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Where To Start If You’re Getting Married In 2021

Planning your wedding for 2021? Click here to read about what you should be thinking about and planning during this changing time of COVID-19.

The post Where To Start If You’re Getting Married In 2021 appeared first on Modern Wedding.

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A Simply Sweet San Diego Wedding

Lynette and Alexander decided on San Diego, California due to their international guest list. “My husband Alex is Australian so having the wedding on the West Coast made it easier for our Australian guests to get there. This was a priority for us. Additionally, we had previously traveled to San Diego together and loved the feel of the city, the ocean and perfect weather,” recalls the bride.

Friends and loved ones were supportive of the decision to have a destination wedding especially since they were given a year to plan their travel. With 65 guests in tow, the couple decided on getting married in the city due to its “laid-back vibe.” They traveled once prior to the event with the bride’s mother and aunt to tour venues and sample caterers. “It was definitely hectic but we walked away having made a lot of big decisions!” says Lynette.

Planning a destination wedding added “an element of challenge” for the couple only because they couldn’t do and see everything in person. “The internet became our best friend! We spent hours searching websites and reading reviews. You have to rely on the vendors you are working with and let go of some of the control,” says Lynette. They also relied heavily on their wedding photographer, Amanda Donaho. “She was amazing in helping us think through the day and create a timeline. It was so nice to have someone in our corner who knows what works and doesn’t work for a wedding! We knew we could absolutely trust her which took away a lot of stress.”

Although the planning felt a little overwhelming at times, the bride stayed organized and she advises others do the same. Below, find some other nuggets of advice for couples planning a wedding away from home 

Scout it Out

"Ideally, you need to take at least one trip out to your destination location so that you can see things in person. Being focused/organized for that trip means you can make the most of your time there."

Connect with Friends

"We really enjoyed getting together with close friends prior to our wedding which made it feel more like a 2-3 day event, rather than just a few hours."

Do a “First Look”

Per our photographer’s recommendation we did “first look” photos with just the two of us at Sun-Set Cliffs which was such a highlight! We loved having this time together prior to the ceremony. Getting most of the pictures taken before the ceremony meant we could really enjoy our reception (including apps and drinks).

Serve Yourself Options

Our reception venue offered punch bowls which were a huge hit! Having guests be able to self-serve their initial drink meant they didn’t have to wait for the bartender to serve them. 

Lynette Says Relax

Most of all, just relax on your wedding weekend and enjoy spending time with all the people you love who traveled to celebrate with you! 

VENDORS: Photographer: Amanda Donaho, Wedding Planner: Molly Stark of Tres Chic Affairs, Ceremony Site/Reception Site: Horton Grand Hotel (ceremony) and You & Yours Distillery (reception), Florist: Sage Sisters, Stationery: Minted, Hair & Makeup: Erin at Unveiled Bridal Beauty, Gown Designer: Theia for BHLDN, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Hart Schaffner Marx

Partly Cloudy tomorrow!

With a high of 68F and a low of 44F.

Annapolis Dreamy Destination Wedding

Shae and Cameron decided on a destination wedding for the same reason many of you are – their guests already had to travel.

From their hometown of Jacksonville, FL the couple planned the Annapolis destination wedding of their dreams. “Cameron attended the United States Naval Academy (SNA) and the Chapel on campus is a dream ceremony venue,” says Shae. “Only people that attended the Navel Academy have the privilege of getting married on campus, so we wanted to take advantage of that.”

Having their out of town guests attend the wedding was no easy feat. “Logistically speaking it is very difficult to get people on and off a US Navy base without proper credentials. Guests are not allowed to drive on and off so we had to arrange buses to take people to the ceremony. We also had to provide a complete list guest to the academy a month prior to the wedding date.”

But thanks to Stephanie at SRS Events, the planning felt “seamless.” “She made it so easy that it didn’t even feel like we were planning a destination wedding. Seriously, using a wedding planner is the only way to go if you can’t meet with venues and vendors in person. I couldn’t recommend it more,” says the bride. “It was so nice having someone local who could meet with vendors when we couldn’t be there. It also helps that we had one of the best planners.  I can't say enough amazing things about Stephanie and how wonderful it was to work with her. She made our day even better than we could've imagined. We never had to worry about a single thing and when our wedding day arrived, we all were able to really enjoy the day knowing that she would take care of every last detail.”

Although the price tag was considerably higher in Annapolis than their home town, the couple has no regrets. “If we got to do it again I wouldn’t change a thing,” says the bride.

Shae has some sage advice for other couples doing their own destination weddings: “At the end of the day it doesn’t matter where you’re getting married or what color the napkins are. What matters is the person standing next to you, all the other things will fall into place and even if they don’t the right person will laugh through whatever goes wrong!”

 

VENDORS:
Photographer: Vness Photography, Wedding Planner: Stephanie Sadowski at SRS Events, Ceremony/Reception Site: United States Naval Academy / Chesapeake Bay Beach Club, Florist: Eight Tree Street Floral, Stationery: Minted, Cake: Blue Crab Cupcakes, 
Hair & Makeup: Vintage Veils, DJ: Posh Life Entertainment, Gown Designer: Ti Adora Bridal, Bridesmaids/Groomsmen’s Clothing Designer: Birdy Grey