Many couples get married in cities other than where they live and work on an everyday basis. Whether they dream of getting married in the town where they grew up, somewhere more exotic and with better weather, or simply can’t find the venue they want nearby, people are expanding their geographical boundaries.
Though the possibilities might be exciting or practical for the actual wedding day, planning from a distance can come with its own challenges. From dealing with extra correspondence and email volumes to risking having your vision fall through the cracks, there’s some risk that comes with not having it all at your finger’s reach.
What you need is a game plan and a method to keep everything running smoothly, even when you can’t be in the area every day to check on progress.
Hire a Local Wedding Planner
While you might want to hire someone who lives near you for quick and easy checkpoints, it makes more sense to hire someone who will be able to effectively manage the whole range of your vendors, from decorators, makeup artists, caterers, to florists, suit rentals, and more. An experienced wedding planner will also have lots of connections and recommendations for you in the local area, shortlisting a number of them for you to interview. Closer to the day, you’ll also need someone to run around, picking things up, etc. And this is a person you will be able to ask, guilt-free, for help.
Plan Weekend Retreats There
Though this might not be an option if this is a far away exotic destination, a good idea would be to at least visit once to get your venue and main vendors in place. Line up a bunch of meetings and appointments for that time, go through them all at once, and then unwind in the evenings at a hotel, just to put the whole thing into perspective. Bonus, one of the best places for a wedding reception in Montreal is actually in a hotel, so maybe where you are staying could actually be your future venue! If you can check in during multiple points during the wedding planning process, that’s a total win, but with inventions like Skype and Facetime, this shouldn’t be completely necessary.
Get There Early
If you can, arrive a few days before the planned nuptials. Not only will this give you a chance to adjust to the time change if there was one, it will allow you to gather your bearings and make any last-minute changes or decisions that are left. Try on the wedding gown, do a hair trial, do a rehearsal on-site, and check in with your wedding planner. Arriving the day of, or just immediately before could bring on a lot of stress you don’t need. If you can get some of your wedding party there a few days early as well, that would be great. They can be a great source of support, both emotionally and task-wise, in those last few days preceding the event.
Have a “Home Base” Set Up
Even if you can’t “go home” for regular de-stress intervals, find a spot to call your own in the time before the wedding. It can be a hotel room, a guest room at your parents’ home, or even your car. It’s a spot where you can breathe in, refresh, take a nap, or just vent on the phone. Bonus points for internet reception!
Though planning a wedding can be a lot of work, especially if you can’t regularly meet with your vendors, there’s no reason to worry. With good communication with your connections on the ground and some logistical planning beforehand, we are sure that it will all go off without a hitch!