Frequently Asked Questions
Q. DO I REALLY NEED A PACKAGE WEDDING? I CAN PLAN ALL OF THIS MYSELF.
A. Ask yourself the following questions:
If you answered yes to more than one question, then you need not look anywhere else!
Q. HOW DO YOUR WEDDING PACKAGES WORK?
A You choose the package that most fits your needs and desires and customize it to make your dream wedding! We can meet in person or talk on the phone to finalize all of the details. We put together an all-inclusive proposal for you. After your review and final approval, we will email your contract. You return the contract to us with your non-refundable deposit and leave the rest to us. Your final payment is due 1 month prior to your wedding date. At that time we will pay all of the final costs to the vendors and make sure that everyone is in sync for the preparations for your wedding and reception. If you are local or are coming to town, we can set up a cake tasting, and meeting with the officiant and any other vendors you choose to meet. Your officiant will contact you to discuss your ceremony details. Many couples we do not see until the day before the wedding when they arrive in town. Rehearsals are usually scheduled the day before the wedding and may or may not include the Officiant, but always includes your coordinator. Our motto is "Show up dressed and we do the the rest!"
Q. I LIKE THE PACKAGE, BUT IT I HAVE MORE GUESTS. CAN THE NUMBER OF GUESTS BE ADJUSTED?
A All packages can be adjusted to suit the number of your guests. Additional chairs may be rented for $5 ea.
Q. CAN I CHOOSE MY FLOWERS?
A. Of course! Your wedding package flowers include most floral varieties (except for exotics - always an option) and your bouquet choices are nosegay (round) or hand-tied (stems showing and wrapped with ribbon). You may customize your bouquet to include any flowers or style you wish!
Q. IS MY COORDINATOR ON LOCATION THROUGHOUT THE WEDDING DAY?
A. Your coordinator is available from the day we receive your contract until the end of your wedding day and will actually oversee the cleanup of the area after you and your guests have all departed. You need not have any worries!
Q. DO I NEED TO TIP OTHER VENDORS?
A Gratuities are always appreciated by those who help make your wedding day even more special. Some of the people to consider are:
Q. WE HAVE A LOCATION IN MIND THAT IS NOT ONE OF YOURS. CAN YOU DO AN ALL-INCLUSIVE PACKAGE FOR US?
A. If you already have a location booked, we can customize a package with the additional services you will need to make your wedding day stress-free and extra special. We also offer a Vendor Package to make your reception Stress free!
Q. CAN YOU PUT TOGETHER A WEDDING ON SHORT NOTICE?
A. We can and have done several short notice weddings, some with as little notice as 2 weeks in advance. If you are flexible on your day and location, we will work very hard to accommodate all requests.
Q. ARE THERE ANY OTHER FEES BEYOND THE PACKAGE PRICE?
A. The only other costs beyond the packages price are state tax and the costs for any extra options that you choose.
Q. WHERE CAN WE GET OUR MARRIAGE LICENSE?
A. If you are local (San Diego County) or when you come to town, you can go to any County Courthouse. Your coordinator will provide you with a list of courthouses.
Q. WHAT ARE SAN DIEGO DESTINATION WEDDING'S POLICIES?
A. San Diego Destination Weddings requires 1/2 of your package cost (in most cases) as a retainer in advance to secure your location, vendors and services. This retainer is non-refundable. You or San Diego Destination Weddings may cancel a package with no penalty within 24 hours upon receipt of the signed contract. Your retainer will be refunded 100% within that time period. Cancellation request must be made in writing. Beyond 24 hours, no refunds will be made.
Q. CAN WE MEET WITH THE OFFICIANT PRIOR TO THE WEDDING?
A. Most definitely! And there is no charge for this meeting. It is important for you to get to know your officiant, and for him to get to know you. While we do not require a couple to meet with the officiant, it is much easier to personalize the ceremony and develop the wedding of your dreams when you sit down and plan together. Many of our weddings are planned long distance. In such cases, phone, e-mail or Zoom become the means of communication. You and the officiant can always meet in person when you arrive in the area prior to the wedding.
