Destination Wedding Itinerary, What to do?

Hands down the best thing about destination weddings is that your wedding is the cornerstone of one of the best weekend long parties-reunions you can imagine. You and your guests will feel like they are on vacation! I like to say that destination weddings are experiences, not an "event".  

With that being said, if you haven't been to a destination wedding then you wouldn't really know what you should or could plan for your guests.  One thing to keep in mind when planning your weekend is that the wedding should always be at the forefront.  Everything else is just an extra that adds to the experience.

Based on what we have received the best feedback on from our clients and their guests, here is the ultimate Destination Wedding Weekend Itinerary.  I've also added in whether or not to hire photography, videography or music (this part I am answering based on what our clients have told us after the wedding what they were most glad about or had regrets about) :

Day One:
A Family dinner.  Let everyone arrive and get settled, then have a very intimate dinner with just bride & groom and both sets of parents.  If siblings are in town, you can always invite them as well. This should be hosted by the bride & groom.
Photography: Not necessary
Videography: Not necessary
Hired Music: Not necessary

Day Two:
The Rehearsal and Rehearsal Dinner with just the bride & groom, both sets of parents & grandparents, siblings, and the wedding party (and their plus one's). This is traditionally hosted by the Grooms family.
Photography: Yes
Videography: Yes
Hired Music: Consider

Day Three:
A Pool day or Beach Day for everyone.  Don't plan anything formal for this, but do let everyone know where the bride and groom will be available for hello's for the afternoon as guests check in.  I highly suggest renting a cabana or two at the pool if possible.
Photography: Consider
Videography: No
Music: Not necessary
The Welcome reception. This should begin as late into the evening as possible, to make sure that as many guests as possible have time to arrive and check in before the event begins. A 1.5 to 2 hour reception is a good length. If you're not hosting dinner at the reception, make sure this starts late enough so that everyone has time to get dinner prior to. This can be hosted by anyone, but typically its hosted by the wedding hosts. Expect that anyone who has arrived to town will attend.
Photography: Yes
Videography: Yes
Music: Yes

Day Four:
Wedding Day Lunch or Brunch. While it isn't necessary to plan anything on wedding day other than the wedding, it is nice to offer a very casual and optional lunch for the guests at the host hotel if you are having an evening ceremony & reception. This can be hosted by anyone, but most often we see it offered by the wedding hosts. Typically the wedding party would not attend as they are busy preparing for the wedding. Expect that 90% of guests staying on site will attend.
Photography: Not necessary
Videography: Not necessary
Music: Consider

Day Five:
A Farewell Brunch. All invited and out of town guests should be invited to a this event before they begin their travels home.  Typically the brunch is a buffet or serving stations and offers a couple hours to attend.  Most often we aim for 9:0-11:00, but consider flight times if many of your guests are leaving on early or late flights. Expect that 85% of guests staying on site will attend.
Photography: Not necessary
Videography: Not necessary
Music: Consider

How to have a Florida wedding that isn't about seashells

Most of the destination weddings we conceptualize and plan are at tropical and or beach locations. However, its quite often that our clients want their guests to enjoy what the islands and beaches offer, but they don't want the aesthetic of their wedding to reflect that.  At least not at every event.  Rather, they're looking for something that is true to them and their personal style.  Nicole & Steve's wedding is a perfect example of this.  I'm so excited to share these videos with you & showcase this pretty wedding at Hyatt Coconut Point.  This was one of those weddings where everything just fit perfectly...

Thank you iheART films for sharing this trailer you produced. It brought back so many memories and I love that I got to see things that I didn't get to see that day.
You may have noticed that I said videos in the last paragraph. That's because we have a foto video produced by Luminaire Foto (who took amazing photos too)! You'll notice right off the bat that foto video is really different than traditional wedding films.  Its made from individual photographs, so it doesn't incorporate the sounds of the day.  Its unlike anything I've ever seen.  This is my first time being able to share one of their foto videos and I have been anxiously awaiting! I can't wait to hear your reaction, so be sure to leave a comment.

Destination Wedding Invitations (Gorgeous ones)

I just felt like sharing some pretty.  I confess to stalking the Ceci New York website. But do you see why?

Oh, and of course, there's also the love for pretty much everything on the Martha Stewart Weddings website too.

Quick tip: Put as much information in your wedding invitation as you can or (I like this idea best) send a "looking forward to seeing you" package when you receive a yes rsvp from your wedding guests. The package can include more details about the events you're hosting, as well as local places to shop, dine and tour during their time away.

