Are you trying to plan a destination wedding, but not sure where to start? If so, you’ve come to the right place! Not only are destination weddings exciting and unique, but they give you a chance to be creative and have fun.

Once you’ve picked the destination you want to get married, or at least know the general vicinity, it’s a good idea to start looking for a destination wedding planner. You will be spending quite a bit of time working with them, so finding someone you enjoy working with and makes you feel confident is key.

Here are 5 Things to Look for in a Destination Wedding Planner

1 - Do they fit into your budget?

Budget is important for any wedding, but especially destination weddings. Finding out if you can afford having your wedding in your chosen location and can also afford the wedding planner will be one of the first items to figure out.

Make sure to shop around and find out the industry standard for destination wedding planners in the area. If you’re hiring a wedding planner to come with you, make sure they offer the services you need and that you factor in travel into your overall budget. There can be hidden fees you might not have known about when it comes to other locations, so make sure you do some research to find out how much things should cost.

2 - Can you meet face to face or are they willing to video chat?

If the destination wedding planner you want to hire is willing to meet with you in person or over video chat, that’s a good sign. After all, you will be working together for quite a while. It’s important to get any worries you have out of the way on this first call and discuss your vision and budget to make sure you both get along. This intro call can also serve as an exit if you decide you don’t want to work with this particular vendor. If you can’t meet in person, make sure to hop on a video call to see if this wedding planner understands your vision and your personalities mesh.

3 - Are they trustworthy?

Finding someone you trust to plan your wedding is paramount when planning a destination wedding. After all, you don’t live in the location, so making sure they do research or know the area well will be the key to your success.

Sometimes your destination wedding planner will give you recommendations and suggestions that maybe you can’t see or fully grasp, but you’ll just have to trust that they have your best interest at heart. Trusting them and making sure they are clear on your vision will help your wedding come full-circle.

If you can find other people that recommend them or can find reviews online that are positive you’re well on your way to a great destination wedding planner!

4 - Do they have knowledge of the area?

Some people choose to hire their wedding planner at the location of their wedding and others choose to bring along their wedding planner from home. Either one can work, but make sure you’re asking and finding out some key information first. For example, if you’re working with someone that knows the venue well or is at your destination, you won’t have to pay for extra costs for research and understanding the venue, you might get discounts and the chances of big things going wrong might be minimized.

However, hiring someone from home and meeting them face to face to make sure you like them and can spend time with them can also trump all of the other factors of hiring someone that knows the venue. It’s totally up to you and what experience you’d like on your wedding day.

5 - Do you enjoy their personality?

This is key since you will be working with them from afar for a year on average! Making sure you like them and get along will just make everything run a lot smoother. If you feel comfortable telling them what you like and don’t like and are able to easily communicate with them, your entire wedding planning process will run a lot smoother.

Finding a destination wedding planner can be fun and having the wedding somewhere special is even better. Just make sure you find someone you enjoy spending time with and working with. Making sure they understand your vision and fit into your budget are key for a successful destination wedding!

Learn more about my destination wedding services at www.sproutdesignwedding.com and on instagram @sproutdesignwedding