Wedding Perhaps a dumb question: How many of you visited the locations of your destination wedding prior to

[mel047]

Was curious to know if many people or anyone had planned a destination wedding and never been to the location. We''re looking at the outer banks area or also bald head island. From what I''ve heard and looking at pictures, I really like the Bald Head island area. But I''ve never been there and wouldn''t have a chance to visit until December at the earliest.

Any thoughts?

 

[MaggieB]

I would personally never in a million years get married in a place I''d not checked out. But I''m a control freak

I''m sure lots of people would vote otherwise!

I''m getting married in a similar area to the Outer Banks. It''s a place called Palmetto Bluff and it''s across the river from Hilton Head. You are going to find a ton of great wedding resources in the area you''re looking at.

 

[musey]

Welllllll, if it were a destination that were far enough that we couldn't afford to go check it out, and I had a lot (and I mean TONS) of pictures, I might do it.

Otherwise, not a chance. The ambiance of our location was high priority for us.

 

[blissfulbride]

We are getting married april in las vegas. and we knew we had to make atleast one visit. This way we can have a mental picture of how everything will look and go together.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

This is one of the main reasons we didn''t get married in Hawaii--I wanted to see the EXACT site for the ceremony and because we had a short engagement I didn''t have enough vacation time to take a trip, then the wedding, then a honeymoon.

For me, seeing the location was critical, but so was tasting the food, seeing the vendors, etc., thus it would be really stressful for me to have a destination wedding sight-unseen.

 

[newbie124]

I think it will also partially depend on how familiar you are with the general area.

Even though we''d been up to Napa a couple times before, it really helped to go w/ the mentality of planning an event (ie paying attention to travel times, traffic conditions, accessibility of venue).

Also, some of the places that were initially at the top of my list based on pictures ended up being totally ruled out once we saw it in person.

That being said, the place I would''ve picked had we stayed in Chicago was just as nice when we saw it in person as from the photos, and I wouldn''t have changed my mind about getting married there.

 

[marchswallowbird]

It was really important to me to see exactly where everything would happen. Even though I''m very familiar with Yosemite Valley, we went to look at the chapel and the reception venue choices twice before deciding.

 

[pjean]

We''re getting married in Vegas, and while I''d really like to make a scouting trip, I don''t think it''s going to be possible. (Besides, if we don''t then I can use the money to pay for more wine!)

Honestly? I worry about that, though. Especially about noise level and food quality, which don''t show up in pictures.

 

[CJ2008]

We got married in Mexico. We spent 3 days on location looking at all the places and meeting with the coordinatros before making any decisions. It was a CRAZY three days, but totally worth the expense and time. We wouldn''t have done it any other way.

 

[indypitty]

Well, it looks like I''m in the minority here! We were married in Mexico and did not do a site visit beforehand. We had both been to Mexico several times before, but never to the resort we were married at. We also had a fairly short engagement (6 months), so there was not a lot of time to scout the location.

For me, the whole point of having a destination wedding was to have as little stress as possible, both during the planning process and during the wedding. I am very laid-back (almost to a fault at times!), so I was very comfortable with booking the wedding after communicating with the wedding planner and seeing the pictures she e-mailed to me. I would not recomment a destination wedding if you are a control freak!

I figured we couldn''t go wrong in a gorgeous location overlooking the ocean in Mexico!!!

 

[CDNinNYC]

Date: 9/10/2008 6:59:28 PM
Author: indypitty
Well, it looks like I''m in the minority here! We were married in Mexico and did not do a site visit beforehand. We had both been to Mexico several times before, but never to the resort we were married at. We also had a fairly short engagement (6 months), so there was not a lot of time to scout the location.

For me, the whole point of having a destination wedding was to have as little stress as possible, both during the planning process and during the wedding. I am very laid-back (almost to a fault at times!), so I was very comfortable with booking the wedding after communicating with the wedding planner and seeing the pictures she e-mailed to me. I would not recomment a destination wedding if you are a control freak!

I figured we couldn''t go wrong in a gorgeous location overlooking the ocean in Mexico!!!

We booked our wedding in Mexico and have not done a site visit nor do we plan to. The resort came highly recommended (my cousin had her honeymoon there) and we''re content with that.

 

[pocahontas]

Date: 9/10/2008 6:59:28 PM
Author: indypitty
I would not recomment a destination wedding if you are a control freak!

Haha - what's funny is that I am a control freak and yet FI and I are still doing a DW

We're getting married in La Romana, DR site unseen - how's that for giving up control - lol!

 

[AlliMay]

I am also planning to marry in Mexico (June 2009) and FI and I are not planning to visit beforehand (although we have both been to Mexico, just not the area we are planning to get married)...I think that if you are picking a place that routinely hosts weddings (particularly destination weddings), a site visit may not be necessary.

As others have mentioned, not visiting means you gotta roll with what you get...

 

[CDNinNYC]

Date: 9/11/2008 8:58:02 AM
Author: AlliMay
I am also planning to marry in Mexico (June 2009) and FI and I are not planning to visit beforehand (although we have both been to Mexico, just not the area we are planning to get married)...I think that if you are picking a place that routinely hosts weddings (particularly destination weddings), a site visit may not be necessary.

As others have mentioned, not visiting means you gotta roll with what you get...

AlliMay, where in Mexico are you getting married?

**Sorry for the threadjack**

 

[AlliMay]

Date: 9/11/2008 10:13:31 AM
Author: CDNinNYC

Date: 9/11/2008 8:58:02 AM
Author: AlliMay
I am also planning to marry in Mexico (June 2009) and FI and I are not planning to visit beforehand (although we have both been to Mexico, just not the area we are planning to get married)...I think that if you are picking a place that routinely hosts weddings (particularly destination weddings), a site visit may not be necessary.

As others have mentioned, not visiting means you gotta roll with what you get...

AlliMay, where in Mexico are you getting married?

**Sorry for the threadjack**

CDNinNYC--Riviera Maya, but we''re having trouble picking a resort!! I''m going to start a new post to ask for opinions, so let me know where you are going

 

[honey22]

We are having a destination wedding next Sept in Tropical North Queensland. My parents live in the area so I have seen it lots of times, the beach, surrounding places etc, but now I am actually ready to plan the wedding I have been dreaming about having up there, I feel a little lost. I had my heart set on one place and we both really love it (we have had dinner there but not seen the actual chapel etc) but we are flying up there in a few weeks to check out the venue properly (and another 5 just in case and to confirm that this place is really the one) and then we will finalise a date and book it. I just couldn''t actually book it without seeing it in person. I just need to physically stand in that place and say yep, it''s worth the crazy amount of money they are asking and more importantly, there is nothing I love better around (ie. we are looking at three resorts in the same stretch of beach, literally a few doors down from each other).

 

[mel047]

Thanks for all the advice ladies!

I suppose in all honesty I''d like to go check out the place. The biggest problem is that with less than a year from when we''d like to have the wedding (June 2009), I''m afraid it''ll be all booked up and our chances will be slim to none of booking the place.

Unfortunately, I''m a student and couldn''t possibly get away until December. I''ll probably just try and call the place and see what my chances are and how much the deposit is.