Letterpress map postcards (not boring, gorgeous)

I died when I opened this envelope.  It just wasn't what I expected and instantly I wanted to be there.  Pretty much, that is the reaction you want your invited guests to have when you're letting them know about your destination wedding.

Letterpress map of Hawaii by Couture Maps

Every face of this piece is detailed- envelope included

But this- this is what made this particular postcard blog worthy:

The back of the postcard is Hand sewn by Mira Aster

 Talk about every detail. I love it.

The New Years Bride Series

We started the year off with such a great wedding.  It goes down in history as our coldest wedding ever, and I have to confess, I hope that it stays that way.  These pictures below are not pro pics, they're ours, but I couldn't wait to show off this great weekend at South Seas.  As soon as we can share the images from the super cool Tonya Malay, we'll post away, and then you'll just drool,  I'm sure.

 

These beach chic welcome bags included customized koozies, bottled water, gum, ibuprofen, key lime cookies, and  pretzels.  The basics are always a hit with destination wedding guests.

 

It was just too chilly to have the rehearsal dinner out of the deck like we planned, but the indoor table for 24 ended up looking just as great indoors.  We used simple potted orchids and bougainvillea with lanterns and beach rocks on a linen tablecloth to have a completely natural tablescape.

 

This is me and the groom, Mr Prince.  We bumped into each other on the golf course (it runs right next to the ceremony site at Sunset cove beach) when I was checking on ceremony set up.

 

Could you die over how cute this hanger is?  You can find one like it on Etsy.

 

I recommend to all my clients to have make & hair done professionally for wedding day.  If ever there was a day when you wanted to look perfect and be pampered...this is it.  Heather Longshore did an outstanding job on Mrs. Prince's hair & makeup as well as the rest of the bridal party.

 

Um, yeah, I dream about these shoes. Not even going to lie.

 

Here's the kicker with the sash and this gorgeous embellishment on it.  Mrs. Prince told the designer she didn't want a sash.  When the dress arrived, it was included as a surprise.  It totally made the dress.  See below...

 

Told ya.  Sash is awesome.

Make sure to read all the posts in this series because I have an awesome ending care of the masters over at AMC video.

Defining a Destination Wedding: Let's Clarify.

Disagree with me if you'd like, and I would absolutely love to hear your thoughts on this, but I have a different point of view than many on what makes a wedding a destination wedding.
Are 85-100% of your guests traveling to your wedding location?
Will all the guests traveling be staying overnight or longer?
Is your wedding taking place at a locale that would be considered by most a "travel destination"?
Are you also staying overnight at the location you're marrying (or where your guests are staying)?
If yes to the above- then YES it is a destination wedding. Even if you (Bride and/or Groom) live in that destination.
Here's why I believe this is the case:
You're going to have to provide all the same information (travel, accommodations, maps/directions, itineraries, etc.)to your guests.
You'd still be blocking rooms.
You'd still do welcome bags.
You'd still plan welcome and farewell events.

Still not quite sure? Read this post from a few years ago (I forgot I wrote about this). Also, Pick up Destination Bride
and a few recent issues of Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine and read them. Does they speak to your wedding? If you're reading these and finding a great deal of it really does apply to your wedding; well, if the shoe fits.

Destination Wedding Rule #4

Put yourself in your guests shoes when considering their experience. If you're bringing them to a warm and/or humid destination from a cold location, do what you can to keep them comfortable. This means offering (welcome bags & hospitality baskets) and suggesting things that will keep them safe and feeling good:
Bottled water, sunscreen, skin moisturizer, off wipes, chapstick, ibuprofen packs, mints, flip flops, and most importantly a guest guide for the weekend.

The bag above is one of the best I've ever come across. It's large enough to carry items down to the beach and pool, but small enough to pack away in an overstuffed suitcase. And at under $6 each...A STEAL. And the cute bags below- I love these for bridesmaids gifts. Perhaps with a nice thank you note inside along with lip gloss, a mirror, and blotters (to fight the mid-reception shine).

Destination Wedding Rule #2

Destination Wedding Rule #2: This one is more of a tip than a rule. Put great consideration into a mid-week wedding. Your wedding costs will be less because of mid- week packaging from your vendors. This means you can do more with your budget. Also, travel will be less expensive for your guests! It's very important though to send save the dates 9-12 months in advance so everyone can get a couple days off of work.

Destination Wedding Rules, #1

Destination Wedding Rule #1: Give your guests time to do as they wish. A couple planned events & gatherings are good, but make sure to leave at least 8 hours of "free to be" time. This will allow your friends and family to make your wedding celebration a truly unique experience.

