Time Line

NantucketBride12

This is probably a silly question to ask, but when did you start planning your destination weddings?  I don't even know where to begin.  We're planning a destination vow renewal in February (destination because we live by neither family anyways and a vow renewal because our wedding was cancelled a few years ago when our daughter had to have urgent surgery and we hit the courthouse).  Is it too early to plan? What should I be doing now?

amorg334

I think now is a good time to start.  I have been planing for a while now and our wedding is december.  I think we started last october with our destination planning.  

Julyet06

About a year out.  Many places don't open their calendars until at most 12 months before.  You should definitely start now, esp b/c Feb could be very popular time for travel (valentine's day, winter recess), you want to secure your dates!

My wedding was in Feb 2013, we started planning in November 2011 and we decided on a location & booked our resort in Feb 2012.

Good Luck! 

Julyet06

It could feel a bit overwhelming since there are so many locations to choose from!  My advice is to set a budget, figure out what factors in the location are important to you (beach, history, all inclusive resorts, adventure, more relaxed atmosphere etc.) and find the place that meets most of your criteria.  Look up resorts, get pricing for the rooms, flights and look at the wedding packages.

That's where I started :-)

NantucketBride12

Thanks

Could I ask a follow up, and I realize this varies incredibly by place and region and whatnot... but did most of you go with places with packages while planning from a distance?  It seems easier, but I worry that quality suffers somewhat (like a package with a photographer will just have an average photographer or whatnot).  Any thoughts on packages vs. just finding vendors on your own?

TerriHugg

Hi there,

I got married at all-inclusive resort in the Bahamas. We went with the package and it was great. Everyone loved the resort. The one downfall for the package was the photographer. My photographer wasn't terrible. She was great for portraits but I don't think she was a great wedding photographers because she missed the little details. For that reason, I wish I would have hired an outside photographer. But other than that the package worked out well for me. 

Julyet06

I went with a package since I was studying for my CPA exams and didn't need added stress with searching for vendors.  I used my resort photographer and after months of worrying that I was going to have crappy photos I am pleased to say that my wedding album came out FANTASTIC!!  It could be a hit or miss, but my resort coordinator was amazing and I trusted her to pair me with a great photographer.  If you choose to pick your own vendors you have to be sure that your resort will allow for "outside" vendors.  If the resort doesn't allow for it, I know a past Knottie got married at a restaurant off of the resort that catered the event and she did a lot of DIY decor.  Also, I think vendors (particularly photographers) would be able to pair you up with others, ie the photog can recommend a makeup artist, or suggest a venue, etc...

NantucketBride12

Thanks for all the help, ladies.  I'm excited to finally be able to do this, but there are so many details to plan!