You’ve heard of the hit movie, “Interview with a Vampire,” right? Well, with a little less drama and more of a wedding theme, today’s post features an interview that answers some of your most burning questions about destination weddings.
This particular transcript is an interview between owner of Weddings By Oceans and destination wedding specialist, Megan McWhinnie-Crouse, and Stephanie Miller, Beachside Bride Blogger.
Interview with a destination wedding specialist
Stephanie: How common is it for people to choose a destination wedding?
Megan: The popularity for destination weddings has been growing every year. Currently, about 16% of North American couples choose a destination wedding – which means they’re getting married in a place where neither the bride nor the groom are originally from or where they don’t currently live.
Stephanie: Why do you think destination weddings are catching on as much as they are?
Megan: Well, more people these days seem to be breaking away from the `norm’ and becoming a bit more adventurous. Plus, with a destination wedding you’re getting married in a gorgeous place where you can somewhat control the weather a bit more by choosing a place that’s going to have more warm days and less rain. And we hear that a lot of guests are loving it because they can build a vacation around it simultaneously while celebrating a life event.
Stephanie: Those are some great benefits! Because there’s group travel involved, do you need to plan a destination wedding more in advance than a traditional wedding at home?
Megan: Yes, you do need to give people a little more time to make arrangements for themselves when you’re planning a destination wedding. We like to suggest allowing guests at least three months notice to take time off of work and make their travel plans. Actually, three months is still a little tight so six is ideal.
The bride and groom should really start the process more like a year ahead of time to pick a location, send the `save the date’ cards and invites, and co-ordinate between the travel agent and onsite wedding coordinator. While it can be done in three months, we see many couples start planning their destination wedding 18 months before the wedding date.
Stephanie: Wow, well I guess the more in advance you start planning the less stressful it is for the couple and their guests. You mentioned to me earlier that for destination weddings you recommend keeping the guest list a bit smaller. What’s the average number of guests for a destination wedding?
Megan: Right now, the average we’ve been seeing is 30-50 guests. It’s important for couples to keep in mind the number of people they invite because it can be hard to determine how many of those invitees will accept the invitation.
You see, when destination weddings were new, most of the guests would decline the invitation because they didn’t quite know what to expect. Now that destination weddings are becoming more popular, guests are jumping at the chance for a vacation for which they can receive a group price discount AND experience a life event at the same time. However, the couple needs to be aware of their confirmed guest list because it’s going to affect the locale they choose, the amount of time required to plan it and the cost of the wedding.
Stephanie: Hmm… from what I know of destination wedding specialists, this is where they can really step in to help a couple plan their destination wedding. What are some other logistical challenges associated with destination weddings and how does a destination wedding specialist help?
Megan: A destination wedding specialist really excels in the area of travel arrangements and accommodations for the couple and their guests. Group bookings are best left with someone with travel industry experience and who has established relationships with hoteliers and air carriers in order to get the best deals.
Besides the group discounts, guests who book with the group have definite advantages over those who choose to book on their own. Destination wedding specialists help co-ordinate arrangements so that the entire group travels together and stays at the same hotel so that everyone arrives on time for the `Big Day’ and can fully enjoy the week-long celebration with the couple. If there’s an over-booking at the hotel, those who fail to book with the group risk being transferred to another hotel and miss out on some of the fun.
Some, but very few, destination wedding specialists are also certified as wedding planners. I’m certified with The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada so our office can help with the wedding details, if required or requested. In general, the destination wedding specialist helps you arrange a block of rooms for your guests to book, find an officiant and vendors, and they’re obviously very familiar with the destination as well as their wedding packages. A destination wedding specialist can really take a load of your shoulders.
Stay tuned for Part II of an Interview with a Destination Wedding Specialist where you’ll learn more about destination weddings and details about planning for them.
Do you have a question for Megan? Ask her in the comments below!
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