May 2019

 
Whether you are eloping to the Islands of Tahiti, or having a Destination Wedding in Tahiti, there will come a time to consider getting some outside help, aka looking at working with a Wedding Planner in Tahiti. I see couples trying to plan it all by themselves, only to realize that the logistics that come with traveling overseas and/or a destination wedding afar from home are just harder than with a hometown wedding.

Just like you wouldn’t rely on your neighbor’s cousin’s former roommate who says she can “plan your wedding,” you shouldn’t rely on anyone’s capabilities to handle it without doing some research first. A “Wedding Planner” or “Wedding Coordinator” tag does not mean the person you’re talking to is a wedding professional.

 

4 Things You Should Look At When In The Process Of Working With A Wedding Planner In Tahiti (Or Anywhere Else)

 

1. Does he/she have a comprehensive website?

 
As in all sectors, we see some self-proclaimed wedding planners, who often will not have a website, or at the very least will have a free website that you can easily spot if they don’t own their domain name (i.e. companyname.com) or if you see adds showing up all around their web pages or a powered by [a third party company]. A professional who invests in a comprehensive website is a good indication of how serious he/she is about what he/she’s doing, but it’s not just that, especially these days when literally ANYONE can build a great-looking website with drag-and-drop solutions, for free… so if you did not search your wedding planner any further, thinking that you’ve found the perfect Moorea-based wedding planner for your special day, keep reading!

 

2. Can you find verified testimonials of past couples namely referring to this person (not just to a venue)?

 
Verified testimonials (showing either on trusted wedding review sites, or along with wedding photos) are a great way to get a sense of what past couples’ experience was with your planner. If reviewing a resort or venue coordinator, look for reviews specifically referring to the person you’ll be working with, as a resort or venue staffing evolves on a year-round basis, and a staff member who’s been amazing but no longer works at the resort/venue will not help in your own personal experience at this resort/venue. Also make sure that the person who will be overseeing your wedding planning all along will actually be present on the wedding day.

 

 

The above comment from a bride who was let down by her wedding planner has of course been removed from the page so that it now looks super polished – the real question is, how many couples have been let down over time that you would never suspect by just looking at their social medias ? The above linked article talks about one couple whose cancelled wedding – same planner – we rescued and made happen in the course of just a few days.

So you want to look at places where reviews cannot be hidden from viewing : no online reviews to look at? It might very well be that either your wedding planner is a newbie and does not have much experience under her belt just yet, which is totally okay if you feel confident about his/her abilities to deliver an experience that will be on par with your expectations for the day, or it might very well be that reviews or recommandations were deactivated because they were not all so good…

 

3. Can you browse photos of past events he/she organized?

 
Talking about experience, you hear it all the time but photos speak a thousand words. Can you find photos of past events either on his/her website, in wedding listings, on wedding blogs or other wedding-related online features? Can you see a range of several different weddings photographed, and not just one same wedding showing up across all places? Can you actually see a full gallery for each wedding, and not just a single or a handful photos? This can give you a lead to how much experience he/she has in planning weddings. Stock photos everywhere? That’s not good, read #2 again. The lines are blurred on your wedding planner’s website about whether or not the featured photos are of past weddings he/she actually planned, and not just photographed? Hint: a photographer adding planning services to his/her toolkit has all the photos he/she needs to fool you. Read #2 again.

 

4. How long has he/she been in the wedding business?

 
Whether considering an independent wedding planner in Tahiti or a resort/venue coordinator, the more experience the more trust. A person who has worked many weddings will better anticipate possible mishaps. Also the better he/she knows the venue, the better the advice will be. A note on resort/venue coordinators: although a couple of very high-end resorts have highly specialized staff to oversee weddings (especially in Bora Bora), most will have their sales staff or onsite tour desk staff handle weddings, which means that they’ll work in the best interest of the resort/venue and not as much with your own vision of the wedding as an independent wedding planner will. An independent wedding planner in Tahiti will come to the table with no agenda, and will work his/her socks off, or should I say flip-flops? – to make your vision of a perfect destination wedding in Tahiti come true.

If any of the above information is missing, or is unclear… stay clear, it may very much be that you’re talking to a hobbyist.

** last updated on March 22, 2019 **

 

Do You Need Help In Planning Your Destination Wedding In Moorea? Head Here First To Learn More About My Services. Or Contact Me Here To Get Started!

