A little overwhelmed

[Kayakqueen83]

Yea, this is my first post in BWW!

We got engaged the day after Christmas and we are currently thinking of a Spring 2010 wedding. First thing I’d like to do is get a budget set over the next few weeks then I’d like to officially set a date, but of course we need to book a venue to do that!

The problem is, I don’t know what to do first, hire a wedding coordinator or book the venue? We are looking at a destination wedding either in St. Augustine, FL or New Orleans, LA. We haven’t made up our minds yet and want to see the venues before making the decision on where to get married. I know of some venues that I’d like to check out but should I contact wedding coordinators first before I do this? For those with a destination wedding and a coordinator, did you get your coordinator first before you officially decided on your wedding location? I’m confused about where to start! Were they local to the area that you were getting married? How did that work?

Whew! Thanks for all your help. I’m looking forward to my time here on BWW!

 

[galvana]

COngrats on the engagement! YAY!~
This is just my opinion and first thoughts after reading your post.

There are several things that need to be answered as they effect things:

1) Do you have a budget of what the max you can spend is? Whomever is contributing to costs should get together and determine what the max
budget will be. This should be determined first -
If you have NO budget then of course you have more options -

2) You dont need a wedding coordinator, why get one? or would you just prefer to ? I think its a waste of money personally BUT if you have the money and prefer to have one then I say GO FOR IT!

Once you decide your Max Budget, you can then decide location, once you decide location, you can then pick a cooridinator if you want one.

 

[Morgie44]

First off, Congrats! I would choose a location first. You are going to want a coordinator who is in the area of the wedding you are planning so that they can go to meetings that you cannot make etc. They will have better knowledge of area vendors and can offer suggestions. I know from friends who have planned weddings OOT, they have said it is a pain in the butt to be shuttling back and forth constantly for appointments with vendors. An in-town coordinator will help relive that stress.

 

[Kellybell]

Congratulations on your engagement!!!

I am also having a destination wedding, and am using a local coordinator to help plan the wedding. We knew the city in which we wanted to get married, and took one massive trip to look at all of the locations we were interested in, and meet with a variety of planners. Then, we chose the venue and planner that we loved around the same time. I think it is fine to look at locations without your planner, but I would caution against signing anything with a venue before hiring your planner and getting his/her feedback on your location and your contract.

I HIGHLY recommend hiring a planner; mine has been invaluable. Because I live in a different state from where I am getting married, I have relied heavily on her to help advise local vendors and to help communicate directly with them (I must email back and forth with her at least 5-10 times a day.) She has saved us a ton on the cost of travel. Also, I really really trust her taste level and sense of judgement, so she has definitely removed SO much of the stress associated with this process.

 

[Kayakqueen83]

Thanks for all your help, ladies! It really cleared things up. I definitely think I want to go with a coordinator if it''s in the budget. Kellybell, what you listed is exactly why I''d like a coordinator. Plus my family can be a bit nutty so it be great to refer to someone else on the day of. haha. I think we are going to make our first trip to look at venues in the next view weeks! I''m so excited!!!