Meet the Expert: Richelle Albrecht

In this week’s Meet the Experts column, we interviewed Richelle Albrecht, owner of Girl Metro, Inc., a specialty invitation company in Chicago, Illinois. She is lover of beautiful paper and translates that love into specialty wedding invitations. From Maui to Barbados, Las Vegas to Cabo San Lucas, Richelle has designed invites for many of the most popular wedding destinations.


What trends do you see in destination wedding invitations?

There are several trends that are specific to destination wedding invitations - generally, a couple has chosen the destination for some unique feature that they loved - whether it's tropical weather, gorgeous scenery, or local culture. Most of the time, they want their stationery to reflect that feature though color, paper, or illustrations (or some combination of those three).

In addition to stationery that reflects some special aspect of the destination, there's a trend toward making a few days before and after the ceremony a multi-event vacation for guests. As a result, much more information must be relayed to guests, to ensure that they know about all the events that they may want to take part in, and so they can plan their trip accordingly.

For example, we've created additional invitations and enclosures for events like deep-sea fishing trips, pre- and post-wedding cocktail parties, brunches, professional baseball games, golf outings, tours, and more. Additionally, once guests arrive at the destination, we often recommend that an itinerary, map, and customized favors (with tags that match the stationery, of course) be provided in their hotel room, so that guests who are unfamiliar with the location can do some exploring and stay aware of what's going on each day.


Do destination wedding invitations tend to be more thematic than traditional weddings? What are some of the common motifs?

For tropical weddings, themes definitely seem to be more popular. We've created invitations with beach scenes and palm trees, sea shells, and the like. One of my favorites, however, was a "sea and sky" theme, which was carried out only in the use of Caribbean turquoise blue and textured turquoise, cerulean and pale blue papers which represented the sea's rippling surface.


We thought about printing our invitation in a certain way and then attaching it to a pair of flipflops and sending it to our guests. In the end, we opted for a more traditional approach. Are you seeing couples doing anything truly unique and different?

Although couples have come in with visions of invitations printed on Frisbees, paper fans, pirate maps, and playing cards, most of the time we end up creating a more traditional invitation. I think that ultimately, couples see their wedding -- wherever it takes place -- as an event which is too important to make light of. As a result, they turn to a more traditional format, or sometimes, just more traditional wording for the invitation text to illustrate that importance as well as the seriousness of their commitment to each other.


What are the most common color schemes for destination weddings?

Most often, the color schemes are suggested by the location that couples choose for their wedding.

For couples planning tropical-locale weddings, we see a lot of bright colors - Caribbean blue, vibrant greens, oranges and fuschias. For desert weddings (in Santa Fe, for example), rich terra cottas, deep reds, and deep yellows are often predominant, along with cerulean blue (for the perfect, uncloudy blue of a sunny desert sky).

Some couples prefer to go with a color scheme that reflects their personality and the tone of their wedding, however, regardless of the location. We've done black, white and red velvet for a New Year's Eve destination wedding, and black and cream for a desert wedding, too. There aren't any hard and fast rules, so we tend to look to the couples' personalities and vision for their wedding for color inspiration in addition to the colors suggested by the location.


One of the things we wondered about for our destination wedding was how far in advance to send the invitation. We sent a Save the Date about six months in advance and the wedding invites about two months in advance. Do you have any advice on timing for Save the Dates or invitations?

Sending information to guests early is crucial for a destination wedding... Guests need time to request time off from work, make travel arrangements and babysitting or pet boarding arrangements, and for truly far-flung destinations or in a rocky economy, to save up some cash. Giving guests ample time to take care of those necessities will result in more of them being able to come to the wedding.

Save the dates should be sent out at least 6 months before the wedding, and should include some basic travel and accommodation information if possible. If the wedding is going to be part of a weekend- or week- long series of events, it's a good idea to let guests know that they may want to stay on after the wedding, or arrive a few days early (or both!). Some couples also include a few notes in the save the date as to why they chose a specific destination, or things to do in that locale, as well.

