Our Complete Guide to Hiring a Destination Wedding Planner
There are a endless reasons why our brides are drawn to the idea of jetting off to a foreign destination for an intimate (or over-the-top) nuptial ceremony. For some, it’s the allure of an adventure grand enough to rival the one they are about to embark on together. For others, it’s the promise of an extended honeymoon somewhere exotic and warm, where the day starts and ends on a beach. Whether you’re fantasising of an island elopement or a reception for 200 in a Medieval castle, the magic of that seeing dream realised makes all the hassle of planning a wedding abroad utterly worth it.
And, for some brides, it truly can be a hassle. Planning a wedding in a foreign country takes more research and logistical planning than a locally-based affair. There are legal stipulations to take into account, time zones hindering communication to consider, and the overwhelming prospect of setting up your dream team of talent from among local vendors.
This is why hiring a planner who specialises in destination weddings can be absolutely crucial in alleviating stress and contributing to the success and enjoyment of your fabulous day. A seasoned planner will offer their experience, vision, creativity, and support while walking alongside you every step of the way. Rely on them to source and vet the most trustworthy local vendors, serving as liaison between your vision and their talents. And think about all the small details you may not even have on your list! While you may be a starry-eyed novice at planning a wedding, a seasoned destination planner knows what needs to be taken care of five steps in advance. You’ll sleep so much better knowing that you needn’t toss and turn, going over your checklist five thousand times and still inevitably missing something major.
The perfect planner wears many hats. From your first consultation to your sparkler exit, they are acting as Personal Assistant, Creative Director, and everything in between. Their chief responsibility is to take your ideas and turn them into a reality that’s even better than you’d dreamed. But they’ll also know when to slow down, smooth out every wrinkle, and triple check each logistical step to make sure your planning process is smooth and stress-free.
Making sure you stay on budget is also a key responsibility of a top-notch planner. There are so many costs involved in a destination wedding, and their job will be to keep your expectations in check and provide the most fabulous bang for your buck. From helping arrange travel and accommodations within your budget to negotiating rates with local vendors, your planner will ensure that you stay on track and set off on your honeymoon with money left in your wallets!
Keep reading to unearth exactly what Well Travelled Events offers to our clients keeping all of the above and more in mind. And, if Well Travelled Bride doesn’t seem like the right fit for you, check out our recommendations on how to find the perfect planner who does tick off all your boxes!
What to Look for in a Destination Planner?
Choosing a wedding planner may feel like as daunting a task as choosing your life partner. This individual is responsible for executing your very hopes and dreams as well as managing your hard earned wedding budget. The right planner will come well-recommended by others and will have a portfolio to share that highlights their excellent work and signature aesthetic.
Get to know your potential planner before making a commitment by setting up an in-person or virtual consultation. Use that time as an opportunity to make sure you are on the same creative wavelength, have similar energy levels, and are in sync regarding your vision for the big day. Above all, find someone you trust to take your big ideas and expand upon them to create memories even better than what you could imagine on your own.
What does a Destination Planner Do?
The destination wedding planner wears many hats. From your first consultation to your sparkler exit, they are acting as Personal Assistant, Creative Director, and everything in between. Their chief responsibility is to take your ideas and turn them into a reality that’s even better than you’d dreamed. But they’ll also know when to slow down, iron out every wrinkle, and triple check each logistical step to make sure your planning process is smooth and stress-free.
Making sure you stay on budget is also a key responsibility of a top-notch planner. There are so many costs involved in a destination wedding, and their job will be to keep your expectations in check and provide the most fabulous bang for your buck. From helping arrange travel and accommodations within your budget to negotiating rates with local vendors, your planner will ensure that you stay on track and set off on your honeymoon with money left in your wallets!
There is no one size fits all when hiring a planner. Some companies may brand themselves as offering ‘coordination’, ‘full-service planning’, ‘stylisting’, or ‘packages’ . It’s important to note that these options often vary in pricing and offerings, and your cheapest quote won’t necessarily mean you get ‘full service’ results.
At Well Travelled Events, we offer our clients full service planning for weddings and events. This means our team has the ability to take care of every single design aspect, logistical detail, and experience from the very first consultation ‘til you make your grand departure.
No two couples have the same needs or wishes, which is why we offer all of our services ‘a la carte’. This means that our clients are able to pick and choose the pieces that they require from among a wide assortment of services.
Well Travelled Events offers the below services for our clients, most of which are standard fare for full-service destination wedding planners:
-Research local laws and requirements for legal and symbolic ceremonies, permits, marriage licenses, and more.
- Recommend top-tier local and destination vendors and venues best suited to your guest count, budget, and vision.
- Help produce a realistic budget based on your needs and desires. Offer helpful suggestions on where to save and where to splurge.
- Arrange travel, accommodations, and custom itineraries for you and your guests.
- Create contingency plans for inclement weather and other unforeseen road bumps (like a global pandemic!).
