Chloe and David, from North Carolina, have family all over the world. So, choosing to have a destination wedding in the beautiful Sorrento, Italy was an easy decision. “We knew our families would have to travel regardless of where we had the wedding,” says the bride. The couple, both of whome careers in the wedding industry, knew exactly how they wanted to make their W-Day stand out from the rest.

The couple’s first choice in location became worrisome after economic and political issues started to arise. “We thought it was best to change our location before we started securing vendors with deposits,” says the couple. Their final decision to have their destination wedding in Sorrento, Italy was based on the scenery, budget and ease of travel for their guests. Chloe adds, “It was also very important to us to embrace and include the Italian culture, we didn’t want a backdrop or food that we could get at home.”

Both families were very happy to hear Chloe and David chose to have a wedding away. “We’re pretty sure we heard extra cries of joy when they found out the location was along the Amalfi Coast in Italy,” says the bride. The couple suggested that their guests arrive at least two days prior in case any airline delays or cancelations occurred. The groom mentions, “[It was a good idea], because a few of the guests had their flights cancelled before they even left the US!” Luckily, all their guests arrived on time and were given a website upon arrival with a detailed itinerary. The only traveling issue they did have was managing to fly with all the wedding attire. Taking the clothes onto the plane instead of checking it alleviated anxiety about lost or delayed luggage. The bride says, “[We asked] the flight crew if they wouldn’t mind hanging [them] up in the first class closet, which they did with huge smiles on their faces – one airline even gave us a bottle of Champagne to celebrate with!”

When it came to planning, the couple had a foot-in-the-door due to their careers in the wedding industry. “We did know the right questions to ask and what was important to us when making decisions,” say the newlyweds. They did find it challenging to plan an entire wedding without making a trip out to the location. The bride mentioned, “Every decision and choice we made was based on photos from websites and trusting our planner.” Planning 18 months in advance was helpful and allowed them to take their time and put careful thought and consideration into each decision they made. The couple did run into some unexpected bumps in the road during their planning stages. “Some larger companies who offer destination services, [provide] you with a consultant living in one country planning all of the details with you, but when you get to the wedding destination you are actually meeting with someone completely different…it was very important to us that the person we spent over a year working with was the exact same person who would be there the day of wedding,” says Chloe.

Overall, the two spent less money on a destination wedding rather than having a wedding in their hometown. The groom says, “We feel as though our money went a really long way to far exceed our expectations. We were also able to include a brunch the following day for everyone.” Although their guest list was smaller, the couple could not imagine their W-Day any other way. A wedding away was important to them because they wanted time to enjoy and create lifelong memories with their guests over a three-week period, instead of only having one day. The couple says, “Every single guest has asked us to plan a one year vow renewal so we can do it all over again!”

We asked the newlyweds to share advice for future couples considering a destination wedding. Chloe and David say, “Without a doubt, select a photographer whose work you like, you feel comfortable around and feel confident in. Lastly, take time to enjoy the process of planning and also the wedding itself.”

Vendors: Photographer: Vesic Photography, Ceremony: Chiostro di San Francesco, Reception: Hotel Mediterraneo, Stationery: Minted, Cake: Hotel Mediterraneo, Gown Designer: Maggie Sottero