LIFESTYLE 12.14.18
OUR DESTINATION WEDDING
Let me start from the beginning. My sister and I are 4.5 years apart, and who would have ever thought we would get married 6 months a part from each other? Well, we did and it was SO much fun getting to experience all of this together. The reason I tell you this is because my sister and I are VERY similar. So similar we would send each other screenshots of ideas from Pinterest for our wedding and it would be exactly the same. I mean it, we basically had the some wedding board. Therefore, I knew I wanted to do something different, and so that all of our family wouldn’t basically go to the same wedding twice lol!
So, this is where destination weddings came to my mind. Before this though, I always wanted an outside wedding and it have a beautiful backdrop- I just didn’t know that would be a flight, car ride, and country away. If you know me you know I have an obsession with greenery, and I love the outdoors. I began my search for the perfect outside wedding with A LOT of greenery with the perfect backdrop.
After much research, St. Lucia was my top choice. If you aren’t familiar with it (I wasn’t before this research) it is in the Caribbean and boy is it beautiful. Another fun fact about me, I am a little bit of a control freak. My biggest fear was I would plan this amazing wedding but, being it destination I would be mislead by the pictures online, or it not turn out the way I envisioned here in the States.
So, here is my first tip.
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Tip #1: If you have the ability to fly out the destination of your choice prior to booking the venue DO IT! For all of you type A women like me, you understand the need to see it firsthand.
My mom, mother-in-law and I booked a flight and we were off to St. Lucia. Chris and I got engaged on Christmas Day in 2016, this gave us over a year to plan our wedding. My sweet husband is the best, and let the moms and I take a girls trip and pick out the venue. (He knows we have great taste)
So, the moms and I were off! And did I mention I have the best mom and mother-in-law, like truly the best! Could not be happier to call both of them my best friends. So this was going to be the BEST girls trip. We landed in St. Lucia and had plans to meet with 3 different Venues while we were on the island.
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Tip #2: Do your research before going. Pick out different venues, contact their wedding coordinators and make sure you ask them pricing before. (You don’t want to fall in love with a venue and then find out it may be out of your price range later).
Before, I get to all of the fun parts I have another tip for you.
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Tip #3: Make sure you research travel once you arrive in your destination of your choice. St. Lucia’s airport is located hours away from of all the resorts. They gave us 2 options to arrive to our venue. 1. Helicopter or 2. Drive 2 hours after your flight
For our girls trip, we decided to save some money and drive because it was way cheaper than the helicopter. Soon will find out the helicopter ride is WORTH the money.
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Royalton St. Lucia
We arrive to our first venue Royalton St. Lucia, and beauty is an understatement. When looking at venues, I looked at not only the aesthetics of it, but, also financial cost for our families, activities, all-inclusive options, and the wedding staff. My fear was that the wedding planner located on the island would not understand my vision, remember Type A.. May or may not have been very particular. ;)
The moms and I walk into the resort, drink in hand, and all almost started to cry. It was breathtaking, and to top it off this happens... Chris and I are high school sweethearts, and his song to me when were in high school was Bruno Mars - Just the way you are. Well, I kid you not.. As we are walking in and they are getting our luggage this song begins to play. We all looked at each other, stunned because I mean what are the odds? At the point, I pretty much knew this was going to be the venue. BUT, I still needed to do all my research, look at other venues, and be sure of my decision.
Long story short, after much research, visiting another venue and walking all the resorts. The mom’s and I made our decision and we were getting married at Royalton St. Lucia. (First choice)
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Tip #4: Trust your gut!
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We arrive home, and the chaos/fun begins.
I begin the long distance relationship with my planner.. Long distance is NO FUN!
Destination weddings are beautiful.. But, until you’re at the resort and ready to say I do, its pretty stressful. If you’re getting married in the states, you can get coffee with your planner show her pictures in person. Go walk the venue (a million times). Destination weddings, its all through your phone/computer. Thankfully my planner was AMAZING!
Like many girls, I had my wedding planned out to a tee. I had a vision board, with the color scheme, ceremony ideas, center pieces, flowers, bridesmaids dresses, etc. So, I made this quite easy for my planner.
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Tip #5: Organization
Organization was KEY. Especially for Destination Weddings. Planning a wedding abroad can be quite overwhelming. But, having the vision board which, I made on a poster board made it all come together and I can see my vision come to life.
I was able to send specific pictures of my vision board, Facetime, send Pinterest pictures, and even sketches of how I want the seating chart.
Having a plan and drawing it out allows you to see your ideas in concrete way. You may love an idea (believe me I did this many times) and then you see it “in person” or glued on a poster board next to the flowers you want. etc. and then you realize its not what you thought it was. THAT’S OKAY! Don’t feel overwhelmed, you want to be able to figure out these things before the wedding.
Being a destination wedding, you have many choices. You have the opportunity to allow the planner to take over and completely handle all of the choices for you. She offered to take all the stress away and asked me numerous of questions about my taste, style, etc. OR you can go the route that I did and completely take over.
Either way there is not a wrong choice. Destination weddings give you the option to travel somewhere beautiful and take the stress of planning a wedding away, but, it also can add more stress if you extremely anal and particular like me.\
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Tip #6: Be Self-Aware
In this season of wedding planning, you start to feel ALL the emotions. Happiness, excited, nervous, stressed, overwhelmed, and then excited again. Seriously all the feels. Through this, you have to make sure you take time for self-care. Be self-aware when you start to feel overwhelmed or stressed because you only go through this planning season one time. You don’t want to look back at this season and remember how stressed you were or how you were just so ready for it to be over.