The invitation should go out between two and three months ahead of the wedding, so that those who didn't take advantage of the save the date card's information can get in gear and make their travel plans. If accommodation and travel information didn't go out in the save the date cards, that's a must with the invitation. It's wise to let guests know things which will make their trip smoother, like how far the location is from the nearest airport, whether the hotels where rooms are blocked are walking distance to the ceremony and reception or if a shuttle is available, or whether guests should plan on renting a car or hiring taxis, etc.

Another timing issue to consider is response time - it's vital to get responses back well before the couple must leave for the destination! I always recommend that the "respond-by" date leaves ample time to make phone calls to those who haven't responded, and to get a final count to the contact at the ceremony and reception locations.


How do you recommend couples disseminate accommodation and travel information? We put together a website to keep couples informed, but this was very informal. However, we spent a lot of time questioning whether to include the website URL on the actual invites?

It's always better to include as much information as early as possible - either by including the specifics with or on the save the date cards, or by including a web address on the save the dates for guests to visit and stay up-to-date on travel and accommodation information.

If, when the save the date cards are sent out, the accommodation and travel information isn't finalized, it's perfectly fine to include that on an enclosure card which is mailed with the invitation. In such cases, though, I generally recommend mailing the invitations out as early as possible.


Beyond invites, what else do couples need to remember to bring for their destination weddings?

Couples should think through their celebration, and pinpoint items that would be helpful both to guests, and to their plans. For example, here's the stationery needs we determined for a Cabo San Lucas wedding last year:

- Save the date cards
- Wedding invitation, including: weekend itinerary information, travel information (airline discount code, shuttle info from airport to hotel, hotel reservation information), response card including attendance options for pre- and post- wedding events, and a note about the location and why it was special to the couple
- Hotel welcome kit: weekend itinerary with taxi, shopping and restaurant information, directions to all of the pre- and post- wedding events as well as the ceremony, start times for pre-wedding events, ceremony, cocktail hour and reception and post-wedding events, contact information for the wedding planner (who was fielding guest questions), tags for bottled water and a note thanking guests for traveling to the wedding
- Custom name tags for welcome cocktail party
- Sandalwood fans for the outdoor ceremony, with small ceremony programs attached with ribbon
- Escort Cards (directing guests to their table) with ribbon for hanging
- Menus
- Charitable donation cards with wide ribbon which wrapped around each dinner plate, keeping the card and the menu in place at each place setting (the dinner was held out of doors, so wind was a concern)
- Additional wide ribbon, by the spool, which could be used as decor on chairs, pergola frames, and added to the bride's bouquet
- Thank you cards to send out to guests after the couple returned from the honeymoon


How have the needs of engaged couples changed over time? What are they looking for now that they weren't looking for a year ago?

We're seeing a trend toward more intimate weddings, with couples looking for fewer invitations and more announcements, particularly for destination weddings. Additionally, the over-the-top luxury which many couples wanted for their invitations last year seems to be falling out of vogue - simplicity and elegance is definitely back in style this year.


What is the next big thing in destination weddings that you see couples doing?

I see a couple of trends for destination weddings - a big trend this year is couples moving toward eco-friendly materials for all aspects of the wedding. We've had tons of requests for seeded (plantable) paper, which guests can plant and have a living reminder of a couple's wedding, as well as environmentally-friendly favor options.

A second trend this year is couples using vintage postcards with images of the wedding destination as save the date cards, with the save the date information printed via letterpress in the "message" space on the back. Each card is unique, and some couples go so far as to use vintage postage stamps, as well.


As a wedding vendor with your company Girl Metro, what is the single biggest piece of advice you would want to give couples prior to their destination weddings? What do you wish couples who contact you would know about working with a wedding vendor?

