A destination wedding is a great way to celebrate your love in an idyllic place while enjoying a vacation. However, planning the destination wedding can be challenging—especially when it comes to finding and coordinating wedding vendors.
If you plan a local wedding, you can easily rely on local recommendations and visit locales or taste the potential wedding fare. A destination wedding requires planning from a distance, which comes with its own set of challenges.
However, armed with the right wedding gown for a destination wedding (we have you covered on that front!) and our list of essential things to remember when you’re choosing wedding vendors, your destination wedding will be a breeze!
What to Keep in Mind When Choosing Destination Bridal Vendors
There are a few things to store away as a reminder before you begin choosing your destination wedding vendors:
It is essential to prioritize the vendors on your list, from the most desirable to those you would settle for. It would be best if you also had a good idea of your wedding vision. Having a vision board is critical for communicating your dream wedding; from wedding colors and aesthetics to the floral arrangements and the type of meal you’d like to have, having a vision or Pinterest board is key for communicating your dream wedding.
While it would be best to meet in person, it is unlikely that you can do so unless you plan on travelling to your destination multiple times. Inquire with each vendor about setting up a FaceTime or Skype call to discuss your requirements and desires.
This is important because it can help determine if you are dealing with a professional and whether the vendor can see your vision (by reading their non-verbal cues). But, also, keep your mind open to the vendors’ ideas, as they will know what is most appropriate for the destination’s needs.
Finally, even though you’re distanced from the vendors, be respectful of their time and attend scheduled meetings on time. It can also be impactful to treat the meeting as important as you would have in person.
With these things in mind, here are our tips for choosing your vendors:
How to Choose Your Wedding Vendors From A Distance
Check out their socials
Just as you would likely do for a local wedding, you should head to social media to discover vendors in the area you will be married.
You should be able to find a Facebook or Instagram for wedding vendors by searching hashtags for the location or region, for instance, #photographerStLucia or #Stluciaflorists. On Facebook, you should be able to find vendors by searching terms such as “wedding cakes in St. Lucia” or “St. Lucia wedding DJs.”
Not only will you find a variety of vendors to add for your consideration, but you may also see ideas that you hadn’t considered for your wedding.
Search engine queries
After you have done an initial search on social media, searching for local vendor websites can help you find the best wedding offerings in your destination area.
If your wedding destination is popular, there is a good chance that a wedding planner or other wedding website may have created lists of the best in your destination.
A website search may also provide you with exclusive offers for some of the vendors you find, and it will also give you an insight into their specialities, past projects, and possibly even pricing.
Check wedding websites and magazines
Wedding magazines and websites often have articles that provide the names of vendors at frequent destination wedding spots.
These tools can help you choose your wedding destination site if you have yet to do so. It may help you decide on one spot over another if you see more vendors in one area that you are considering but very little in another of your choices. You may also even choose your destination based on a recommendation or feature from one of these options.
Check wedding vendor blogs
Wedding vendors will often feature a blog on their website, providing a bit more insight into their work. Blogs often give a personal side to a vendor and feature photos and past weddings or events.
Blogs may also link to other vendors that you hadn’t heard of, which can aid in your destination wedding planning.
Focus on reviews
A wedding vendor may look perfect on the internet and social media, but until you can see what real past customers have said about their services, you won’t know the real story.
Check many different spots for reviews. Yelp and Google will likely have reviews for the vendors under your consideration. Many shady businesses will delete negative social media comments, but always make sure you still check there.
Check for quality reviews that provide details of interactions and transactions to give you a good idea of what your own experience will be like.
Chat often
Video chatting options are ideal, and you will want to build a rapport with your vendors so that you are comfortable asking for what you want. Depending on the vendor, you may have to settle for regular emails or phone calls.
Even if your vendor cannot make video chat meetings frequently, it is crucial to consider their response time to emails or other forms of communication. If they are consistent, they are probably a good candidate, but if it takes days between correspondence, you may want to consider moving on.
Rely on your wedding venue
If you have already chosen your wedding venue at your destination, they can usually offer you sound advice on vendors they have worked with and trust.
In addition, they may also offer wedding packages that include some, or all, of the vendors that you need. Often, these packages can be customized to your requirements and include a designated wedding coordinator at the venue.
A Destination Wedding Gown of Your Dreams from Viero Bridal
When planning your destination wedding, there are many things to consider. Finding wedding vendors who can help create your dream wedding can be challenging without a plan.
Viero Bridal will help you find the destination wedding gown you have dreamed of. With a wide variety of designers and styles to choose from in one of our wedding dress boutiques in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami, you will find the dress for you. From affordable wedding dresses to a custom-designed couture gown, we can help you find a bridal gown that suits your personality—and fits your wedding destination.