Enjoy every minute. Every decision. Every choice for the wedding. Enjoy it.
Chris and I were engaged for a year and a half, and when I say time flies. Boy, do I mean it. We were so lucky to have the opportunity to enjoy each season of our lives and we did this purposefully. We enjoyed dating, we enjoyed being engaged, and now we are enjoying being newlyweds. The reason I tell you this is you may feel like you want to jump right into the wedding day( which is so normal and THE BEST DAY EVER) But, enjoy the planning, soak in every moment of the process and every moment of planning with your significant other.
Tip #7: Photographers are KEY COMPONENT
The uncertainty of some of the aspects of destination wedding made me quite anxious. So, with that being said I knew I needed to come up with a plan for my photography for the wedding.
I had spoke to my planner and she said the photographers on-site were great but, I wanted a specific look and wanted someone I could 100% trust. SO, after much research and one of my bridesmaids recommended her photographer at her wedding I found the perfect photographer.
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Tip #8: Hire Brian Schindler and Hannah Schindler as your Wedding Photographers.
AH-MAZING!!!! Not only did my pictures turn out stunning, they quickly became some of our best friends. Pictures of that special day last a life time and having someone behind the camera that makes you feel comfortable, and yourself is everything. Our wedding would have not been the same without these two. Be SURE to have a photographer that you trust, and can be honest and communicate exactly what you are envisioning to them.
Tip #9: Have an itinerary for the weekend
Break down the specific plan for you and your guests
Upon Arrival- Have Welcome Bags in each guests room for them to enjoy when the arrive (Work with your planner to arrange, Etsy has great small welcome bags that you can customize)
Arrival- Welcome Drinks
Welcome Dinner- For everyone to see each other and kick off the weekend
Bridal Party Activities- Ex: We had a cabana for all the bridesmaids and had drinks/food by the pool. Groomsmen had jet skis and had a “boys” day.
Rehearsal Dinner - We invited all of our guests instead of only the bridal party and immediate family
Having a set itinerary helps guest feel included and allows everyone to be together and have a great time!
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Night Before the Wedding:
Chris and I had separate rooms in St. Lucia until the night of the wedding.The night before the wedding I had all the bridesmaids in my suite for a gift from me to them! This included: silk robes, picture frame of the bridesmaid and I, face masks, jewelry for the wedding, and a special note.
My sister and I stayed in my suite that night, and it was the best! Having that night just her and I and talking about when we were kids and how we have always dreamed about this day, was the sweetest. I wouldn’t have wanted that night any other way!
Wedding Day:
I woke up that morning with such a calmness and peace. I was SO excited and could not wait to marry the love of my life. We had all the girls come and meet in my suite for breakfast, mimosas, and to get ready!
The hair and make up artists were meeting in our suite to get everyone ready!
Tip #10: It’s not going to be PERFECT, and that’s okay!
Everyone tells you something is going to mess up, or it’s not going to be perfect. I would just say okay okay, and in my head say well my day will be because I have planned it out so well, blah, blah, blah.
Well, they were right! The makeup artist and hair stylist were not able to get my bridesmaids, mom, and mother-in-law’s hair and makeup done in the suite. (Sounds so small, but, WEDDING DAY everything seems like a bigger deal!)
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They had to go to the salon on the other side of the resort (Not the end of the world) but, I was so looking forward to everyone getting ready together. Hey, if that’s the worst that happens that I am one happy bride!
PS I had one of my bridesmaids littler sister do my hair and make up for the wedding! Brooke TerKeurst, and y’all she did such an AMAZING job! Seriously so thankful she was there with me. I have known her since she little, and for her to grow into herself and be so talented was amazing to see! She made me feel so beautiful and so confident on such an important day! Thanks Brookie :)
The reason I tell you this is because I want you to know something most likely will mess up. Something won’t be perfect, something will mess up, and its OKAY! It’s okay, because you are there to marry your dream person. You are marrying your best friend, and you are making this commitment to one another and before God that is more important than the little something that wasn’t exactly how you planned it to be.
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Tip #11: DO A FIRST LOOK
The first look is one of my favorite memories of the entire day. This was such an intimate moment that Chris and I shared. We laughed, we cried, and we were able to get all of the jitters out before I walked down the aisle. It was a moment Chris and I had that it was just us (& Brian, who we love so much) and was able to pray, and be together one last time before husband and wife.
Truly this moment was so amazing, it gives me chills just thinking about it. Here is a photo from our first look:
Your wedding day is a day you will never forget. Chris and I still can not stop smiling about that day, and we are so thankful to have shared our day with all of our friends and family. Enjoy every moment, take a step back during your wedding and just embrace it all, soak up every moment.
Y’all I would 10/10 recommend a destination wedding. We had the best time, got to go on vacation with everyone we love, and say I do in the beautiful Caribbean. I am sure I missed so much, but, if any of you are currently planning a destination wedding and have any questions I would love to help you through this process.
Here are some photos from our wedding:
Thank you all for stopping by and reading this post! This day was everything Chris and I could have dreamed of, and we had the best time with all of our friends and family!
XoXo Amanda