Wow, that's a big question! I think the single most important thing for any couple is that they have a clear idea of what the wedding will be like (which is easier said than done!). If a couple has a clear vision of their wedding, it becomes easy for them to decide which items fit that vision, and which do not -- whether it's the stationery, the bridesmaid's dress, or anything else.

There are a few things that I wish couples knew when they contacted me about creating their wedding stationery:

Budget is really important - I don't want a couple to fall in love with something that won't fit their budget. It's heartbreaking for them, and it's an awful feeling for me. That's not to say that a couple must be explicit about how much money they want to spend, but it's much easier for me to gauge what will be appropriate if I have some parameters. ("We want to spend about $12 per invitation suite," for example, or "We expected to spend between $2000 and $2500 for all of our stationery.")

The second thing is how many invitations a couple truly needs. Many, many couples mistakenly request a number of invitations which is actually the number of invited guests, not the number of invitations they must mail. Even it the guest list isn't 100% complete, having a good idea of how many invitations will be needed will allow a vendor to give the couple a more accurate estimate of cost.

Finally, it's a good idea for a couple to talk through the process with each vendor that they are considering, and to request samples (particularly for an invitation vendor), so that there are no surprises. For the same reason, couples should be sure that there is a written contract with the estimated cost, what that cost includes (exactly), as well as any terms and conditions, before they make any final decisions. Having that information up front will help a couple determine how efficient a vendor is with communication, how professional he or she is, and how responsive he or she is to their needs; all of which will help alleviate stress for the couple.

Meet the Expert: Lara Weiss

In this week’s Meet the Experts column, we interviewed Lara Weiss, the Managing Director of K Hotels. As a veteran in the hospitality industry, Ms. Weiss directs operations at this collection of boutique hotels around the world – many are popular with couples having destination weddings.


What trends do you see in destination weddings?

Destination weddings are small, around 40 people, and currently I am seeing a lot go to Costa Rica. Previously Mexico, Puerto Vallerta and Cabo, were the hot spots but with the negative publicity Mexico is receiving, Costa Rica’s popularity seems to be growing. Also flights to Costa Rica are at a great price point for the attendees.


How have the needs of engaged couples changed over time?

Couples seem to be older now, late 20’s early 30’s and now they don’t want a huge extravaganza, but rather close friends in a amazing location. Luxury at a value is very important.


From Greece to San Francisco and from Brazil to Bali, K Hotels has luxury, boutique properties all over the world. Which K Hotel locations are the most popular for destination weddings?

Costa Rica, we have amazing hotels in several cities all over the world but the majority of our clients are US based and for the US traveler it’s not feasible to do a wedding in Bali with the cost of flights, but Costa Rica, on the other hand, is a great value for an incredible destination. Puerto Rico is another popular destination.


If a couple is on the fence about having a destination wedding, why should they consider it?

How many guests they really want at their wedding, but making the decision to have a destination wedding you significantly cut down on your guest list. Couples should also consider, flights, hotel accommodations, distance from airport, because then the guests will have to rent a car, or hire transportation. All in all it comes down to who you really want at your wedding, and making it as easy as possible for those that do make the trip. At K Hotels we are happy to assist from the moment each guest lands in their preferred destination to the moment they leave. We work with world class concierges and have partnerships globally that allow us to offer first class service to our clients.


What is the typical size of a destination wedding at one of your properties?

About 40 is a typical wedding.


In light of the economic climate, how are couples adjusting their destination wedding plans to cope?

Destination weddings typically are less expensive for the bride and groom because the guest list is significantly smaller, however the cost falls to the attendees. In my experience, I have seen several attendees make the destination wedding the family vacation as well, to help justify the cost, and the hotels are always willing to work with the guests offering the discounted group rates pre and post.


What is the next big thing in destination weddings that you see couples doing? (spas, themed weddings, etc.)

Destination Weddings seem to take a more modest approach. Barefoot on the beach, tan suits instead of tux’s, casual meals, a more relaxed and inviting environment.


