Last year we gave you five helpful tips for planning a destination wedding — picking your dream wedding spot, timing it just right, budgeting, keeping your guests in the loop and more. And we’ve also done the dirty work of compiling a diverse list of the best Tahoe South activities to keep your guests entertained outside of your wedding festivities. You see, in Tahoe South we just love destination weddings, so we wanted to share a few more key pieces of advice for pulling off the destination wedding of your dreams. Here are seven tips to keep in mind.
Sealed with a kiss on a wooden pier at Lake Tahoe. Photo: Zephyr Cove Resort/Lake Tahoe Cruises
Have a destination wedding, book yourself a vacation
If you can swing it, we can’t recommend enough that you and your partner take a trip to your destination wedding location at least once, if not a couple of times before your big day. Whether you do it at the beginning of your planning process to scout venues and meet with florists, caterers, and other vendors, or you set up tastings and check out all the plans you’ve made long distance, you’ll be so much more relaxed going into your big day knowing you’re familiar with your location and comfortable with all your plans and suppliers. (If you’d like to set up a site visit with one of our Tahoe South venues, start here.)
A first dance on the third deck of Lake Tahoe Cruises’ M.S. Dixie II, the famous paddlewheeler that docks at Zephyr Cove Resort. Photo Credit: Matt Theilen Photography.
Ask about other events on your destination wedding weekend
You might think that booking your big day at a luxury resort guarantees that the resort wouldn’t also book a convention for top insurance salespeople with a big daily booze stipend, but this is your wedding. You cannot be too careful. Before you book somewhere, ask if they will allow you to be the only event that day or weekend.
Sunset drinks at Boathouse on the Pier. Photo Credit: Beach Retreat and Lodge at Tahoe
Ask about plan B
If your dream destination wedding involves an outdoor ceremony, you absolutely need to know what kind of back-up plan your venue offers. Is there an indoor site you can move things to? Will they simply allow you to wait for the weather to clear and go on with your original plan when it’s possible? Or are you, horror of horrors, on your own to figure out what to do? We recommend getting the details from the venue before you need them.
Winter destination weddings are especially beautiful along the shores of Lake Tahoe at The Landing. Photo Credit: Johnstone Studios
Decide whether to bring your pros, or hire locals for your destination wedding
No matter where in the world you’re having your wedding, you want to look just right – and you want your wedding photos to reflect that as well. It’s not uncommon for highly-rated hair and makeup professionals as well as sought-after photographers to make the trip with a couple in order to ensure that everything goes smoothly on your big day. Just keep in mind that in addition to paying these pros, you need to be covering their expenses as well. If you’re not up for that, rest assured the event planning staff at our Tahoe South wedding venues can offer great recommendations for local professionals, or you can start sifting through those online reviews in your spare time and find the best local team for your day.
Research the local marriage laws
If you’re just starting to think about planning your destination wedding, you may think this point seems obvious, but just wait until you’re up to your neck in last-minute details and only then realizing that in order to have the wedding of your dreams in the English countryside, you and your groom need to have been in the country together for seven full days. Get this research out of the way early! (Here’s a little help along these lines, if you choose Tahoe South as your destination.)
Get to know the local way of life
If you’re a type-A-have-everything-scheduled-right-down-to-the-bathroom-breaks sort of person, keep in mind that not everyone shares your views on the optimal efficiency of life. If you’re having an island wedding, be prepared to learn what “island time” means. Things just kind of happen when they happen. No one’s trying to be disrespectful of your big day, it’s just the way it is. Find the swim-up bar and learn to love it.
Follow up your destination wedding beach ceremony with a partner paddle. Photo Credit: Tahoe South
Keep the weather in mind – and not just to avoid hurricanes
We’ve talked about the considerations you need to make for weather when it comes to your wedding planning, but are you also keeping it in mind for your dress and the wedding party’s attire? If you’re having a gorgeous winter wedding in Tahoe South, those strapless knee length bridesmaids dresses might not be the best choice, just like closed-toe high heels don’t belong anywhere near a beach wedding.
The Lake Tahoe destination offers crystal clear blue waters and pristine beaches warmed by the sun. Photo Credit: The Ridge Tahoe
This may sound like a lot, but you know what? All weddings are, so you might as well have the one you’ve been dreaming of and will continue to dream of after it’s taken place. And we certainly know some venues in Tahoe South that make destination wedding planning a dream for couples. In fact, our wedding venues have event planning experts just waiting to make your dream wedding come true. Let’s get started.
