The world of weddings has been shifting toward the trend of destination weddings over the past couple years. The Knot’s Real Wedding Study of 2016 showed us that 49 percent of couples chose to say “I do” 200+ miles from where they lived at the time they were married. That is a 28 percent jump since 2014!
A typical destination wedding is defined as marrying your loved one at least 100 miles from where the bride currently lives. However, contrary to popular belief, destination weddings don’t always have to be on the other side of the world. In 2016, about 89 percent of destination weddings took place in the United States (a 12 percent increase from 2015). The other 11 percent of marriages were held in international locations, such as the Caribbean or Mexico.
Whether you’re getting married in your parent’s backyard or halfway across the world, the last thing you want to be overbearing is the wedding itself! That’s why, wherever your nuptials take you, you’ll want a little piece of home (AKA Hitch Studio) to be with.
With most destination weddings, bridal parties are flying in blind. They may have yet to see the venue, meet their stylist or taste the food in person. However, knowing your wedding planner doesn’t have to be a mystery– save the “big reveal” for the married-to-be!
At Hitch Studio, we value a marriage over a wedding. Rather than being paired with a resort planner (who has probably not spent much time with you prior to the wedding), adopt a personalized experience and Midwest touch from Hitch for your big day!
Karla Eidem, a Brookings resident who married in Laguna, Philippines, chose to plan the wedding herself with the help of venue managers and family in the Philippines. Eidem works as an event and booking manager at the Swiftel Center, which prepared her for planning the big day (although not without obstacles).
“I needed to be mindful of the 14 hour time zone difference, so I scheduled meetings and calls when it’s day time there and night time … here,” said Eidem.
In regards to choosing a local wedding planner versus a destination-based planner, Eidem comments, “If event planning wasn’t my expertise, I would have definitely hired one (a local wedding planner)!”
“There’s just way too many things to think of, research about and remember when planning a wedding,” said Eidem. “Hiring a local wedding planner would definitely relieve a lot of stress if you have someone else worrying about all the details and all you … do is enjoy being a bride and cherish every moment of your big day.”
Hitch Studio can offer countless services while planning a destination wedding. From creating easy-to-ship decorations to being your full day-of coordinator (processional, greeting guests, logistics, being your clone) we are there for you!
Here is a full list of services we offer for destination weddings:
- Make those different time zone phone calls!
- Recommend any wedding vendors specific to your budget or needs
- Picking up/returning any rentals near the area (delivery to/from venue included)
- Use of all decorations in Hitch inventory
- We can accommodate easy-to-ship requests!
- Hitch decorates all tables at your reception
- Free tote bag from Hitch Studio for all your wedding binders and information
- Ceremony decorating (aisle, altar, guestbook, programs, card box, place unity ceremony)
- Photo collection of images of your wedding reception decorations
- Centerpiece showcase styled just for you at Hitch to choose your centerpieces prior to the wedding
- Creation of centerpiece key so you know exactly what’s going on which tables
- Confirmations with each vendor within 30 days of wedding
- Full day-of coordinator (processional, greeting guests, logistics, lead communicator with destination locals)
- Creation of wedding day timeline
- Renee Halgerson leads decorating effort + Hitch staffing for your day
- Unlimited meetings and communication (we want to hear everything!)
What’s not included:
- Cost for shipping any decorations
- Travel costs
Many brides choose to have their wedding away from home to stay cost-friendly, have an excuse for a smaller wedding party, and to have an once-in-a-lifetime marriage in a new and exciting place.
Haley Stafslien, a Wisconsin bride, and her soon-to-be husband chose to move their big day to Humbolt Redwoods State Park, California, to keep costs and attendees at a minimum and to fulfill her childhood dream of a “wooded wedding.”
“Imagine 500+ people’s butts and chairs … priced at $1.75 each! We ran the numbers and we are actually saving so much money by having an intimate elopement,” said Stafslien.
For the internationally bound bridal parties, strained communication can make the big day unnecessarily stressful. If you decide to fly your wedding overseas, you won’t have to worry about jumping through language barriers with Hitch Studio!
“Some people prefer working with a local vendor that speaks their same language and easier to understand versus the resort planners who might be harder to understand,” said Holly Peterson, a travel consultant from Travel Leaders in Brookings.
We will communicate and confirm plans with each vendor within 30, 60, and 90 days of your wedding so you don’t have to worry about the logistics of your wedding.
Brides and grooms pick a destination wedding for many reasons, but especially because it’s an exciting adventure for the both of you to cherish. We want to make that experience as beautiful and stress-free as possible! Check out our website or stop by to talk about your next adventure with your beloved and Hitch Studio.
Check out this destination wedding we helped plan and style in California! And need more advice on planning your destination wedding, read this!
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Great information!
In choosing your wedding planner/officiate for your Destination Wedding, be sure to think of these few important tips.
Firstly, you will want to work with someone who is local and has their business based where you wish to go. “Non- local, Off-island” or “mainland” coordinators are mostly middle-men and this can be a drain on your budget. Some non-local coordinators tend to undercut the vendors, taking a big cut of the Wedding Package price. This economically hurts the local vendors and makes for a somewhat impersonal wedding when you are not working with the actual officiate/planner yourself. Being able to plan your wedding directly with the Ceremonial Minister (there are many who do the “one-stop shop” with photography, ceremony and floral arrangements) ensures your personal desires are fully understood and carried out by the same person. By the time the wedding comes around, you are already good friends and your ceremony will have that “personal” touch.
Secondly, be sure that your ‘minister’ will actually be the one officiating the ceremony. There are many planner/ministers who farm out their work to other ministers, doing the double booking thing. You show up to your wedding thinking you have a certain minister, and then you are surprised by another face. Has this minister actually given you a copy of their ceremony so that you can review it and add or delete any phrases you wish? Did they ask about your “first date” so they could know a bit more about you and take those special moments and mention them in the ceremony? Go for a planner that actually does the ceremony; wedding planners that do nothing but nervously pace around the wedding site grasping a clipboard are really an unnecessary expense unless you really do have a huge budget for a very complex wedding. If you want it simple, keep it simple!