What is the single biggest piece of advice you would want to give couples prior to their destination weddings?

Think of your guest list, who do you really want to share your wedding with, and know that destination weddings will generate a lot of “no responses” to RSVP’s. Pick a destination where someone can turn it into a vacation.


What do you wish couples who contact your firm would know about working with a wedding location?

Be specific with what you want, and be willing to go out early and check out the location, I do not recommend planning wedding based on photos. Interview vendors, florists, photographers, and be sure to see examples of their work at your specific property and be open to working with the on property team, they know their hotel better than anyone and will be honest with their answers.

Meet the Expert: Larissa Banting

In this week’s Meet the Experts column, we interviewed Larissa Banting, APR, PBC, President of Weddings Costa Rica. Banting has been doing destination weddings in Costa Rica for several years. After struggling to plan her own wedding in Costa Rica, she decided to start a company that could provide full-service destination wedding services. Banting also writes The Lazy Bride blog.


What trends do you see in destination weddings?

I see couples looking for ways to make the wedding more personal, adding in unique touches. Signature cocktails are big as are bringing in unique experiences for their guests during the reception, such as having a cigar roller or a coffee expert to lead them in a mini-coffee tasting experience. We also see couples providing group excursions (such as zip lining, sunset boat cruises, sport fishing) to help bond their family and friends, many whom are meeting for the first time at the wedding.


How have the needs of engaged couples changed over time? What are they looking for now that they weren’t looking for a year ago?

Well, if I didn’t say the economy has had a huge hand in changing how people approached anything in Life, I’d be negligent. Cutting costs, finding ways to make the dollar stretch and keeping the guest list to a minimum are all the catch phrases we’re hearing on a daily basis. I think this is why destination weddings are gaining in popularity, since it’s an easy way to cut the guest list down dramatically.


If a couple is on the fence about having a destination wedding, why should they consider it?

A destination wedding offers couples many advantages. Foremost, marrying away cuts down on the guest list, since usually only the closest family and friends will attend. And a smaller guest list means less strain on the budget. Etiquette-wise, you are NOT expected to pay for your guests’ travel or hotels.

Marrying in a foreign country is usually much cheaper than marrying at home. For example, here in Costa Rica, our clients say they would have paid anywhere from 2 to 4 times the money they did for a similar wedding in their home town. Being a ‘developing nation’, prices for food, drink, flowers, décor, etc. are much cheaper.

A destination wedding usually means a beautiful location (ie a beach or rainforest) that you cannot find ‘at home’. A stunning locale makes for amazing wedding setting and photos. Much more memorable than a hotel ballroom. And a unique location means you can save a lot of money on décor.

Undoubtedly, though, the wonderful thing about destination weddings is having a unique travel experience with your guests. This is the thing our clients tell us over and over – how much they’ve enjoyed having the time to spend with everyone, creating lifelong memories. And best of all, the bride and groom are able to be guests at their own wedding, rather than running around dealing with all the last minute details they would have had they had the wedding at home.


We’ve been to Costa Rica before, visiting Tortuguero, Tambor, San Jose, Arenal and Monteverde. What the most popular destination wedding locations in Costa Rica?

While each of those areas are lovely and unique, none of those locations are super popular. We do the odd wedding in Arenal or Monteverde but by far, the beaches are where people want to marry. We have done some weddings in Tambor but given the difficulty of travelling there (either by ferry or small plane), it’s not on the top of the list. By far, the beach areas of Manuel Antonio (with it’s gorgeous beaches fringed by the rainforest), the beaches around Jaco/Playa Herradura (home to Los Suenos Marriott Resort and the incredible Villa Caletas boutique hotel) and the beaches up in the northwest area of Guanacaste (Tamarindo, Flamingo, Ocotal, Papagayo) are where 95% of the weddings take place. Other popular spots are Mal Pais/Santa Teresa (up from Tambor – difficult to get to but beautiful foilage and beaches make the journey worth it).