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It’s been a few years now since I started this blog and I’ve covered lots of wedding questions and topics over the years. While some trends can fade overtime, and no longer be relevant, there are topics that remain hot in the wedding industry ~ wedding planning world : this is what this series of posts is all about:

 

What Married Couples Wish They Would Have Done Differently When Planning Their Destination Wedding

 
Of course, no one wants to admit that their wedding sucked, and just like for everything in life, you will eventually remember the good and forget about the bad. That’s how good human nature is!

Follow me on this series and you’ll learn how best to plan your destination wedding in Tahiti and how to avoid glitches or pitfalls that could leave you resentful about not doing certain things the right way.

Whether you are planning your destination wedding in Moorea, or you will be eloping to Moorea to have an intimate wedding ceremony in a dreamy scenery, big or small, this is going to be a very special day. Probably one of the most special days in your life.

Let me reiterate: planning your destination wedding properly is of the utmost importance, else you could be left with countless regrets. Big or small, a wedding is about love, and about money. Wait, what?

I know. No one likes to talk about money. But let’s be real. Planning a destination wedding costs money, and more often than not, more money than what you would think of in the early stage of planning.

Out of the several regrets that couples have after the day of the wedding, not having had quite enough time to plan their wedding tops the chart. And this can lead to costly mistakes.

 

I Would Have Given Myself More Time To Plan My Destination Wedding

 
Even with the best of intentions, there are many reasons for lacking wedding planning time… heavy workloads, business travels, unexpected family events, we ALWAYS underestimate how much time we need to complete a given task. What if your business starts booming (that’s great by the way!) or you get promoted to that executive position that demands so much of your time, and you are so damn busy working that you can’t make time to think through what is best for your destination wedding, what it is that you really want to have, and just end up rushing decisions to get things off the list.

Wedding blogs are full of married brides (more than grooms, for some reason) venting about their should-have-been, could-have-been moments. Here are some regrets that these newlyweds have about not planning their destination wedding early enough:

 

1. Impulsive Purchases

 
When you have limited time, you are tempted to make quick, impulsive purchase without a thorough research. Before spending a huge amount of money on your wedding outfits for example, you must take the time to think of what your wedding day will look like. What’s the schedule? You are marrying in Tahiti, it’s going to be hot, okay. But will you be spending time on the beach? Will you be exposed to the sun or the wind? Will you be transferring places throughout the day? Getting on a boat?

Those styled shoot photos make it look like this gorgeous dress is super comfortable, with the bride resting on a classy club chair… but on a beach on a windy day? Maybe not as much. Impulsive purchases don’t work for a wedding. Well-thought-out decisions lead to a serene wedding day.

 

2. Second Choice Vendors

 
When you find yourself lacking time to investigate further your choices of vendors, you can feel rushed to book NOW or risk losing a vendor. Haste makes waste. Think of what each vendor brings to your wedding experience, and make the time to choose wisely those who bring the most. Will a bouquet that is not quite exactly the color of the picture you sent make a difference in the overall experience? Nope (trust me). Will a goofy officiant or one who can’t articulate or speak proper English alter how deep or emotional your ceremony will be? Absolutely.

What do you want to remember when you look back on your wedding? Great emotions, good food, gorgeous photos, stunning video… what’s most important to you? Don’t miss out on those right-match vendors.

Photo Credit : Helene Havard

 

3. Wedding Party Members

 
When you have less time to plan your destination wedding, some things are bound to get spoiled.
So when planning a destination wedding and marrying in Tahiti, you will want to plan super early so that the people you want to be there can make their plans, too.

 

Photo Credit: Stephen Govel

 

If you cut down planning time, you can end up hurting friends or family members who won’t be able to make it to your destination wedding in Moorea, whether financially or because they can’t take time off on a short notice. You really need to take time to choose the members of your wedding party and to consider how much advance notice these people will need to make it to Tahiti for your destination wedding in Moorea!

** last updated on March 26, 2019 **

 

Other Posts In This Wedding Regrets Series:

 
Wedding Regrets Series: Not Communicating About Money

Wedding Regrets Series: Not Hiring Wedding Professionals

 

Do You Need Help Planning Your Destination Wedding in Tahiti? Contact Me & Save a Ton of Time!

For more articles like these subscribe to my monthly newsletter HERE (and Get the Free Report to pick the best Wedding Ceremony Location in Tahiti)!