Destination weddings sound dreamy, but they add a level of complexity to planning. Here’s what to know and consider about out-of-town events. 

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Three questions to ask yourself when choosing your destination.

1. Are the financial and time investments required for travel feasible?

In addition to your own travel expenses, you’ll need to foot the bill for vendors’ flights, lodging, and incidentals. Consider your guests, too. No one’s taking a long-weekend trip to Bora Bora—can your maid of honor spare a week away from work?

2. How challenging of a planning environment is your destination?

Says groom Ryne Wilson of his Banff “I do’s”: “Canada is a modern country, which made it effortless to coordinate transportation, arrange lodging, and source reputable vendors.” But remote locations can equal tricky coordinating conditions. In fact, some destinations are off-limits in offseasons. “The Amalfi Coast basically closes up at the end of October and doesn’t open up again until May,” notes planner Julian Leaver.

3. Are you comfortable with the conditions?

Do heat and humidity cause you to “glow” and frizz? Though some climate effects can be mitigated—makeup artist Maitee Miles says she can “use products that are mattifying or more hydrating as needed”—if you’re the type of bride who can’t stand one strand out of place, plan accordingly.

Pro Tip: If your loved ones aren’t familiar with a destination, preparing a detailed website with where to stay, how to get around, and activities to do once there will save you a lot of questions later on. “The more hand-holding you can do, the better,” says planner Karli Spangler of Karli Spangler Events.

WHO’S WHO

We Asked The Pros: Which vendors are especially important to have in your city?

• Your planner: For the aforementioned reasons of reachability, you’ll want your planner close by at all times. But Julian Leaver stresses the importance of choosing someone with destination experience. “The learning curve for [those with destination experience] is very minimal,” says Julian, who estimates that, cumulatively, his team has planned hundreds of destination events. “We know exactly what we need to do and the questions we need to ask.”
• Your design team: If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that collaboration is a challenge when battling long-distance lag time or Zoom audio issues. “Brainstorming is collaborative,” says GRO Designs’ Sidney Stitle, who notes that their meetings often take place over a meal. “We want it to be enjoyable and have those meetings in person—it’s less transactional and more personal.”
• Your photographer: Using one photographer for all your pre-wedding and day-of pictures keeps the look consistent. Lest you worry about flight delays or lost luggage, a seasoned photographer is adept at avoiding such snafus. “More as a matter of insurance—in addition to the added benefit of scouting—we require travel a day prior to the first scheduled event,” says John Cain Sargent of John Cain Photography. “And we never check our equipment. Every camera, battery, lens, memory card, and film is always carried on our person.”
• You hair and makeup artists: If you’re particular about your day-of beauty, having the ability to perfect your look through a trial run and bridal portraits is important. “[Makeup artist] Maitee [Miles] was the one thing that we planned our date around,” says bride Steele Padgitt.

HOMETOWN HEROES

Couples and vendors spill on why you should hire vendors where you live, regardless of where you wed.

The wedding is just one piece of the puzzle.

If you want help coordinating other wedding-related activities, an out-of-town planner won’t be of much assistance. “We ended up using [our planner] Julian [Leaver] for a lot of different things, like our wedding shower,” says bride Rachel Sargent.

Expectations can vary drastically based on your destination.

When planning an event in a foreign country, cultural norms around etiquette and aesthetics come into play. “Dallas couples love big floral arrangements, and that is something you have to work really hard to create anytime you travel outside of the country,” explains Sarah Kane of Julian Leaver Events, who also notes that meal timelines are a lot more lax overseas. “We’re used to 20-to-30-minute course times; in Italy, it’s more like 45,” she says. “Being aware of that and strategically building the timeline around it is critical.”

Ease of communication.

“Response times differ by country,” says planner Karli Spangler of Karli Spangler Events. Having local pros to manage the chain of communication “can alleviate stress when [overseas] vendors might not be responding as quickly.”

Ultimately, the best approach is a blend.

“Vendors from Dallas ensure seamless execution from the very beginning, but vendors in your wedding market understand the local area,” says planner Meggie Francisco of Meggie Francisco Events. “It’s also important to support local communities when you’re a tourist in someone else’s home.” Trust your planner to recommend the right vendors for the job.

WORDS of  WISDOM

Sage advice from those who know.

• Expect the unexpected.
  • “We were working against an unprecedented taxi strike, a train strike, and a crazy European heat wave,” remembers bride Afsoon Gazor of her wedding in Como, Italy. Being flexible enough to roll with the punches makes the ride more enjoyable.
• Travel wisely.
  • “I was super stressed about traveling with my custom veil and headpiece,” says Afsoon. Consult your professionals on the best way to pack your gown and accessories, and then enjoy the perks that come with carrying them around. “People let us board first and leave [my dress] in first class,” says the bride, who fondly remembers being “shower[ed] with love by strangers.”
• Trust your team.
  • Micromanaging an international event leads only to overwhelm. “Once we realized we had assembled the right team, letting go and watching them do their thing was a big part of the magic,” says groom Brad Gregory. Echoes Sarah Kane, “Ultimately, couples planning destination weddings have to have a lot of trust. They have a vision, and the planner is really their voice that’s there on the ground.”

STILL ON THE FENCE?

If you’ve weighed the pros and cons and can’t make up your mind, planner Karli Spangler urges you to go for it. “If you want to get married in a certain place, you can make it happen,” she says. “As long as we have the resources and the network, we can make it happen anywhere.” Groom Brad Gregory, who married on the Amalfi Coast, has zero regrets about his choice, encouraging others: “Do it. It changes things—it put everyone into a different mindset and on an equal, yet unfamiliar, footing. [Hosting our wedding in Italy] made it fun and exciting for everyone involved. It’s such a romantic, awe-inspiring place, full of culture and love stories.”

“We have a special kind of swagger in Dallas. Our city is home to some of the highest-quality wedding vendors in the world. When you choose vendors from Dallas, you’re surrounded by a supportive crew who know exactly how to execute high-end wedding expectations. Moreover, if you select vendor teams who frequently work and travel together, you benefit from all kinds of top-secret strategy, problem-solving, and creative synergy that happen behind the scenes. This ‘special sauce’ is what creates those types of weddings where everything just feels right.” — Meggie Francisco, Meggie Francisco Events