There are many reasons you may be thinking about planning your wedding outside of the region where you live. There are some couples who love to travel and would like to share this passion with their guests. Some couples have visited a region and fell in love with it, while other couples want a smaller wedding. No matter what your reason, destination weddings are becoming increasingly popular, but there are some things to think about before taking your wedding on the road.

First, realize that you give up much of the control when you plan a destination wedding. Depending upon the location of the wedding, you might not even visit the wedding site prior to the big weekend. You will need to depend on your local and regional wedding planners to make your dream day come true (inlcuding your wedding flowers). Sometimes this is difficult for brides. If it’s difficult, a closer venue might work better for you.

Second, you’ll need to find a location. Destination weddings do not necessarily have to be held in the Islands, in Europe or in Fiji. The United States has some fabulous locations to plan your long distance affair; such as, Santa Barbara, Lake Tahoe, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Cumberland Island, and Anchorage just to name a few, you can also think of mexico (Playa del Carmen or hotels in cancun) 

Third, consider your “planning team.” Destination weddings require you to communicate effectively with a planner in the location where you are getting married. While you will be working closely with the wedding planner at the hotel or resort, you may also want to consider getting a wedding planner in your area to help you find your site, help you to communicate with your on-site planner, to assist you in getting through the details/red tape, or to help you plan your wedding day or weekend activities.

Tying the knot in a far away location can be a beautiful experience and memory for everyone. If you are prepared for long distance planning—go for it!

Posted by Lisa Nelson of Elegant Event Design