Planning a Destination Wedding Without a Wedding Planner: How to Stay Organized by Barefoot Bride Megan T.

Planning a destination wedding without the assistance of a wedding planner can be a rewarding challenge. It allows you to have full control over every detail and make personalized choices that truly reflect your vision. However, it also requires meticulous organization and careful planning to ensure everything runs smoothly. Here are some essential tips and strategies for staying organized as you plan your dream destination wedding on your own.

1. Be Organized With Emails and PDFs From Day 1

The hardest part for me when it came to managing the hundreds of emails and pamphlets from my resort was keeping organized! I found it very helpful to create a folder in my google drive that is specific for all things wedding related. Within that folder, I created subfolders: 

• Pricing from Vendors: this is everything and anything that has pricing on it from our vendors. Think decor, room blocks, entertainment, etc. 

• Contracts: in this folder I keep all of my contracts I receive and have signed from all vendors. You will be surprised how often you need to reference your contracts! 

• Email Threads: this was my most important sub-folder! Anytime I was given approval for something that was out of the norm, I would take a screenshot of that email thread or download it as a PDF and save it in this folder. The more the merrier - save or screenshot anything that you may need to reference again in the future. For myself, this was helpful because my wedding coordinators switched mid planning. What the first coordinator approved, the second was hesitant. Since I had email proof, the conversation was much easier to have! 

• Printables: in this sub-folder, I keep a copy of anything that I created and needed to print. Itineraries, signs, escort cards, invitations, etc. 

• Guest Invoices: in this sub-folder, I kept a copy of every single hotel room invoice for each guest. This was helpful for when guests came to me with questions or if I quickly needed to know how long a guest was staying. 

• Event Layouts: if having multiple events, I would recommend having a folder where you keep all the layouts of each space. This is something you will reference frequently and will want to be able to find it quickly.

2. Create a Comprehensive Checklist

Lists, lists, everywhere!!! A detailed checklist is your best friend in wedding planning. Break down tasks into manageable categories such as venue selection, travel arrangements, accommodations, decor and extras. Include deadlines for each task to keep yourself on track. Regularly review and update your checklist to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

This can be done in a more visual way with a poster board and sticky notes, or if you enjoy tracking on a computer you can create your checklist in excel. If creating on the computer, don’t forget to save your checklist in your main wedding folder! 

3. Find Free Services for Help

When it comes to a destination wedding, there are so many moving parts! To help with airfare, room blocks and transportation, I HIGHLY recommend finding a travel agency that is free. They can help manage communication between the resort and you when it comes to the room block. They also help your guests with booking their accommodations, airfare and transportation. This takes A LOT of stress off of your shoulder. 

I chose Barefoot Bridal as my travel agency. They checked off all the boxes I was looking for, open/clear/quick communication, experience with destination weddings, and experience working with the resort of my choice. 

4. Delegate Responsibilities - Ask for Help!

Even if you’re not working with a wedding planner, you can still delegate tasks to trusted friends, family members or your fiance! Assign specific responsibilities, such as coordinating transportation or managing the guest book, to individuals who can assist you. Clear delegation can help ease your workload and ensure that everything is managed effectively.

5. Write Emails With Clear Subject Lines

Be prepared to send the most emails of your entire life during the months leading up to your wedding. It can get very difficult to stay organized in emails when each thread talks about 100 different things at once. 

I find keeping each email thread related to the subject line is helpful. If you ever need to look back, you know exactly what email thread to look for. Examples: Cocktail Hour Decorations, Room Block Contract, Wedding Reception Entertainment.

6. Powerpoints, Spreadsheets and Word Documents Are Your BFF

I use powerpoints for organizing all my thoughts related to decorations. I create mood boards of decorations, lay out each individual decoration provided by the hotel, the decoration team, or myself. I also create layouts of the events and add my seating charts here as well. Keeping each slide categorized per event will help you stay organized! 

These slides are also great to send to your resort wedding coordinator and your decoration team, so everybody knows what you expect!

My main use for spreadsheets are for prices and budgeting. It is very important to stay on top of this! Creating spreadsheets that auto sum your totals can be very helpful and make sure your totals are accurate. See my spreadsheet below as an example! 

I use different tabs for each event I am planning and then one tab that sums all the totals from all the events and anything extra! Do not forget to ask your decor team, florists and wedding coordinator about any extras fees that may be included that you have not talked over yet. We want to avoid as many unwanted surprises as possible. 

13. Regularly Review and Adjust Your Plan

Regularly review your planning progress and make adjustments as needed. I am constantly checking my slides, emails and budgets multiple times a week. Things are going to come up that you didn’t think of or did not expect - that is okay! Be flexible and open to changes. 

As you are moving along in your planning, check off completed tasks and stay organized on where you store your completed tasks (online folder, bins/tubs for DIY projects, etc).

Planning a destination wedding without a wedding planner is a challenging yet fulfilling task that allows you to bring your unique vision to life. By staying organized with a clear checklist, budget, and timeline, and effectively communicating with your guests and vendors, you can ensure a smooth and memorable wedding experience. Remember to stay flexible, delegate tasks, and enjoy the journey as you create a beautiful celebration in your dream destination.