Destination Wedding Planner: Contemplating with your wedding in an exotic place or within a city just a couple of countries over from the one you now call home? Destination weddings are becoming increasingly popular. Since they're a superb way for couples to plan a memorable party with close family and friends. In a place that's unique, exciting, and speaks to who they are.
A ceremony and reception from home can be beautiful and blissful, but the procedure from"Yes" to"I do" generally goes a lot more smoothly if you have a professional wedding planner there to help especially if you are tying the knot at another time zone or where another language is spoken. Before you pick a planner to your destination wedding, here is what you need to know first.
Be realistic about your budget.
Researching a wedding planner may look like the first job to complete, but experts say that you should determine your budget before you do anything else. "Do some research on the typical price of weddings in where you are and look at your finances to ascertain if it's a great match," says Kim Sayatovic, wedding planner and owner of Belladeux Event Design. "If you've got a budget of $10,000, you might want to rule a town which has an average wedding cost of $20,000."
Remember other aspects that will accumulate financially. But might not be so obvious once you sit down to consider the whole cost. Consider things like the price of flights both ways, hotel stays, etc.
Dive into research.
A destination wedding requires even more study than a service and reception in your hometown. Begin by reading reviews of wedding planners in your designated place. This, Bonnie Chase, wedding planner and owner of Bliss Events, says is among the simplest ways to gain confidence in your prospective pro."
Reviews are incredibly powerful because they are written by couples and individuals. Who've already worked with your planner. That knows better than anybody what you could expect," she says. "If nearly all reviews are shining, you can rest easy knowing that your possible planner is a keeper." And do not let one suspicious review deter you-ask the planner about it and see if there's a reasonable explanation. If you see several bad ones, however, Chase claims to search for someone new.
Beware of the"planner off hand."
Many design and planning companies have teams of people working together, which is a fantastic advantage to you and your marriage. However, Chase notes that it is essential to ask if you are going to have handed off to someone completely different from the person who you initially spoke with.
"It can be stressful and frustrating to contact a person well, and then find than you are not going to be working with that person during the preparation process, particularly for a destination wedding," she says. "You can avoid this simply by asking who you will be working with, and ask to speak with that person before signing a contract."
Employ a planner that speaks the same language as you.
To facilitate communication, María José Méndez Montoya, who oversees destination occasions at Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort and Costa Rica Marriott San Jose, suggests calling a wedding planner that speaks the language which you speak very well. Google Translate can only do so much when you are at the mercy of a language barrier. It's essential you could interpret your vision and communicate your needs to this man who, not only will be running the whole show. However, you'll need to work closely with over a few months.
Chat before you commit.
If flying down for a quick visit is not in your budget (that is okay!), know that technology makes it easier than ever to have face-to-face communicating without leaving your residence. Experts concur that it's imperative to schedule a video chat before placing down a deposit to make sure you trust and feel comfortable with your planner.
Montoya also recommends developing a list of five to ten specific questions to ask as you are on the call, which means you can find out more about your planner's expertise and talk about your budget, stylistic preferences, and personal touches. "There are lots of planners in any particular location, and you need to be certain that your specialist knows you and truly knows what is required to personalize your special day," she says.
Be available to talk at least sometimes during business hours.
"Make sure that you understand your planner will do everything in their power to be available to you through the day regardless of any differences in time zones or working schedules," says Sayatovic. "You're hiring someone to plan for a reason after all, but be considerate of the hours also."
Odds are, your planner will provide you with his or her undivided attention the weekend of your occasion. Still, you must remember that their team is also working different customers throughout the weeks or over weekends. Bottom line: You might have to be flexible about being accessible during your planner's business hours, whenever they may be, from time to time.
Trust your wedding planner's recommendations.
By choosing someone knowledgeable about the place, he or she'll have insights that online research can not provide you. "Destination wedding planners are knowledgeable about the place, the weather, special hideaways, best sellers, and quality services and have existing relations and connections," explains Montoya.
"Your planner has probably implemented many successful weddings and knows from experience the ins and outs of anything that could go wrong." If they indicate a change, there's a reason why and occasionally just a little trust goes a long way. She suggests arranging with the services your planner provides and having open lines of communication about what is and isn't feasible throughout the procedure.
