"Almost every destination-wedding-worthy city will have venue options," said Sojourner, cofounder of Erganic Design. "But when planning a destination wedding, make sure you select a venue that truly works not only with your vision, but also that logically makes sense based on how much time you can devote to planning."
Sojourner makes a great point by using a villa with a view or estate mansion as examples both amazing in concept but laborious in terms of execution. Such large venues require a ton of time to vet, coordinate, and manage vendors. If this sounds like more work than you're willing to put in, she suggests selecting a place with catering options so that food service and staffing are already taken care of. Hotels are particularly convenient because all your guests can stay in one place, and they typically provide a list of suggested vendors, which can serve as your starting point when figuring out photography, florals, etc.
Additionally, some venues charge a fee if you choose to work with vendors that aren't on their preferred list. Before committing to location, find out how negotiable they are to remove those specifics from any contracts and what other restrictions the venue has. Not all venues will negotiate this part, regardless of whether the vendor has the necessary insurance and credibility.
A simple way to weed out good and bad venue options is to see how they communicate. "However the process is in the beginning is how it will be throughout the wedding-planning process," said Sojourner. "If the venue's main point of contact is not easy to deal with on the front end, it will only get worse."
