resort saving you some travel fees. A wedding planner will be familiar with the different resort wedding packages, and be able to coordinate services beyond the basic package to ensure you get a truly personalized wedding. A wedding planner will help you make the best overall plans for you and your guests, helping with the wedding week itinerary, activities for your guests and wedding day plans. Your wedding planner can even be on site to ensure every detail is going smoothly and not lost in translation or overlooked by the resort coordinators who manage anywhere from 3-10 weddings on the property per day.
 
If looking for a travel agent, definitely ask for references of couples they've planned a wedding for, not just booked a honeymoon. You want to be sure you get someone knowledgeable about the legalities of weddings in the countries you are considering and aware resort policies for the weddings on property.  
 
My company Nuance Occasions does help plan wedding abroad and has many relationships with fabulous resorts that will ensure you get the best price and fabulous perks too!
 
Best wishes for your destination wedding!