Trash the Dress (Oh did they EVER trash it)

I can't even begin to explain how stunning McBride looked on her wedding day. Exquisite is an understatement. We all balled when she came down the grand staircase (yes, they have a photo of me balling behind the scenes).

The guy carrying McBride is McGroom. McBride: Model by profession and a model bride :)


The ceremony was a tearjerker and then some.
So when I got these pictures that Turtle Pond Photography did the day after- my jaw dropped. I was blown away. I knew they would be good, but I most certainly did not expect this phenomenal imagery.
If you had told me this was Ft Myers Beach I would have called you crazy. I'm still wondering where oh where these landscapes came from.
These are the work of a husband/wife photography team overflowing with talent and skill (and such fun to be with to boot).
Here is what Nate and Amanda had to say about this destination wedding and Trash the Dress session:

“Let me first say, Jamie is as beautiful a person on the inside as she is on the out, which only made me love capturing her even more! She's obviously no novice to this modeling gig...and blew me away with her mad skills. Eager for more shots of her and her fabulous dress, we caught the last bit of sun the day after their wedding. Jamie was quite the trooper and needed little direction which made my job all the easier! Perhaps my favorite part of the shoot was watching her new husband stand by in awe of her....and fetch us dry sand (now that's true love). Seriously, they are absolutely precious together and we are so thankful to call them friends.”

You can see more of the Trash the Dress photos on the Turtle Pond Blog. Nate & Amanda are out of Indiana but travel worldwide for destination weddings.

No Passport Required

Truly, I am a wedding book and magazine junkie. Want proof? Stop by my studio. I swear the sales people at Books a million think I'm a bit over excited about this wedding I've been planning for years on end. HA!
Anyhoo- I picked up the current issue of Destination Weddings and Honeymoons last week and was immediately drawn to one of the featured articles: No Passport Required. Can I tell you how excited I was to get to the article and find 2 of the 8 beach resorts chosen as the best "no passport required" are none other than LaPlaya Beach & Golf (Naples) and South Seas Island (Captiva)Resorts? Both of which are stunning resorts that we frequently plan weddings at. As a matter of fact we had Kim's rehearsal dinner at LaPlaya just last weekend, and this weekend we'll be out at South Seas for Lucky bride and Writer Bride. So yes, I agree with Destination Wedding Magazine, they are two of the best.
What's awesome about both these locations being chosen is that it proves that SW Florida is a prime location for destination weddings. While these two stunning venues are amazing, there are many more to choose from. With an international airport and direct flights from many major metropolitan areas, really- its perfect for destination wedding planning. How lucky am I to be here?

Destination Deal of the Year. Literally.South Seas Island Resort

Photo by Jason P Smith
You guys know I absolutely adore planning weddings at South Seas Island Resort right? Well it's for several reasons. Mostly, because its freaking gorgeous. It's hands down the closest you can get to a truly tropical location without a passport. Secondly, its one of the few places that you can have a truly private beach ceremony. Just you and your invited guests. Most beaches are public and so there could potentially be tourists watching your nuptials...from near or far. Not at South Seas- this place is exclusive. Oh, and have issues with sand under your toes? Not a problem. They have breathtaking green lawns overlooking the Gulf of Mexico too.
Photo by Lauren Pauline
Click the Real Weddings label to see a few of our recent weddings out there. Oh, and if you thought you couldn't have a formal wedding in a beach setting- think again. Super Sarah did it..click here to see her wedding trailer courtesy of Luxe Films.
Lastly, it is so inexpensive and easy to get here. Direct flights are available to Ft Myers from just about everywhere.Photo by Hilary Hopkins
So what is the deal of the year? Well, I got an email from the girls out at South Seas today. They are actually offering a 2008 wedding package that is 20% off their regular prices. Yeah- these kinds of deals are VERY rare. If you're even remotely thinking about having a beach wedding anywhere- call Julie at South Seas first. Her number is (239)472-7685. And yes, I realize there are only 16 weeks left this year. I've planned big gigantic weddings in 3 weeks flat, so no worries...it can be done!

Yeah, I know this sounds like a sales pitch, but the truth is that I really like South Seas, and I like to save my clients a dollar (or thousands in this case) when I can. So I'm passing along the info.

Wedding Bee Classifieds and other Blog and wedding website stuff that's cool

This morning I am catching up on blogs and wedding sites that I love. I thought it would be a good day to mention some of the really cool and fun things I find. I hope you think they are cool too:

Wedding Bee- they have a classified section! I found everything from paper lanterns to wedding dresses for sale. Pretty good deals too.

