You got engaged and now, either, like Monica from Friends, you have already an idea of how your dream wedding will be, or you just started searching through the internet, in wedding blogs, Pinterest, Instagram, etc, looking for guidance. In this post you will find answers το possible questions you may have regarding planning a destination wedding, in order to help you and facilitate the whole procedure for you.
What should you be looking for first when you are planning to have a destination wedding?
As Aristotle said: “well begun is half done”, so my answer to your question would be to find a professional to share your dream. Choose wisely the person who will go the extra mile and help you make your dream wedding a reality, without stress or worries. The person who will take care of everything, protect you and your guests. The person who will act as a conductor of a harmonious memorable event that will overwhelm you and your guests. A wedding planner and especially a professional from the place you are planning to have your wedding with local knowledge of vendors, suppliers, venues and logistics.
What does she/he do and which is going to be the right one for you?
Wedding planner is the person who takes a feeling and transforms it, with a vision and excellent planning, into a unique story and then offers it to you and your guests. I can hear you think… I have a friend or a relative that can act as a wedding planner or organizer, why not using her/him? Well, a friend or a relative is always helpful and surely knows you better and cares for you but she/he cannot know all the things needed for a successful wedding event or to have the experience to overcome difficulties or any obstacles that may occur, especially if we are talking about a destination wedding. A wedding planner is the person who will help you organize the wedding of your dreams, who will be there for you, at your side in every step of the way. She/he will take care of every little detail even things you would never think are necessary for an ideal wedding. She/he will be your friend and your confidant, the person who will be there for you in any crisis, will give you solutions, will ensure that the whole process, until the day of the wedding as well as the wedding day, will be stress-free and joyful, will create the magical, elegant scenery you are looking for. Now, who is going to be the right planner for you? Well, the one, who will make you feel comfortable, who will make you feel you can trust her/him, who will understand your vision, your desires and fully respect them. The one that will put your happiness, your vision first and is ready to give her/his best in order to create the wedding you are dreaming of.
After hiring your wedding planner you will have to look for the right professionals who will be able to immortalize your moments and offer impeccable services. You should book your photographer (and videographer if you wish one). The best ones in their profession always receive a lot of requests and get hired quite early. Next, your dj to ensure the best music you can have at your wedding; after all, food, drinks and music are three of the main factors for a successful event. Trust your wedding planner’s suggestions; she/he also wants amazing photos from your wedding to show to her/his future couples. Check the suggestions made by your wedding planner while looking through the internet for more. Arrange skype sessions to meet with them, talk with them and choose the one that will make you feel more comfortable, the one that you feel that will produce the outcome as you have imagined it. Even if it is not one of the professionals your wedding planner has suggested, without question she/he will work with them in perfect harmony, you don’t have to worry.
the Reception location scouting, Churches, Symbolic Wedding locations etc.
Ask your wedding planner for information, photos, as well as maps with pins on locations in order to understand better the place you are going to have the wedding and your reception. Especially, if you haven’t visited this place before. The information has to be detailed as different places offer different facilities, have different qualities. For instance, check our older post Choose your style, where you will find out that a wedding in the Greek islands varies from one island to the other. Ask for the paperwork procedure, especially if you are thinking of having a religious ceremony or a civil one. There are special conditions and restrictions when referring to the Greek Orthodox Church or even the Catholic Church in Greece. Also, time is crucial since you will have to take under consideration the one to two weeks that take the Translation Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to translate your documents, in order for the church of your choice or the town hall of the place you have selected to get married to issue your wedding licences. Translations, as well as communication and sending the documents to the people in charge at the place of your choice, are mostly taken care of by the wedding planner.
When choosing the place of your wedding, ask your wedding planner to think of different invaluable, precious moments of enjoyment and fun to recommend to you. For instance, in the morning of your wedding day arrange a breakfast or a brunch (it always depends on what time you will get up that morning) with your close ones in a small traditional café. Ask for a special but simple decoration on your table. When you return to your room, in order to start your preparations, the bride can have a Mimosa bar waiting for her to have a gorgeous time with her gals, while the groom can have a Raki (Greek traditional white spirit) station waiting for him and his pals to have a great fun too! Ask your wedding planner to decorate accordingly the rooms you will both go, in order to start getting ready.
After your wedding ceremony arrange your welcome drinks in another spot not too far away from your reception venue. Go with your photographer for your private session, just the two of you and without worry leave your guests to watch the sun set, enjoy themselves with drinks, traditional snacks and nibbles, a custom made photobooth with props and other fun games, until your return. Choose to make your entrance at the welcome drinks area and guide them to the reception area to start your fabulous party.
Besides the day of your wedding, we suggest to think about activities for the previous day and/or the next day. It would be important to offer to your guests a complete experience of the place you have chosen to have your wedding, especially if it is a destination they have never visited before. Choose from a boat tour, a horse riding or a scuba diving excursion, a bon fire party, a party at a selected bar, a beach party, a relaxing brunch, whatever you prefer and offer an amazing adventure full of joy, laughter and happiness creating outstanding memories.
The budget of a wedding varies. It all depends on your choices (location, food, drinks, activities etc). Ask your wedding planner to give you different options and choose the ones you like the best and fit to the budget you have set. Select where you want to spend more and where you want to spend less and make it completely clear to your planner. Ask beforehand for a To Do List and a Time Schedule Plan for the deposits you should pay to different vendors. You should always have the complete control of your budget.
In conclusion, your wedding planner as well as your photographer and other professionals should be considered as an investment for you. Hire the ones you feel more comfortable with, as soon as possible. Don’t forget the good professionals are booked early. A year before your wedding is a good time to start planning. Always have the full control of your budget. Select the location of your dreams and create, with your planner’s help and advice, an unparalleled experience for years to remember.
Photography credits: Christos Kontsaloudis / Maksym Godorozha / Nikos Psathoyiannakis / Kostas Mouselimis / Panagiotis Kounoupas
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