3 Tips for Pulling off an Out-of-Town Wedding

When I planned my wedding back in 2011, I was living in Ohio and getting married in Florida. I knew that flying back and forth would be costly and that driving would be very time consuming so I devised a method to plan an out-of-town wedding without the stress. After I decided on a color palette and type of wedding I'd like to have, I looked online for vendors, then sent off my mom and sister to be my five senses back in Florida. Here are three stress free, money saving tips for pulling off an out of town wedding.

• Research Online: Once you've decided on the type of wedding you'd like to have, start researching online venues and vendors in the location of your wedding. Type in a vendor category followed by the location (ie: catholic church, Tampa, FL) into Pinterest to see beautiful photographs (this gives you a great idea of what your pictures could look like!) and then Google the vendors to get contact information.

• Have someone you trust visit for you: Having someone physically go to vendors and venues is a big help! They can get a 360 degree experience that you simply can't get from photos. They will be able to attend tastings (trust me, they are happy to do this for you!) and get a feel for how big a venue is. You want to choose someone who understands your vision, shares your aesthetics and is close to you. If you don't know anyone who would be a good fit, a wedding coordinator is an excellent option (which leads me to my next recommendation).

• Get a wedding coordinator or a day-of coordinator: I recommend this person even for in-town weddings. A wedding coordinator or a day-of coordinator will make sure everything runs smoothly the day of your wedding. They will Skype or schedule a phone meeting with you to discuss all the details and understand exactly what your vision is. They will then devise a game plan with every vendor to ensure all deposits are paid and that they know where and when to bring their items for your big day.

Just remember, pulling off an out-of-town wedding is not easy but it doesn't have to be stressful! I hope you've found these tips useful and wish you a very beautiful wedding day!