- Design & style all elements of your ceremony, reception and other spaces on your wedding day and for any other events leading up to that day. Liaise with all other vendors involved, including florists, audio and lighting technicians, celebrant, and more to communicate the brief and execute the set-up.
- Timeline creation and management for the months, weeks, and days leading up to the wedding.
- Create and manage your wedding website.
- Manage RSVPs and guest list.
- Style the bride and bridal party, liaising with hair and makeup vendors for all events.
- Catering negotiation, communication, and management.
- Day-of management and coordination as well as full event set up, rehearsal run throughs, and pack down.
- Coordination and management of the bar, cleaning, and all other support staff throughout the events.
The Cost of Hiring a Destination Planner
One of the first things on your mind when considering whether or not to hire a destination wedding planner might be: “Just how much will all of this cost?”
As mentioned previously, the honest answer is: It varies! The cost will entirely depend upon the services provided (full-service vs. a la carte), the location (Paris vs. Budapest, for example), and the guest count.
In terms of industry standard, here are the most common ways that planners price themselves:
Flat fee. This is common for day-of coordinators and fixed full-service packages.
Billable hours. This takes into account the total amount of time the planner spends working, including hours of work spent during the months and weeks leading up to your big day.
Percentage of vendor and venue invoices. This rate is often dependent upon other wedding costs and any relationships your planner may have with your venue or vendors.
Blended approach. This takes into account design services, planning retainer, and production fees all arranged at a flat fee, with vendor management and coordination added on at a percentage of 15-20% of those costs.
For full-service wedding planning we generally charge a percentage of the overall event cost. The rate varies depending on the scale of your event. This covers our creative direction services and acts as a retainer for our unlimited planning guidance. We also offer our planning ‘A la Carte’, for this we work offer our services at a fixed cost based on what the client needs from us.
Commissions
The concept of wedding planner commissions is a controversial topic. However, for destination weddings it is important to consider that many communities and locations have their own set of normal standards that differ from the industry at large.
Whilst there is nothing wrong with planners taking commissions directly from vendors, it is important that they do so with complete transparency to you (the client). Ask your planner during your original consultation whether or not they take commissions from vendors and make sure you are on the same page regarding their policies.
At Well Travelled Events, we choose not to take commissions from vendors. Instead, we strive to offer our clients a competitive price for vendor services offered, which can only be done when we provide fair and unbiased recommendations. We always provide our clients with a copy of all vendor invoices so we can provide complete transparency. If you do select a planner that charges a percentage based on venue and vendor fees, then don’t be afraid to ask for copies of invoices for your own records and to keep them accountable.
Vendor Exclusively
Every wedding planner has a close-knit group of recommended vendors that they trust and enjoy working alongside. These will often be the very first vendors that your planner will suggest to you for your event – and for good reason! There are many benefits to going with your planner’s first recommendations, as they’ll likely have strong creative and professional relationships with these vendors and will trust the quality of work that they produce.
That being said, it is also common for some planners to provide couples with a fixed list of vendors which they must select from. This approach can have it’s pros, as it keeps the couple from feeling overwhelmed at prospective options, but in general it often limits inclusivity.
It's also common for venues to only work exclusively with a fixed list of planners and vendors. This can often be out of the planner’s control, and your planner may come to you with a list of vendors that you must select from in order to keep your venue. We’ve also heard of multiple occasions venues demanding all vendors they associate with charging back a commission to them.
Well Travelled Events personal take is that couples should have complete control around the vendors they chose for their wedding. Creativity and producing a one-of-a-kind experience is at the heart of what we do. No two events should ever be the same and a key part of achieving that goal is allowing our clients to curate a unique list of vendors that suits their individual tastes and needs.
We always offer our couples a list of recommended vendors but no two lists look the same and we never take a commission from any of the vendors we work with nor favour those we feature in our destination guides.
Travel Expenses
Unless your planner is based in the destination of your choice, you should anticipate needing to cover the travel costs of your planner and perhaps one assistant, depending on the services you require. Make sure you select a planner who is willing to work with you and local vendors to keep their travel costs down. It’s your day to drink champagne and travel first class – not theirs!
Every event is different but it’s likely your planner will need to be on-site 2-3 days before the event and one following it for packdown. So you should expect to be covering up to 5 nights of accommodation.
At Well Travelled Events, we try to keep these costs down for our clients by basing ourselves in Europe for the peak Summer season, meaning you won’t be covering long haul flight expenses. We’ve learned to make the road our home, and are experts in putting together budget-friendly itineraries that get us from Point A to Point B in time for your big day. No matter the situation, we always provide an up-front outline of what our travel costs will be based on your requirements. We keep these fixed and if we decide to stay an extra night or upgrade the room view, that's on us not you! There should always be complete transparency with your wedding planner and all vendors involved in your wedding, and we aspire to meet that standard.