Photos on thumbnail courtesy of Ama by Aisha. Fireworks by ROAR Over Texas.
When you think of a destination wedding, what area comes to mind first? Chances are it could be a number of different locations, depending on your personal preferences. Nonetheless, even for those living here in the United States, a destination wedding doesn’t have to mean that you’ll need to travel internationally to have a destination wedding. After all, a “destination wedding” simply means that you’re traveling away from your hometown to tie the knot. It doesn’t have to be a completely different country!
For those that are familiar with our wedding blog, you may know that we like to provide plenty of content surrounding the wedding planning stages. Unsurprisingly, in the months leading up to your wedding, you’ll have more than a few decisions that’ll need to be made. Some of these will be easier than others, just as some are more time-sensitive than others. In any case, you’ll want to use a timeline or checklist to stay on schedule and ensure you don’t forget any important tasks along the way. As you can probably guess based on the opening paragraph, this week’s blog post is going to be centered around the idea of destination weddings and in particular, destination weddings in the US.
If you’re engaged and planning a wedding to be held outside of your hometown (destination wedding), then you may find yourself approaching the wedding planning process in a slightly different way than someone tying the knot in the same city in which they live. After all, there are some logistical items to consider, as well as simply familiarizing yourself with the particular destination. Let’s dive right in!
Plan Ahead!
As I briefly mentioned above, there are certain wedding planning tasks that are more time-sensitive than others. In other words, you’ll want to prioritize these early on to ensure you’re able to precisely bring your dream wedding to life. We’ve discussed these before on previous blog posts, but a few common tasks that we recommend emphasizing early on include establishing your wedding budget and booking your wedding venue. Both obviously serve a major role in the wedding celebration and procrastinating on either is never a good idea!
So…in addition to these items that you always want to plan ahead on (regardless of where you get married), what else should you pay some extra attention to with destination weddings in the US? Well, the most notable one is likely sending out your save the dates! Especially if a large percentage of your guests will be traveling, you’ll want to make sure they have plenty of time to make the needed arrangements. The exact timing for sending these out will be dependent on just how much traveling is required!
Utilize Recommendations
Would you agree that wedding vendors are intertwined throughout many aspects of a wedding day? It’s not very difficult to arrive at this conclusion; just think about a wedding day in general. You’ll have your hair and makeup team there getting you all glammed up for the big day. Your photographer will likely be a constant presence capturing each of the special moments. Your florist will have their work on full display throughout the ceremony and reception. The caterer and cake baker will definitely serve a major role in the reception’s festivities. All in all, vendor selection is a BIG part of the planning process, so it’s worth taking your time.
And unless you’ve planned a wedding before, it can be difficult to find a place to start! Particularly if you’re planning on tying the knot in a bigger market, it can even seem a little overwhelming due to the number of options available (especially if it’s a city other than your hometown). Don’t panic though, there are ways to make this much easier! For an example, let’s assume you’ve already chosen the wedding venue (as we mentioned above, this should be an early priority item). Now…how can you ensure you successfully build your dream team of vendors? While it’s always a good idea to do some research of your own, you can also lean on your contact at the venue for recommendations. They’ll have experience working with many of these local vendors and can help steer you in the right direction. Don’t hesitate to get their thoughts and suggestions! By the way, if you’re looking to simplify your options, ask about all-inclusive or customizable packages too.
Tour the Venue In-Person
It goes without saying that your wedding venue selection is a big decision. It will serve as the backdrop for your special day and likely also be one of the bigger purchases you make in the planning stages. With that in mind, make sure to avoid rushing through this selection, and truly take your time to ensure you get a venue that you and your partner love!
On the topic of destination weddings in the US though, scheduling a venue tour can be a little more challenging if it’s a few hundred miles away compared to one that’s only 10 minutes away. No surprises there! Having said that, you do have a few different options at your disposal. If possible, you can never argue against seeing the venue in-person before making a final decision. It may require you to make a short trip out to see it, but we have to say that photos don’t always do a beautiful venue justice. Yes, photos are tremendously important in highlighting various aspects of a venue. However, nothing can match seeing it in-person!
On the other hand, if you are unable to make it to see the venue beforehand, but are set on a specific venue, there are ways to still confirm whether or not it’s right for you and your partner. Luckily, in the digital world that we live in nowadays, technology has changed the wedding industry in many ways. As you can likely guess, social media is big in the wedding world, so simply browsing through different venue’s social media pages can provide an inside look at a wedding venue. In addition, you could also inquire about doing a virtual tour. Whether that be through Zoom or Facetime, this could be another avenue to utilize.
Looking for a Venue Near Houston? Check Out Madera Estates!
Without a doubt, planning a destination wedding can be such a magical experience! We hope you enjoyed following along on this week’s blog post as we discussed a few different items worth keeping in mind with destination weddings in the US. Since a destination wedding will take place in a city other than your hometown, there are definitely some variances in the wedding planning process. Nonetheless though, you can’t deny that planning a destination wedding in the US will be a memorable journey for you and your soon-to-be spouse.
If this is your first time stopping by our blog, welcome to Madera Estates! Our venue is located in Conroe, TX and over the years, our team has had the opportunity to work with hundreds of engaged couples in planning their dream wedding day. In doing so, we’ve looked to establish a “destination wedding” vibe right here in the US.
If you’re interested in learning more about our Conroe wedding venue, we encourage you to click the link HERE and request a copy of our investment guide. Likewise, if you would like to speak with a member of our team and set up a time to tour the venue, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (936) 441-9337.