Plain old good advice from Anne at From I will to I do: Delegate. Thank you Anne, from where ever you found this.

Flower finder: I found a link to this Brides.com tool on Bridezilla. For those who are not in the know of flowers, this you will love. I also love Bride & Bloom magazine.After planning weddings all these years, I know my fair share of flowers but this magazine really opened my eyes.

Got sunlight? If you do then you can also have some very cool outdoor evening lighting. Check out these lanterns I found on Junebugs blog. I also found an ad from Good Taste events.Jody is a friend of mine who is absolutely as hilarious as her website. If you want a wedding planner in Seattle with a funny bone- call her asap.

The other day I posted about my celebration reception timeline. A few months ago Liene at Blue orchid answered a readers question about her wedding day timeline. Here is her very good advice.

Moo contest on Brooklyn Bride. Ya'll, if you haven't been introduced to Moo cards, you haven't been reading blogs. They are every where and there is good reason for that- they ROCK. So go get some. In fact, go get some for free (win the contest) or at least at a discount (see Vane's left sidebar).

Seriously, this is way cool. A DVD invitation that isn't ummm, dorky. Be careful, there are dorky ones out there. But Darcy at Martha Stewart doesn't do dorky.This invite from Reel Invitations is PERFECT for a destination wedding. Perfect as in, I am calling them 1st thing tomorrow morning.

Style Me Pretty. Oh how I adore this blog. The whole blog. But the part I think you all need to know about? The Little Black Book.I know that so many bloggers are adding "books" to their blogs- and they are awesome resources. But I believe Abby and Michelle were the Lewis & Clark of the wedding resource "books". I know for a fact that they really worked hard to only get the cream of the wedding crop in their book. I'm flattered to have been chosen to be listed in their Black Book the last year and hope Weddings by Socialites will always be included. Here is what you need to know about the Black Book: you can trust these are the really good vendors. They didn't just buy their way into the book. I need to do another post about this kind of thing- someone remind me. It's a hot topic.

On a totally separate side note. Yesterday I was driving through the rampage of Hurricane Gustav (yeah, it was far away and we still felt it) and my cell rang. The caller id said it was Mark Kingsdorf of the Queen of Hearts in Philly. He's a great planner friend of mine in the Philly area. He knows tons with the extensive background that he has. Anyhoo- I pick up the phone and I hear a girls voice, "Kelly! It's Susan Stripling!" Perplexed I was. Susan is a beyond phenomenal photographer whom I have adored the work of for, ummmmmm, ever. Susan used to be a Floridian, now she travels from the big NY to everywhere. Well, it turns out she was helping another photographer in Philly at a wedding that Mark was coordinating. I just called Susan like 3 days ago to book her for one of my upcoming weddings (lucky bride!). They put 2 and 2 together and realized that they both knew me. Small world. I must say, that bride & groom that had both Mark & Susan onsite- SUPER lucky. Susan's Blog and Mark's Blog

Mountain Wedding+Showcases+Studio= Busy

How this much time got away from me is still to be figured out! Hopefully I'll be back on the daily post this week. I have showcases and news on my new Planning Studio and Bride's Library
to share with you, and some great photos from Montana where I currently sit looking at some rather amazing mountains. Quite the change of scenery from the lovely beaches at home to say the least.
Montana? Yep. I came out to help my dear friend Nicole of RSVP Shindig (Denver) with an unbelievable destination wedding in Bozeman. There is no lack of scenery, beautifully designed wedding, or Dom Perignon around these parts.
We got quite behind on the showcase (sorry), but promise to get all the info out to every who inquired asap. Some of the showcases that came in already are AWESOME and more than I had ever expected.

How the south does weddings

Most people don't consider Florida as one of the "southern" states. I can agree with that because it really is like night and day between Savannah and Naples. But all the same, there is something to be said for an elegant southern wedding. I came across the latest issue of Unveiled yesterday and realized while flipping through that if this is what they consider to be a southern wedding, then I want Florida to be included.
Seriously, just look at this cover! Gorgeous. I could see this being at any metropolitan area of the US. Then I get to page 66. WHOA! Turns out Florida is included! And not only is Florida included, but this real wedding of Courtney & Ben takes place at LaPlaya Beach resort where my clients Jenn & John got married just last week and we have another gorgeous wedding in the works for next April.
So head out to the newstands and grab this issue. Lots of good stuff.

Destination Weddings & Honeymoons visits South Seas Resort

I was so excited when I walked by the wedding magazine rack today and saw the cover of destination weddings & honeymoons! "Wow, that looks familiar...hmmmm." Yep, its none other than South Seas Resort; one of my favorite places to plan weddings.