What are the marriage requirements for Costa Rica? Is it easy to obtain a marriage license? Is there a residency requirement, or could someone get married during a shore excursion on a cruise?

Unlike other locations, Costa Rica has very straightforward marriage requirements. You could marry literally the moment you walk off the plane or boat (our firm plans weddings for a luxury German cruise ship where they are in port for only a few hours here). By law, any wedding performed outside of a Catholic Church requires a lawyer to witness it and prepare all the paperwork. Our lawyer sends a questionnaire to the couple before the wedding (name, profession, if they’d been married before and if so, details on the divorce, etc.) and they just need to send that back with a scan of their passport photos. The lawyer can perform the ceremony or a family friend, pastor, rabbi – whomever the couple wishes as long as the lawyer is present to witness it. And you can have the ceremony totally personalized – feel free to include sand ceremonies, hand fasting, readings, whatever you want to make this day special for you. At some point (either during or after the ceremony), the couple and two witnesses sign the paperwork in front of the lawyer, who then registers the marriage in the civil registry of Costa Rica. It can take up to 90 days for this process but the couple is legally married from the moment they sign the papers. After the papers have been stamped and registered, they are sent to the couple’s home and they just present them to their local bureau of vital statistics to register their marriage took place abroad. That’s it. Very straightforward.


What makes Costa Rica unique as a wedding destination? What are things that can be done only in Costa Rica?

I think Costa Rica is unique for a wedding destination for the same reason it’s a one-of-a-kind spot on Earth. Although it’s small (about the size of West Virginia), it is the most bio-diverse place on the planet. We have 13 micro-climates here, so the landscape is incredibly varied. With two oceans, a mountain range, rainforests, cloudforests, volcanoes, vast savannahs, jungles, small towns and modern cities, there is something for everyone. It is an eco-paradise, with 26% of the country protected via national parks or reserves. Where else can you be on a beach, surrounded by rainforest as white-face monkeys chatter overhead while you exchange your vows against a heart-stopping sunset?

In addition to the flora and fauna, Costa Rica is a safe destination. We have the longest-running democracy in Latin America and have had no army since 1949 (prompting the nickname ‘The Switzerland of the Americas’). The water is potable so you can eat and drink without concern. And the Costa Ricans are some of the nicest folks you’ll ever meet. They love their country and are more than happy to share it with travelers. Lots of things to do, from white water rafting to zip lining, hiking, bird watching, golfing, sportfishing, spas, lounging by a beach, mountain biking, and, of course, surfing!

Unlike other tropical locales, the focus is on boutique hotels, rather than monstrous chains. And by law, all beaches are public. We are not encumbered by rules and regulations about beach use (so you can have that cocktail hour on the beach). The one law that is enforced is no permanent structures within 50 metres of the high tide mark – which means the beaches are not choked by buildings. You can stand on the beach and all you’ll see is palm trees.

We have two very distinct cultures in Costa Rica – on the Atlantic side, you’ll find strong Caribbean influences (reggae) and the rest of the country has strong Latin roots. Popular Costa Rican touches for weddings include Latin guitar trios, Salsa bands, traditional marimba bands (wooden xylophones which are the national instrument) and carnivale (similar to what you see in Rio de Jinero).


What is the most interesting and unique destination wedding you ever planned? What made it so memorable?

Wow, tough question! We’ve coordinated over 300 weddings so it’s difficult to just choose one. A recent wedding had the groom ride in on a white horse which was pretty amazing. Another wedding had touches of East Indian wedding traditions (as the groom was part Indian). We had an amazing rehearsal dinner at a private residence’s backyard on the beach. Lots of bright tropical colours, we used fruits filled with orchids to decorate and lights strung from the trees overhead. Delicious bbq with local fare (fresh dorado, local beef) and then the bride and her friends donned gorgeous saris and surprised the groom (and guests) with an expertly choreographed Bollywood number!

