Planning from Afar by Barefoot bride Sherry W
After spending a few years in quarantine (trigger warning, I guess), you’d think we’d all be masters of remote work by now. But alas, wedding planning is a whole other beast, and planning a destination wedding without a site visit can be absolutely terrifying. This blog will go through how to leverage social media, video content, and review sites to make your long-distance planning a breeze. I hope my tips as a past destination bride can help you be as prepared as you can possibly be!
Facebook groups are a goldmine of information from past brides who've been in your shoes. Join groups specific to your chosen resort or destination weddings in Mexico. I personally joined DOZENS of different groups to get inspiration and it was far more helpful than even the resort themselves, given the vast archives of information. Here's what you can learn:
Wedding Department Experiences: Get insights into how responsive and helpful the resort's wedding coordinators are, any tips and tricks for working with them, and set expectations for communication style and timing.
Vendor Recommendations: Find out which local photographers, videographers, or entertainment services previous couples loved. Resorts have in-house and preferred vendors that don’t require an outside vendor fee, and you can read in-depth reviews for these vendors in these groups as they are often the most commonly used.
Timeline Tips and Venue Locations: Learn about optimal schedules for ceremonies, cocktail hours, and receptions based on sunset times and resort policies, as well as learn past bride’s considerations when picking wedding venues.
Services and Packing Lists: Get ideas on must-bring items that aren't provided by the resort or are more economical to bring yourselves, as well as photos of what the resort does provide. Learn what other couples paid for various services and if they were able to negotiate any aspects of their package.
Menu Selections: Find out which food and drink options were hits with wedding guests.
Pro Tip: Don't be shy about reaching out to past brides directly. Many are happy to relive the high of their wedding day by sharing their experiences and offering advice.
YouTube
If you can’t make it to the resorts in person, YouTube as your virtual tour guide is the next best thing! Search for vlogs and resort tours of your chosen destination to:
Get a feel for the resort layout and ambiance.
View different ceremony and reception locations in action and see how other couples decorated various spaces.
Understand the flow between different areas of the resort.
Check out room types and amenities.
Tripadvisor and Google Reviews
Lastly, while planning your perfect day is crucial, ensuring your guests have a great vacation is also important. TripAdvisor, Google, and other review sites can help you:
Understand the overall guest experience at the resort.
Identify potential issues or areas of concern.
Get tips on must-do activities or excursions near the resort.
Learn about restaurant quality and variety.
Gauge the level of service and staff friendliness.
By combining insights from Facebook groups, YouTube videos, and resort reviews, you can create a comprehensive vision of your destination wedding and you’ll feel like a pro when you actually step foot onto the resort.
