Planning from Afar: Why Your Wedding Planner Doesn’t Need to Be Based in Your Wedding Location

In the past decade, technology has made it exponentially easier to remain connected with far-flung friends and family. It has also changed the way we work. We can jump on a face-to-face call anytime, anywhere, with anyone. So, why shouldn’t the same mindset apply when finding the perfect wedding planner? Planning from afar is more possible than ever before.

The truth many couples don’t realize is they have a whole world of talented individuals at their fingertips. As you start searching for the perfect planning partner, we urge you to look beyond your backyard. The best talent isn’t always local! Believe it or not, the same applies to couples planning a destination wedding—even in notoriously chic locales like Cabo and France.

Grab a comfy seat and join us to discover how planning from afar isn’t only feasible but may even be the secret to unlocking a seamless planning journey and a flawless execution of your special day.

Lead the search for a wedding planner with your vision, not your location.

If you’re planning a destination wedding, your first instinct might be to Google wedding vendors in your chosen locale. On occasion, this might prove to be the right decision. But remember that your ultimate goal should be to source vendors who are a perfect match for your vision and aesthetic—NOT just your location.

When you book a planner solely because they’re based in your wedding destination, you risk having their vision imposed onto your wedding. While this isn’t always the case, it can be easy for planners in popular destination wedding locales to slip into a “this is how it’s always done” mindset that results in cookie-cutter events. You deserve to work with a planner who will approach your destination with fresh eyes and offer a customized experience. 

At JLE, we understand what an American client wants from their wedding weekend. We will do everything we can to meld that vision with the local market in your destination of choice, always aiming to embrace the local culture in the process. For example, classic French open-air markets inspired this wedding welcome party.

Choosing A Wedding Planner: Do’s and Don’ts

Here’s a quick Do and Don’t to help you spot the difference between these two approaches:

Do: Look for an experienced wedding planner who has developed streamlined processes and systems, yet emphasizes the importance of personalized planning.

Don’t: Hire a wedding planner who seems intent on cramming your unique story and ideas into a formulaic, one-size-fits-all approach.

The bottom line: Your wedding should be about you. A wedding planner should never try to talk you into working with a preselected set of vendors or doing things in a certain way for the sake of convenience. Find someone willing (and excited!) to coordinate unique partnerships that will result in a custom-tailored event reflective of your style and story. 

Our varied background in the hospitality industry—including catering, hotels, and rentals—has given us a wider skillset than most and the ability to handle ANY logistical needs. However, another byproduct of our experience is our worldwide vendor network. We have access to the best vendor partners and can connect you with them, from France to Italy to Mexico. That’s the beauty of planning from afar!

Save time by hiring a wedding planner located outside your destination.

Maybe you think that hiring a planner who isn’t based in your hometown or destination wedding location isn’t practical. But what if we told you that, thanks to technology, hiring a long-distance wedding planner can save you time?

Enter Google Meet. This video conferencing platform is a fantastic wedding planning tool! It’s the perfect way to tackle important wedding planning tasks without them becoming an ordeal. In between the driving, waiting, chatting, and return trip, it’s all too easy for an in-person meeting about something as simple as going over your design board to end up eating away hours of your workday. Conversely, conferencing via Google Meet is convenient. You can hop on a call, collaborate with your planner, and return to your prior tasks once you conclude.

Another essential technology we utilize is Aisle Planner. You heard it here first: wedding planning binders are a thing of the past. Whether our clients are near or far, this robust planning tool allows us to collaborate and organize every detail of their wedding, from budget to guest list to seating charts. Other important decision-makers, like a client’s parents, can also receive access to certain sections of the planning portal depending on the client’s wishes.

Logistics: The Ultimate Consideration When Planning from Afar

Regarding the time-saving benefits of planning from afar, it’s important to weigh practical considerations too, including cultural differences and time zones. Many American couples don’t realize that international vendors are on a much different timetable than they are accustomed to. While American planners respond quickly via email and set up plenty of phone and video calls, it isn’t uncommon for European planners to take a week to respond to inquiries. From a logistical perspective, communicating and scheduling calls with a vendor living six time zones away is also much less convenient.

And, we must note that solid logistics are critical when planning a destination wedding. You’ll never realize 90% of what your wedding planner does for you, because they handle behind-the-scenes problems before you become aware of them. A planning partnership founded on mutual communication and trust is essential for the vendor-client relationship to function properly.

So, now you know how working with a remote wedding planner saves you time. But what about money?

Take advantage of Julian Leaver Events’ worldwide connections.

Whether you’re planning a destination wedding or simply looking to source talent outside your local area, the right planner will be willing and able to meet up with you at key points throughout the planning process.

With our JLE clients, we plan for at least three site visits. Up first: the scouting trip. During this trip, we fly to your venue to get a feel for the locale, meet with potential vendors (we will do this on your behalf if you can’t be present), scout accommodations, and determine the perfect location for your ceremony and reception. The second visit is reserved for tastings and finalizing details. The third trip is to execute the actual wedding weekend. 

Are there costs associated with flying in your wedding planner for three separate site visits? Yes. However, if your planner is equipped with the right industry relationships and adept at managing negotiations, those costs can easily be offset. You may even find that you save a little money in the process!

As a wedding planning duo with worldwide experience and vendor connections, we can often book hotels at a commissionable rate. This means that hotels are willing to lower their prices any time we act as booking agents because we have the potential to book a large number of accommodations. Stewarding your budget well is a pillar of our business, and offsetting travel costs is one of the ways we accomplish this. 

Travel in Action: Becky and Jeff

Becky knew when she got engaged that we were her wedding planner of choice. Soon, we were boarding a plane to scout venues in San José del Cabo, Mexico! Cabo holds a special place in Becky’s heart. Her family owns a home there and she has been visiting since she was a young girl. During our scouting trip, we listened as Becky shared her vision for her Cabo wedding. We also paid close attention to the way she experienced the locale. These observations ultimately became the touchstone for our design process—not pre-existing notions of what a destination wedding in Cabo “should” look like.

Travel in Action: A French Chateau Wedding

This chateau wedding in the French countryside began as a mere Pinterest vision. However, it became a beautiful reality through our comprehensive design and vision-boarding process. Every detail from the ceremony to the reception was cohesive, focused around a soft color palette and abundant florals. We also assisted the couple with navigating cultural differences. While in conversation with their caterer, we discovered that table service for French weddings does not typically include full bread-and-butter service. However, as the couple desired this, we ensured everyone was on the same page.

By approaching the creative process from an authentic place, we became the advocates these couples needed to make their wedding dreams come true. Planning from afar isn’t the obstacle many couples assume it will be. And with an established planner like JLE capable of connecting you with the top talent worldwide, it can even be a superpower!

Are you thinking of hiring a planner for your destination wedding? Or, maybe you’re marrying in the city where you live, but looking to source talent remotely? Get in touch today to begin your planning journey from anywhere in the world. We can’t wait to meet you and get started.

Vendors:

Venue: Domaine des Halles

Planning and Design: Julian Leaver Events

Bridal Gown Designer: Lela Rose Bridal

Hair and Makeup: Alesia Solo Co.

Floral Design: Florésie

Stationery: Ink & Press Co.

Music: ALR Music

Audio: Groupe Eurosono

Lighting Design: Jacob Co Creative

Catering: C-Gastronomie

Rentals: Maison Options; Velvet Rendez-Vous

Travel Agency: Wedaways Travel

Photography: Thomas Audiffren

Videography: Juno Wedding Films