This past May, Donna & Jim tied the knot at Sunset Cove (which is in the distance of the cover photo) and then had their cocktails on Kings Crown lawn, followed by dinner and dancing inside Kings Crown. All the bouquets in the article (and Donna & Jims wedding)were by my favorite floral designers on the islands, Floral Artistry.
Currently, I'm in the midst of planning 4 other weddings on South Seas before summer hits, so yeah, you could say its a very popular place. Mostly because it is beyond gorgeous and the food is to die for. Or maybe its because of the dolphins, sea turtles, and manatees. Or maybe its the golf and tennis. Or maybe its the beach and sunset. Or maybe the pool that kicks every other pools arse with the fancy little cabanas and pina coladas. Alright, enough reasons already. The place just rocks.


All 4 of the upcoming weddings are as different as the locations my clients are coming from, and I am truly looking forward to each. I'd love to plan more- call me!

Vanessa & Greg's Directors Cut

Last April I had the pleasure of coordinating one of the grandest destination wedding weekends ever. It was grand on many levels; it was the combination of top notch wedding professionals, incredible locations, and families and friends that were beyond amazing.
Vanessa & Greg had a church ceremony in Naples followed by an unbelievable reception at the Ritz Carlton Naples Beach.
This morning, the gang at AMC Video sent me the directors cut. Yep, I started my day sobbing like a baby. Have a look at this video. Warning though- turn up the volume and take out a tissue.
Rob- thank you so much for sharing this cut!

Showcase #4

From Me: A Big Beach Wedding Weekend Guest Gift. This is a super welcome bag, full of all kinds of goodies. This bag I made specifically for a hypothetical Bridesmaid- single, and in town for 4 full days. A note- if you can, customize the guest gifts for each kind of guest (couples, families, single gals/guys, etc.).

What's in it?
Beach Stuff: A hat, flip flops, beach towel, Seagrass beach mat, Market tote
Spa Stuff: Aromatherapy candle, body mist, and lotion and pajamas
Itinerary & Personal Note: A scrap book with the weekend events/times/locations/attire, a handwritten note welcoming & thanking her for coming
Info & Reads: Area map & brochures and a couple magazines to read by the pool
Drinks & Snacks: A bottle each of bubbly water, flat water & soda and a box each of crackers & cookies

Another showcase submission coming in a bit...

***To answer LouWed's question (see comments) about the bag- It's a market tote. Apparently I got really lucky because I found a couple at TJMaxx for $9.99! You can buy them at Sur La Table or The Container Store for $29.99. Just do a search on Market Tote. Oh, and I also found some on Ebay for $19.99, but the shipping was $10, so it evens out.

I flipped out for these!

I found these handpainted sandals at the Pacific Weddings website. These handpainted sandals are $19, and look like they're worth every one of those nineteen hundred pennies. I know its getting cooler where most of you are reading from, but I'm hoping that you're considering a destination wedding somewhere warm. And if that is the case, you'll want something unique for your feet!

Wondering what to put in the welcome bags?

A wedding planner friend of mine asked the other day about what I put in welcome bags. I've never put 2 of the same together. Just as each wedding is unique, so are the bags. First of all, I don't always use a bag. Sometimes we use a box, sometimes a basket, even a bath robe we used once (it looked really neat).

There are a few staples that go inside:
Bottled Water, Map, Brochures, and guest itinerary

Then there are the things that are unique to your wedding. Here are some of my favorites:
Stewart sodas or those fancy lemonades- can't remember the name, wine & opener (or a champagne split) with 2 glasses, pashminas, parasols, flip flops, beach towels, koozies, regional magazines, sunscreen wipes, chips/pretzels/popcorn, local food goodies, candy, cookies (photo cookies are huge hits), battery powered fans, off! wipes, pre-stamped postcards & pens, room key chains (those kind that go on your wrist), drink tickets (pina colada by the pool?),spa gift certificates, scented candles, cd's of your favorite songs, robe & slippers...

I could go on, but this is a good start right? Oh- and don't go thinking you need to put all this in there! The most important thing is that your guest who is spending 2 days travelling and maybe $1000 or more to attend your celebration feels welcomed. Put in what you like and what your budget affords you. These gifts can range from $7 to $175 each, depending on how lavish you want to get.

Quick tip: If you can attach a personal note to each bag- it speaks volumes. And its a task you can start as soon as the RSVP comes in. Also, if you do a welcome bag for each guest, a favor a the reception is certainly not necessary.