They say that as early as 13 years old, girls will begin dreaming about how they want to wed—what kind of wedding they’ll have, where they are going to wed, and, sometimes, who they are going to marry. By the time a woman hits 30 and is ready to start a family, she already has a pretty good idea of the kind of wedding she wants to have. For those planning a destination or out-of-town wedding, you all know that the logistics can be a nightmare. For example, it’s important to look into hiring a wedding production fixer so that someone can take care of your wedding photos and videos.
Get a Wedding Planner from the Area
The same rules for travelling to a certain destination apply to organize a wedding in an out-of-town location. What is the first thing that you do upon arriving at a new destination? Isn’t it to ask a local for directions to the taxi line or your hotel? That’s essentially what you’re doing by hiring a wedding planner from the area—you are hiring someone who knows the area in and out. The planner can give you great advice on which event places you need to check out, as well as the wedding vendors who can turn your dreams into a reality.
Meet the Vendors Personally
While it is not always possible to meet all the wedding suppliers personally (because of schedule restrictions), do your best to meet the essential ones to your event such as the caterer (for the food tasting), the videographer and photographer, and the wedding coordinator. You can set up a Skype call for the other wedding suppliers, but make sure that they send the finalized contract by mail or by scanning and emailing them.
When you visit the location where you’ll have your wedding, meet the vendors on the same day. This will save you a lot of time and allow you to see the lapses in the program or the coordination. Allow yourself to spend a weekend at the location so that you’ll have time to fix the things that need your careful attention.
Hire Vendors from Outside the Location
Yes, you can definitely hire wedding suppliers an hour out of your location. You are not tied down to hiring wedding suppliers from the same location as your wedding venue. If you are not satisfied with the selection of vendors (even the ones recommended by your coordinator) in the area, you are free to look outside the city and hire someone from another city or town. Wedding vendors are used to travelling at least an hour to get to their clients, so this is not an issue at all.
Establish a Home Base
This is not your base. You don’t own a home or an apartment here. Your family does not live here. You don’t have an ancestral home waiting for you. But if you’re to have your wedding here, it is important to have a home base where you can meet vendors, welcome guests, relax, and leave your things—dress, shoes, accessories, flowers, etc. Consider it as a weekend vacation. Rent a condo, an apartment, or a home or several hotel rooms. It’s important that you have somewhere to leave your things when needed.
Consider Your Guests
If your guests can’t travel to your wedding, be considerate. It’s not easy to ask for a vacation from work and coordinate everyone’s schedule. If you plan for a destination wedding, you should already accept that some of your guests will not be able to make it. Don’t hold it against them. Instead, focus on those who have actually come to your wedding. Prepare a welcome treat and transportation for them upon arriving. Make the process easy for them.
Planning a destination wedding is no joke. It takes a lot of time, energy, resources, and money to get things done. Researching beforehand is important so that you are aware of your options. As always, ask help and recommendations from your loved ones.
