by Sarah Fligel

When Weddings by SouthPark put out a call for local wedding submissions this year, we were flooded with responses — each one depicting a beautiful day of celebration filled with unique details and meaningful moments. Many were held in the Queen City which, of course, offers gorgeous venues to tie the knot. But we also received several from Charlotte couples who said yes to destination weddings — from the white-sand beaches of Turks and Caicos to the icy glaciers of Alaska.

They were not alone. Roughly two in 10 couples got married in 2022 in a location other than their hometown or current city, according to a recent survey by wedding marketplace The Knot. Most opted to stay in the country (91%), and 55% chose a spot that was significant to them. For others, destination weddings or
elopements can provide a chance to visit a dream locale or a beautiful backdrop for stunning photos.

Regardless of where couples choose to have a destination wedding, finding trusted, recommended vendors who know the area is crucial. Caroline Fraylick, owner and lead planner of Goldbug Events in popular wedding-destination spot Charleston, S.C., says hiring a planner who has experience working with local professionals — rather than relying on Google searches — makes all the difference. “While Charleston’s wedding industry is very large, it is also a very tightknit community,” she says. “We all have become friends and work together to build community over competition … We connect our couples with the best of the best.”

Katrina Hutchins, owner of Katrina Hutchins Events, often works with couples planning destination weddings, many in the North Carolina mountains. “A lot of destinations are different in their methods and ways of doing things, so be cognizant of that and patient when navigating new terrain,” she recommends.

Belle Cowart, a Charlotte real-estate agent who chose Nantucket, Mass., for her wedding, created plenty of Pinterest boards to share her vision long distance. “It definitely makes it stressful to plan a wedding when you can’t be in person,” she says. She visited once before the wedding to meet key vendors and placed a premium on choosing a photographer who understood her style. “That was the biggest thing for me, because after it’s over, you just have the photos and videos to look back on.”

_{Left photo by Katheryn Jeanne Photography; right photo by Emily Elisabeth Photography}

Planning and organization are also top priorities for a destination wedding. When setting a budget, make sure you account for unexpected expenses like airport
transfers and day-of transportation, baggage fees, shipping costs, vendor gratuities, and welcome bags for guests. Secure guests’ accommodations first, then send Save the Dates as early as 12 months in advance, both Fraylick and Hutchins advise. Wedding invitations should go out about four months ahead of the wedding.

Another tip: Arrive a few days in advance of your destination wedding to allow time to relax. Charlotte Lucas spent several days in Blowing Rock before the festivities began. She brought her two black Labs along, too, to help things feel like home. “Having them with us in Blowing Rock during the week of our wedding brought a sense of calm,” she says. “I couldn’t have gotten ready for my big day without them.”

For Atisha Patel and Michael Utsey, a destination elopement was the solution to stress-filled months envisioning a wedding that blended her traditional Indian American background and his conservative Southern roots. After some research, the couple landed on an Alaskan elopement planner that offered a helicopter ride and ceremony atop a glacier. “We finally decided that this was the coolest thing we will ever do,” Atisha says. The couple booked the trip about nine months in advance but kept it a secret. “We waited to tell our family until all final deposits were made,” she says. “So there was no backing out.” —W

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