Destination Wedding Guide
Your ultimate wedding guide to planning a Destination wedding in Victoria
Victoria is a popular destination wedding location for a reason – its stunning scenery, variety of locations and abundance of activities make it the perfect place to host the wedding of your dreams. Whether you’re looking for an intimate gathering on the beach or a larger celebration in a lush garden setting, Victoria has something to offer everyone. In this blog post, we will provide you with some key tips on how to plan your dream destination wedding in Victoria.
Choose the perfect location
Victoria has many beautiful locations perfect for a destination wedding. From the picturesque coastline of the Great Ocean Road, to the lush vineyards of the Yarra Valley, there’s something for every taste. We recommend visiting some of these locations to help you decide which one is perfect for you and your style. It'll be important to consider:
What's the look and feel? Does the venue/location match your desired aesthetic. Working with your venues surroundings and style will only enhance the overall look and feel.
What's included? What does your location / venue offer? Tip: Ask for a detailed list of all inclusions so you know exactly what is and isn't provided.
Are there accomodation options on or offsite? Given your guests will likely need to travel, accomodation options will be important. Ensure there are options at the venue or nearby and make a list of these early on. TIP: Ask the venue if they have any connections or discounts with local hotels to lower the cost for you or your guests.
2. Plan ahead of time
Once you’ve finalized your location, it’s time to start planning out the details. You’ll want to make sure to start planning well in advance to ensure a smooth and stress-free wedding day - especially if your destination isn't an established venue. Consider hiring a wedding planner, to help guide you on the styling, design and logistics. They will take care of everything, save you time and take off the planning pressure so you can focus on other important things like enjoying your engagement or honeymoon.
3. Hire local vendors
Hiring local vendors should be one of your priorities when planning a destination wedding. This will ensure that the vendors are familiar with the area and have the right contacts to get things done. Additionally, they can also provide you with suggestions on other elements of your wedding, like the perfect photo spot or even other local vendors that fit your style. When picking your vendors consider:
Where are they based? Utilising local vendors to your wedding location will not only save you cost but will give you the benefit of their local knowledge and contacts
How well do they communicate? As you'll likely be planning from afar, it's important that you can trust your vendors have your back and will communicate with you promptly. Trust me - its a stress you don't need.
Does their vibe and style match yours? Connecting with your vendors is so important to ensuring they get you, your vision and style. So when selecting your team, make sure they're the right fit.
4. Inform your guests early
Destination weddings require additional planning for your guests. Inform guests early so that they can make arrangements for their travel and accommodations and be clear on what you will and won't be providing.
Are you providing accomodation? If not, provide a list of local options for them to select from. A wedding website is a great way to communicate key details to all in an easy (quick) format.
Are you providing transport? Whether its buses to and from local hotels to your venue/location or parking on site it's important to plan ahead and let your guests know the plan.
Is there more than one event they need to plan for? If you’re making a weekend of it, inform your guests about all the events and activities happening. From a rehearsal dinner to recovery day, share your plans in advance so your guests can book the necessary accomodation and time off work.
5. Celebrate your way
There you have it! Planning a destination wedding in Victoria is certainly no small feat but when done well, it can be one of the best moments of your life. Make sure to follow our tips in this blog post, do your research, enlist the help of a wedding planner, hire the best local vendors, and keep your guests informed. It takes time and effort, but the result will be a memorable celebration that you will cherish for the rest of your life.
Photos by Louise Treacy Photography