Q. THERE ARE SOME ITEMS IN YOUR WEDDING PACKAGES WE DON'T NEED. CAN WE DEDUCT THEM FROM THE PACKAGE PRICE?
A. In some instances we may be able to deduct the cost of vendors you do not need. Of course, you may also add any options you choose to the packages.
Q. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH LAST-MINUTE EMERGENCIES?
A. Yes, they can happen. With the best planning, there may be a snag or two that comes up. With manyelements coming together on one day or weekend, there is always something that doesn't go exactly according to plan. Most snafus you can prevent ahead of time; others you just can't, such as children with stage fright or a rainy day. Your coordinator will handle emergencies, whenever possible, behind the scenes. She will also bring a bag with her containing a wedding day first-aid kit, which includes things not normally in a first-aid kit, like shoe polish for touching up the groom's shoes, as well as pins, makeup, deodorant, etc. San Diego Destination Weddings cannot be held responsible for inclement weather on your wedding day, but we will in every way possible assist you in securing tents or other items that you may need to stay dry.
Q. CAN WE GET MARRIED ON THE BEACH AT SUNSET?
A. Getting married on the beach is quite romantic, especially at sunset. This is quite a popular time to be on the beach, as others like to admire its beauty, too. So, it is important that you select a part of the beach that is as close to private as you can get for your ceremony. (All San Diego beaches are public.) You want that intimate moment in your lives to stay that way--intimate. Most sunset fans are respectful when they see a wedding taking place. However, in addition to privacy, you also need to plan so that your wedding is at least and hour before sunset so you can get your beautiful sunset photographs. Check the scheduled sunset time for the time of year you are getting married, and schedule your ceremony to begin at least one hour prior to sunset. Click here to check the time of Sunset for any date.
Q. HOW FAR IN ADVANCE CAN WE BOOK OUR WEDDING?
A. Sooner is always better. Most brides make firm reservations between six months and one year in advance, but we have done many short notice weddings. We would be happy to check the availability of the date that you have in mind.
Q. HOW MUCH OF A DEPOSIT TO YOU REQUIRE?
A. We require 1/2 of your package cost (in most cases) as a non-refundable retainer with the signed contract. If we are planning a short notice wedding (2 months prior to wedding date or less), we require FULL payment up front.
Q. ARE THERE ANY EXTRA SET UP FEES?
A. There are no hidden costs in our package price.
Q. HOW EARLY WILL THE COORDINATOR BE AVAILABLE DAY OF THE WEDDING?
A. Your coordinator is typically on site at least 3 hours prior to your wedding ceremony, but available to you by phone at all times.
A. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you or you fiancé work a full time job?
- Are you or your fiancé a full time student?
- Do you have an extra 20 hours a week on top of your regular schedule for wedding planning?
- Do you want to spend all of your spare time on the telephone or in endless meetings?
- Do you know the best vendors to use?
- Have you ever arranged a wedding or an important party?
- Friends and family are well meaning, but do they have the time and resources to take care of everything?
- Is it fair to ask your family and friends, especially your mother, to work on your wedding day?
- Do you want to avoid stress and worry?
- Do you want to enjoy your engagement period and your wedding day?
If you answered yes to more than one question, then you need not look anywhere else!
Q. HOW DO YOUR WEDDING PACKAGES WORK?
A You choose the package that most fits your needs and desires and customize it to make your dream wedding! We can meet in person or talk on the phone to finalize all of the details. We put together an all-inclusive proposal for you. After your review and final approval, we will email your contract. You return the contract to us with your non-refundable deposit and leave the rest to us. Your final payment is due 1 month prior to your wedding date. At that time we will pay all of the final costs to the vendors and make sure that everyone is in sync for the preparations for your wedding and reception. If you are local or are coming to town, we can set up a cake tasting, and meeting with the officiant and any other vendors you choose to meet. Your officiant will contact you to discuss your ceremony details. Many couples we do not see until the day before the wedding when they arrive in town. Rehearsals are usually scheduled the day before the wedding and may or may not include the Officiant, but always includes your coordinator. Our motto is "Show up dressed and we do the the rest!"
