Destination weddings are the ultimate wedding trifecta; all your family & friends in one spot, a beautiful place and a blessed marriage all happening at once! I know, I know, some people grumble about the cost of going to one, but they never regret going! You get so much more return on your investment this way π
Sarah of Sincerely Pete Events is my wedding planning partner here at Heather Christopher Travel Consulting. We recently announced our joint venture, Wanderlust Wedding Co., that combines our 20+ years of experience in our respective fields to create a “one stop shop” for our engaged couples or those planning destination events! Β I wanted to take this opportunity though for you to get to know Sarah better…I have no doubt that you will see why I quickly scooped her up toΒ my wedding planner partner! Β She is a wealth of creativity, passion, experience and not to mention fun…your perfect day isΒ ourΒ perfect day! We look forward to sharing more about Wanderlust Wedding Co’s packages in the coming weeks as our website is finalized. You know I will announce it here and all over social media π
Wedding/Event Planning Background:Β
I have almost 13 years experience in the hospitality and events industry. I’ve worked for 4 star resort hotels, including the famed Willard InterContinental, as an event planner for the military working with veterans with PTSD, opened several highly successful event venues in Washington, D.C., planned fundraisers for non-profits, operated several artist galleries and planned weddings for a boutique luxury wedding company out of Baltimore before opening my own wedding planning & design company, Sincerely Pete.Β
MyΒ studio is in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. but available for travel internationally. I’ve planned weddings in such places as St. Thomas, New York City, Positano, Italy, San Diego, Raleigh, Minneapolis, and all over Virginia and Maryland.
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Company Focus:
Personalized, curated service & design in an equality-minded environment.
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Most Unique Thing You’ve Done for a client:
I try to include special touches for my couples at each event. I encourage my client’s to find what makes them unique and special as a couple and then incorporate that into the event. That’s been everything from a signature cocktail with a specialty liquor from the groom’s hometown to hosting trivia (because the couple met at trivia night) to having pictures framed of passed loved ones to put on seats at a ceremony.
In regards to design, I helped a couple host a NYE wedding. We draped the room in gorgeous fabric and placed classic gold alarm clocks on each table. A few minutes before midnight, we passed out champagne, top hats & tiaras. When midnight struck, an amazing confetti cannon created a magical experience for guests on the dance floor.
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Favorite “room” you’ve ever created:
I love a good party but sometimes there’s something really special about an intimate affair. I assisted a couple who hosted 20 friends and family for a 7 course wine-pairing dinner in the Presidential Suite of a gorgeous 4-Star resort in southern Virginia. We had one long table that was fairly simple in actual decor because we pre-set all the glass and silver for each course but filled every free space with candles so the whole table just sparkled. There was a jazz trio in the corner who kept toes tapping all evening. Following dinner, we opened three sets of french doors to a balcony overlooking the water that was draped in beautiful soft white fabric and bistro lights and had plenty of cozy couches and pillows and chairs for guests to relax. Cordials, coffee and cigars were served on silver platters and guests danced under the stars.
I don’t have any pictures of this event because it was one of the first I ever did and unfortunately my laptop was stolen a couple years ago and I lost all my photos with it (I’m much more internet savvy these days!) but I’ll never forget that event.
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Hardest part of planning your own wedding: (Sarah and her fiancee, Nicole, are getting married in Positano, Italy in September!!)
Planning my own wedding as a wedding planner is interesting. People always say “you must know exactly what you want to do” but honestly, I never thought about it past the fact that I knew I wouldn’t be able to get married in DC where I work. When the topic of marriage first came up in my relationship with my fiancee, I told her it was going to have to be a destination wedding. We settled on Positano, Italy for a couple reasons including it’s the home to “the best meal” my fiancee has ever consumed and the fact that it looks absolutely STUNNING in photos.
I’ve planned destination weddings before so I knew having partners I could work with who were familiar with the destination and/or lived in the destination would be key. Accommodations, transportation and wedding vendors are all difficult to secure, especially when it comes to a wedding because you’re likely dealing with numerous people and there’s a higher level of pressure involved. I want to be sure that I am booking competent vendors, that the bus driver is going to be there, that the restaurant is actually going to fit the number of guests I’m expecting, that there’s actually a florist in the town I’m in!
Planning any wedding is a lot of work and involves a greater amount of time and detail than one might expect. Planning a destination wedding requires all of that, plus it’s possibly in another language, with different customs and expectations and protocols!
Β Sarah’s invaluble experience is what takes my logistics and hotel experience to the next level for destination weddings and events! We also work with hand-picked photographers, djs and other essential wedding vendors!
You can see a few images that Sarah has created via her gallery!