The wedding the next day was in the gardens in front of the beach. We had a bamboo ‘mandap’ and the country’s only sitar player accompanied the couple as they performed a modified Hindu wedding ceremony. After the ceremony, a local Latin guitar trio entertained during the cocktail hour. Then, after the sun had just set, a fire dancing troupe performed and then, with drums beating and torches blazing, led the 102 wedding guests across the street to the open-aired reception around one of the largest pools in Central America. Talk about an entrance! After dinner, everyone danced around and in the pool. Truly magical. What made it so memorable was how effortlessly we were able to weave in touches of the groom’s culture without it seeming ‘forced’ or obvious. And the unexpected touches, like the Bollywood number and the fire dancers leading the celebrations, are the things of a Hollywood movie. Different and truly memorable.


What is the typical size of a destination wedding that you see in Costa Rica?

Although we work with clients with weddings ranging in size from just the couple to celebrations of 200+, the average wedding we see is around 40 – 50 people.


In light of the economic climate, how are couples adjusting their destination wedding plans to cope?

Many are lowering their expectations for the final guest count, understanding that a trip abroad just isn’t in the cards for many people right now. Some clients have graciously paid for different aspects of their guests’ travel experience. One very generous couple paid for the group excursions (zip line tour, sailing tour) as well as their transport to/from the airport/hotel and then subsidized each hotel night by $50 to help their guests. Other couples have paid for hotel rooms, transport or a tour. This is not expected but for some couples, given the guest list for their wedding in Costa Rica is smaller than what they’d have had in North America, choose to allocate the money their saving by having a destination wedding to aide their guests’ travel.


What is the next big thing in destination weddings that you see couples doing?

We’re seeing more rehearsal dinners with everyone included and more farewell brunches. I think couples are really trying to make the most of their wedding weekend and maximizing the time people have together. Also, having a group excursion is gaining popularity.


As a wedding vendor with your company, Weddings Costa Rica, what is the single biggest piece of advice you would want to give couples prior to their destination weddings? What do you wish couples who contact you would know about working with a wedding vendor?

My advice is to go with the flow (guess that applies to any wedding anywhere though, eh?). Remember that you’re coming to what is still considered to be a Third World country. That means that things don’t happen in a New York minute. While we work with the most professional vendors and hotels, we aren’t in North America so be prepared for things to happen at a more generous pace than you may be used to. And once you get down here, you’ll more than likely fall into ‘Tico Time’ as well. People who are relaxed have a much better time and I find the Universe conspires beautifully to create magic for them.

Be realistic about where you’re coming to. If you want a big church wedding with a reception in a loft filled with Lilies of the Valley and ice sculptures, this isn’t the place for you. Embrace what Costa Rica has to offer and use it to its fullest. Doing so will not only lower everyone’s stress level but will make the wedding unique and memorable.

My other advice is to hire a wedding planner. I know that may sound self-serving but I’ve had brides who decided to ‘save some money’ by going through the hotel directly or trying to do it on their own and have written me afterwards saying they’d wished they’d hired us instead. Costa Rica is not Canada or the USA. This is likely the biggest, most expensive party you will ever throw so why not leave it to a professional who knows the country, knows the vendors and knows how to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day? Doing so will not only save you money in the long run but time and a lot of stress.

Hire a planner that you have a good relationship with. You’ll be working with them a lot so you want to have someone you trust, you like and feel comfortable with. And once you’ve hired that planner, trust them that they are going to make the best recommendations and choices for your wedding vision. Give them feedback and be honest and open if you aren’t sure about something. No one is a mind reader so be upfront about what your expectations are since disappointment occurs when they aren’t met.

Finally, partner with a good travel agent in the country to look after all the travel as this is usually the biggest barrier guests have to attending a destination wedding. An agency in-country will be far better equipped to handle questions, transport, tours, etc. than an agency in another country. The last thing you as a couple want to deal with is travel logistics for all your guests – leave it to a pro.