Logistics of a Destination Wedding
Any sort of wedding requires a great deal of preparation and planning. The planning process can be both fun and stressful. When your wedding location is a separate destination, both the stress and excitement are amplified. Follow these tips to help planning a destination a little bit easier:
It's
best to choose a venue that has an in-house coordinator. You want as few steps
as possible so things don't get miscommunicated. While you don't need a planner
to help with a local wedding, it certainly makes things smoother things out for
a
destination celebration.
Unless
you’re planning a remote location ceremony, then the local florist, bakery,
etc. will probably suffice. However, if you prefer special items like a
specific cake topper, goodie bags or décor, they will need to be shipped. Have
your planner help find shipping
quotes and coordinate the arrival of the items. Shipping delicate items can
help keep them safe during travel.
Offering plenty of tasty, perhaps
even, gourmet food and drinks at your wedding reception is in many ways, the backbone
of a good wedding. Your guests have come a long way, and they should be
rewarded with a standout party. Many couples cut corners on the ceremony to
save for the reception or to throw a larger rehearsal dinner party. In fact, if
someone flew in, they should probably be invited to the rehearsal dinner and
receive some sort of gift bag in their hotel room.
One of the most frequently neglected
aspects of a wedding is the photography. Having a high quality photographer and
crew on-site to capture the day in still image is of the upmost importance, and
is in many ways, irreplaceable. The special locale will make these portraits
even more impressive.
Remember music for the "in
between" periods. Before the ceremony starts, after a band has played
their set, before a DJ goes on, etc. It's fine if these songs (or all your
songs) come from an MP3, just having background noise makes everything flow.
Visit the location beforehand as many
times as possible. This is good to emotionally prepare yourself for the big day,
as well as envision how everything will come together. Meeting with your
coordinator, event staff or photographer face-to-face will help ease
your worries. This can also be valuable if you want to do tastings or
make-up/hair trials.
If you’re having an outdoor wedding,
have umbrellas on stand-by. You'll be getting married rain or shine, but guests
may not be quite as loyal.
Jessica
enjoys wedding and party planning. She is interested in coordinating event
logistics and making sure the event is flawless!
