5 Things You Need to Know

There are many people who claim to be destination wedding planners, as well as numerous websites boasting their destination wedding locations and planning services. How do you sort through who is legitimate and who is not? After you do that, how do you narrow down your choices?

The most important thing you do when planning your destination wedding is to choose your planner/ coordinator. It will involve some research, but it is absolutely essential to know who you are working with. Destination wedding disasters can be worse than local wedding disasters because travel arrangements, airports and hotels, foreign countries, language barriers and other factors are often involved (and likely, not all of your guests will be seasoned travelers). Remember that you will not have as good of a time if you know your guests are unhappy or uncomfortable with their accommodations. Your guests are an important part of this equation—otherwise, you would just elope. Here are a few tips for finding the right destination wedding planner:

1. Ask to see whether they are accredited by the local Better Business Bureau. (If not, choosing them is probably too risky).
   
   
2. Find out if they are officially certified as a wedding planner. Also, find out if they have been recognized by the wedding industry. See what other clients have said about them. If possible, get the names and contact information of people who have used their services. Talking with people who have worked directly with them is extremely helpful when narrowing down your choice, and it often gives you clues as to their strengths (as well as things they could improve on).
   
   
3. Figure out how much experience they have had. Ask specific questions with direct answers, such as “How many weddings do you do each year?” “What is the average size of the wedding?” “Can you show me pictures of weddings you have done?” Experience is ultimately what separates someone who is good from someone who is excellent. You want a planner who knows exactly what they are doing, who has done this a million times, who has excellent contacts, who can negotiate well on your behalf, and who is extremely detail-oriented.
   
   
4. Use only reputable online services. There are a lot of scams on the web, with many websites promising things that they will not deliver. You need to be absolutely certain that the service you are choosing is not only reputable, but also has a near perfect track record. If at all possible, speak directly with a prospective planner on the phone. If you are not able to have a face-to-face meeting, remember to ask the right questions.
   
   
5. Final Note: Decide before working with your coordinator whether your wedding location will be the same place as your honeymoon. The choice of honeymoon destinations can be difficult, and remember that you can save a lot of money, effort, and time if you join the wedding and honeymoon (If you are worried about privacy, you can always take a less expensive and more local romantic weekend getaway when you get back home). If have already paid the airfare and taken the time to make the arrangements, take advantage of it. Certain destinations are geared towards weddings and honeymoons, and destination wedding planners should be able to leverage this in negotiating prices.

Read more:

• Destination Wedding Planners 101
  
• Hiring a Part-Time Wedding Planner
  
• Hiring a Full-Time Wedding Planner