Are you living in Arizona but tying the knot back home in Ohio? Wherever you're based, you can pull off a gorgeous party in another zip code. Here's how.
By: Kristen Finello
This is what Sara Dadyar and her fiancé, Tim Quinn, of Norwalk, Connecticut, did before their wedding in Bedford, New Hampshire. "In one day, Tim and I had our food-tasting at the inn where we were having our reception, the cake-tasting at another location, and then my run-through with the hair- stylist," remembers Sara. "It was exhausting, but we only had a short time in which to get everything done."
Another tip: Bring along a camera and take pictures of your favorite sites, floral arrangements and so on. You think you'll remember everything you see, but no one's memory is that good. If you have a digital camera, you can upload those pictures onto a web site like ofoto or snapfish.com so your friends and family can weigh in.
Enlist local help.
If you're marrying in your hometown, don't think twice about delegating wedding tasks to family members and friends in the area who are willing to pitch in. "Tim's mom, who lives in New Hampshire, was a huge help," says Sara. "She measured the ballroom so I could figure out set-up options, ran the bridesmaids' dress swatch to the florist so she could color-coordinate our bouquets, and even picked up a marriage application for us." Plus, these folks likely know great locations for your party and probably have contacts for reliable vendors.
Another thought: If it's within your budget, consider hiring a local wedding coordinator. Not only will you be spared a lot of long-distance legwork, but this also might be the best way to ensure you get quality venues and vendors. And because it's the planner's job to take care of details like sending you fabric swatches for tablecloths, photographs of centerpiece concepts and tableware, reception menus and so on, you won't feel guilty asking or reminding her to do so.
Arrive early.
Plan to be at your wedding location three days before the big event—at least. This way, you'll have time to attend to any last-minute details (like confirming with the florist that your flowers will arrive on time and making any final adjustments to the seating arrangements) without feeling frazzled. And most important, use the downtime to switch into a slower gear so you'll feel relaxed and ready for the big day ahead.
Go surfing.
"The Internet is the best resource for planning a wedding from afar," says wedding planner Karen Erwin of St. Augustine Weddings and Special Events, in St. Augustine, Florida. You can listen to bands, take virtual "tours" of reception facilities and peruse photographers' portfolios—all from your comfy desk chair.
How to wade through the millions of online sites out there? You've got to narrow down your search zone. "Start by going to the sites for the chamber of commerce and visitor and convention bureau in the area in which you wish to marry," suggests Erwin. "You'll find a wealth of information on reception venues, houses of worship and accommodations for you and your guests."
Next, scout photographers, caterers, bakers and other vendors using a search engine like Google or Yahoo. Of course, the challenge here is to keep your search narrow so you're not wading through hundreds, or even thousands, of web sites, yet big enough that you have an adequate number of choices. Try typing in succinct phrases such as "St. Louis florist" or "Dallas wedding photographer." Spend a few hours narrowing down each list to two or three strong possibilities in each category. Which leads us to our next tip…
Schedule a visit.
Once you've done your homework on the web and found possible ceremony and reception venues, caterers, florists and so on, you'll need to visit the location in person as soon as possible. Can't spare a lot of time away? Even a whirlwind tour will do. This allows you to evaluate products and services you saw online, and meet potential vendors and ensure that you share the same vision. You'll also be able to do things like taste menu selections and cakes, which can't be done from afar.
Make the most of your visit by booking multiple appointments each day. (Smart tip: Find your way to unfamiliar places with directions from mapquest.com or Yahoo! Maps and avoid wasting precious time getting lost.) Schedule meetings two to three hours apart (and don't forget to block out time for lunch—you need energy to keep up that busy pace).
