You want to have the perfect wedding, and for you there is no place in the world more special than the little stone church in your hometown. Or, perhaps it’s the highlands of Scotland, where your ancestors originated. Is your ideal place the romantic vineyard behind your future in-law’s house? It’s hard to wake from your wedding dream to the hard reality of planning from far away. Cheer up, it can be done!
1. The first and most important step is to make a list of your most reliable relatives and friends who live near your wedding site. Ask them to help you out, they are going to be your most important allies in this excursion. They are going to be your taste testers, price checkers, and venue locators. Don’t be shy about delegating jobs! Is your Aunt Judy wild about throwing parties? Ask her to research reception sites and caterers. Does your friend from high school love to decorate? Ask her to check out different flower shops. Remember that your friends and family love you and want to help, all you need to do is ask!
2. A picture is worth a thousand words. Go ahead and buy every wedding magazine that strikes your fancy. Cut out pictures of flowers, bouquets, and centerpieces that you are interested in. The florist will have an easier time understanding what you want if you bring a few pictures. Make sure you cut out pictures of cakes, so your baker understands what you want. More often than not, you will be unable to attend these meetings, so sending your Maid of Honor to the bakery with the words “pink marzipan flowers,” will mean a lot more if she has a picture in her hand. Don’t forget that the Internet is filled with pictures of flowers and cakes! It can be much easier to email photos to your helpers than send thick packets of magazine cutouts via snail mail.
3. Take good notes! If you are getting married on the shore of a beach in France you are probably not going to be able to taste the vegetarian entrée three or four times. Write down what you like and what you don’t, because in a month “chicken with roasted red peppers,” will sound like “red pepper chicken.” Without notes, it can be extremely trying to remember exactly what you want.
4. Where do you buy your dress? Something as delicate and expensive as your wedding dress may not last through a plane ride, a train ride, and a rental car ride. It may be easier to purchase your dress from a shop near the location of your wedding. If you decide to do this, make sure to buy your dress way ahead of time (perhaps even a year ahead). Most dress shops will tell you that it takes about six months for your dress to arrive. If you buy your dress early you have plenty of time to go back and forth for dress fittings.
Is your wedding is thousands of miles away from where you live? If so, it might be better to buy your dress near your home. Make sure to contact a bridal boutique or a dry cleaner near your wedding venue and make an appointment to have your dress pressed before your big day. If you are flying to your wedding you may wish to contact the airline and find out if they have any special storage facilities in the plane for delicate items.
Good luck! Planning a wedding from far away can add extra stress to an already stressful situation. Just remember to take it nice and easy. Don’t sweat the small details. No matter what happens, your wedding day will be like a dream because you are having it in a place that you love!
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