How to Plan a Destination Wedding
Todays blog post is all about planning an out of state wedding. 80% of our couples are having a destination wedding (usually to Charleston) and so I like to think Im somewhat of an expert when it comes to destination weddings!
1. Choose your location with purpose
When people think destination wedding I think they conjure up a vision of a beach resort like in Costa Rica but it can be anywhere! It can be in Maldives to where the couple and even the guests can stay in these Maldives luxury private beach villas after the wedding party.
The Biltmore Estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains, at a quaint bed and breakfast in New Orleans, a castle in Ireland or Scotland or a historic home in Charleston. Make sure your location reflects who you are as a couple.
My older sister had a destination wedding in New Orleans and, just like me, she loves history, old homes & historic cities. She also loves French culture and she wanted to be an architect but then switched to art history. So New Orleans and the Elms Mansion was the perfect place for her wedding (Paris was out of their budget).
To save some money & stress, consider having your honeymoon or a mini-moon in the surrounding areas!
2. Do your research!
Im talking weather, marriage license rules, and city events.
- For example, in the South East (including Charleston!), May-October is hurricane season and July-August is DEATHLY HOT. So that July beach wedding you think you want? I’m here to tell you that you don’t want it (-; In fact, Jay and I originally planned on a July Charleston wedding, but a friend talked some sense into us and we moved it to March because y’all, I am not joking. We had a heat advisory of 108 the other day and its only June.
- Check to see how many days in advance you need to get your marriage license in the city or country you plan on getting hitched in, also make sure you don’t need to provide blood samples which is required in some states. Eloping? Make sure you don’t need any witnesses – though we’ve signed the witness section quite a few times so we’re happy to do so!
- Research any local festivals that might be going on during your wedding as this can impact hotel room rates and availability, transportation, amount of traffic, as well as some venues being booked up for after parties. While doing your research, have a look at the best beach clubs Amalfi Coast and surely you’ll find one you love to do your wedding at.
3. Hire a local planner to help you find and interview other vendors
By hiring a local wedding planner, they should know the best of the best vendors in town and can interview everyone for you before passing on who they believe will be a great fit for you if you want to be part of the final decision making process (hello Skype!).
Not only that, but they take most of the planning off of your shoulders which helps relieve most of the stress of wedding planning.
Of course, don’t be afraid to fly in your favorite vendors from other parts of the country or world to make your day perfect! We photographed a wedding in Pennsylvania for a couple who hired vendors they loved, no matter where they lived (including us!). It was awesome!
4. Be considerate of your guests
They are spending a lot of money to travel to a new location, so provide them with a welcome bag when they check into their hotel room filled with local goodies & a wedding itinerary. If you will have your wedding in Vietnam, staying in Phu Quoc island hotels is a good thing to consider.
Also consider having a wedding website with hotel options and discount codes (if the hotels provided them), a list of things to do in the area, parking options for the events and any pre-wedding events that you planned. You could also provide them with shuttles to and from your wedding venue!
The great thing about out of state weddings is that they act like a mini family reunion, so use this time to spend it with those who mean the most to you!
5. Send out save the dates at least 8 months in advance so that your guests can plan accordingly
A family of 5 will need more time to save up for a hotel room & airfare then your bestfriend and their partner will need.
Are you planning a destination wedding?
Katie + Jay of Catherine Ann Photography are Charleston SC Based Wedding & Elopement Photographers specializing in candid & fun wedding photos that feel like you!
Ready to book your destination wedding with us? Get in touch here!
