If you are like myself or my sister, you have been either thinking or already planning the wedding of your dreams. Maybe for days, weeks, years, or decades. I also know at some point, currently or in the past, the thought of a destination wedding has crossed your mind. Let me tell you if that is your dream, it is 100% worth it!
But before we jump in, I want to clarify what a destination wedding is. To be honest, it is up to you what that means. For some of you, a destination wedding is in the mountains a few hours away, others of you may be across the country, and for my worldwide travelers, going international is what you consider a destination wedding.
No matter what you believe, it is a destination wedding if you think it is. Now with that out of the way, let’s jump into the 4 things to DO and the 2 things NOT to do when planning your wedding!
What To Do:
1- Family & Wedding Party:
First and foremost, when starting to plan your wedding, designate someone responsible for ensuring that your family members and wedding party have somewhere to stay for the wedding weekend and transportation to and from all the events.
The best way to approach this is to determine who from each side of the family is invited and will be attending. Then, choose one person in each family (someone organized and responsible) to ensure that everyone on that side of the family is taken care of. This ensures that you, as the couple, are not responsible nor should you stress about your family.
*Side note: some planners can assist BUT it is best to choose as a couple who will be responsible and knows your family best*
Now, when it comes to your wedding party, I recommend one of two options. The first option is to book a house/cabin yourself or designate someone in the wedding party to book one. This way, everyone is in one place at one time, meaning no one should be late or get too far behind.
The second option is to utilize your wedding planner. Not all will assist with accommodations, so it’s best to ask when hiring on to understand expectations. One of the options when hiring me is that I can find you and your wedding party somewhere to stay for the weekend including helping you negotiate a hotel room block if that is preferred. Again, you have to decide what you prefer and what is best for your wedding weekend.
2- Make It Experiential:
This concept includes not just the wedding itself but the entire weekend if possible. If you’re traveling somewhere unique, try to add in a unique cultural activity, yoga, golf, or what you as a couple love to share with your family and friends.
When it comes to wedding day, utilize your planner, venue, and/or vendors to tie unique activities to the wedding. And of course, it is a must to have an amazing DJ or band for the reception. They can themselves provide an experience unlike any other.
Just remember, months, years, and decades from now, no one remembers the food, the flavor of the cake, or the drinks they had (trust me, no one from our wedding 11 months ago has talked about it!). They remember the memories made with others there and the unique aspects that tie back to you as a couple.
3 – Welcome Reception:
If you’ve attended weddings recently, you probably have seen this trend. Hosting a welcome reception is one of the best ways to alleviate some of the wedding day stress of having to say hello and engage in introductions.
These are usually hosted the night before the big day, ideally directly following the rehearsal dinner. Regarding destination weddings specifically, you could move this to the main arrival day if most guests are traveling in multiple nights before.
Another perk of a welcome reception is ensuring your guests arrive in time for the wedding day. If you haven’t considered hosting one, I’d highly recommend adding this to your list to discuss with your fiancé and/or wedding planner!
4 – Hire a Wedding Planner:
I will be the first one to admit I thought I could plan my wedding all by myself. I have the experience and knowledge so why not! Let me explain….
First off, and probably the most important, a wedding planner handles all the coordinating on the day, meaning you get to be present from getting ready, to photo and video, the ceremony, reception, and more! Your wedding planner should handle ALL details of vendors, setup, timing, etc. Not all planners can do this, which leads me to my second point.
Research and interview planners before you hire and pay someone. I have heard, especially recently, this constant issue where planners and coordinators are not providing the services needed or expected. This is where research, asking for recommendations, and discovery calls can provide clarity and more importantly, set expectations on what you as a couple are looking for.
Then lastly, a planner will provide you with connections to vendors with potential deals and ensure all details, even those you won’t think about, are taken care of!
So my recommendation = Don’t put a wedding planner and/or coordinator out of the picture.
What NOT To Do:
1 – Leave Guests Guessing:
This should be self-explanatory but I’ll go into more depth with this.
Communicate as many details as possible ahead of time. Location, times, parking/transportation, lodging, etc. This can be done through your Save the Dates, Wedding Invitations, and/or website if you choose to have one.
For destination weddings, this is especially important as flights and hotel rooms will need to be booked ASAP. Travel costs increase the closer you get to travel dates. So the sooner you send the info, the better!
*Highly recommend working with Cristina – owner of Rustic Chic, to ensure information is accurate and customized to your liking!*
Wedding Invitation made by Rustic Chic
2. Forget the Legal Stuff:
Whether you are getting married nearby or far away, this is one piece you cannot forget if you want to be legally married.
Every state has a slightly different process and if getting married out of your state, you’ll want to make sure to get your marriage license in the state you are getting married in.
If getting married internationally, please check the country ahead of time. Sometimes, your best option is to be legally married at your local courthouse before traveling abroad, just FYI.
Finally, regarding the legal stuff, do your research and plan. There are multiple ways to approach this. Do it yourself, have your planner responsible for assisting, or contact your wedding venue as they may have the information easily accessible.
If you’ve made it this far, then I know you are serious about making this the wedding of your dreams and stress-free. Keep these notes throughout your planning process to reference as much as you need!
If you desire to hire a wedding planner who can help you with all the above and more, I am one myself! I offer custom packages from all-inclusive to as little as needed, and yes, this does include helping you with travel accommodations. However, as I mentioned above, you must decide whether you need a wedding planner and, if so, do the research to find which one provides all you need!
Find my information below or contact Cristina directly for more information if you are interested in working together to plan the wedding of your dreams with me!
Happy Wedding Planning!
Catherine Roten, Founder/Wedding Planner at Impactful Event Co and Host of Imperfectly Impactful podcast
Visit the website for more info: https://impactfuleventco.shinepages.com/
Contact Catherine directly via catherine@imperfectlyimpactful.com
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