Q. I LIKE THE PACKAGE, BUT IT I HAVE MORE GUESTS. CAN THE NUMBER OF GUESTS BE ADJUSTED?
A All packages can be adjusted to suit the number of your guests. Additional chairs may be rented for $5 ea.
Q. CAN I CHOOSE MY FLOWERS?
A. Of course! Your wedding package flowers include most floral varieties (except for exotics - always an option) and your bouquet choices are nosegay (round) or hand-tied (stems showing and wrapped with ribbon). You may customize your bouquet to include any flowers or style you wish!
Q. IS MY COORDINATOR ON LOCATION THROUGHOUT THE WEDDING DAY?
A. Your coordinator is available from the day we receive your contract until the end of your wedding day and will actually oversee the cleanup of the area after you and your guests have all departed. You need not have any worries!
Q. DO I NEED TO TIP OTHER VENDORS?
A Gratuities are always appreciated by those who help make your wedding day even more special. Some of the people to consider are:
- Your coordinator
- Officiant
- Live musicians
- Photographer
- Videographer
- Limousine driver
Q. WE HAVE A LOCATION IN MIND THAT IS NOT ONE OF YOURS. CAN YOU DO AN ALL-INCLUSIVE PACKAGE FOR US?
A. If you already have a location booked, we can customize a package with the additional services you will need to make your wedding day stress-free and extra special. We also offer a Vendor Package to make your reception Stress free!
Q. CAN YOU PUT TOGETHER A WEDDING ON SHORT NOTICE?
A. We can and have done several short notice weddings, some with as little notice as 2 weeks in advance. If you are flexible on your day and location, we will work very hard to accommodate all requests.
Q. ARE THERE ANY OTHER FEES BEYOND THE PACKAGE PRICE?
A. The only other costs beyond the packages price are state tax and the costs for any extra options that you choose.
Q. WHERE CAN WE GET OUR MARRIAGE LICENSE?
A. If you are local (San Diego County) or when you come to town, you can go to any County Courthouse. Your coordinator will provide you with a list of courthouses.
Q. WHAT ARE SAN DIEGO DESTINATION WEDDING'S POLICIES?
A. San Diego Destination Weddings requires 1/2 of your package cost (in most cases) as a retainer in advance to secure your location, vendors and services. This retainer is non-refundable. You or San Diego Destination Weddings may cancel a package with no penalty within 24 hours upon receipt of the signed contract. Your retainer will be refunded 100% within that time period. Cancellation request must be made in writing. Beyond 24 hours, no refunds will be made.
Q. CAN WE MEET WITH THE OFFICIANT PRIOR TO THE WEDDING?
A. Most definitely! And there is no charge for this meeting. It is important for you to get to know your officiant, and for him to get to know you. While we do not require a couple to meet with the officiant, it is much easier to personalize the ceremony and develop the wedding of your dreams when you sit down and plan together. Many of our weddings are planned long distance. In such cases, phone, e-mail or Zoom become the means of communication. You and the officiant can always meet in person when you arrive in the area prior to the wedding.
Q. THERE ARE SOME ITEMS IN YOUR WEDDING PACKAGES WE DON'T NEED. CAN WE DEDUCT THEM FROM THE PACKAGE PRICE?
A. In some instances we may be able to deduct the cost of vendors you do not need. Of course, you may also add any options you choose to the packages.
Q. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH LAST-MINUTE EMERGENCIES?
A. Yes, they can happen. With the best planning, there may be a snag or two that comes up. With manyelements coming together on one day or weekend, there is always something that doesn't go exactly according to plan. Most snafus you can prevent ahead of time; others you just can't, such as children with stage fright or a rainy day. Your coordinator will handle emergencies, whenever possible, behind the scenes. She will also bring a bag with her containing a wedding day first-aid kit, which includes things not normally in a first-aid kit, like shoe polish for touching up the groom's shoes, as well as pins, makeup, deodorant, etc. San Diego Destination Weddings cannot be held responsible for inclement weather on your wedding day, but we will in every way possible assist you in securing tents or other items that you may need to stay dry.
Q. CAN WE GET MARRIED ON THE BEACH AT SUNSET?
A. Getting married on the beach is quite romantic, especially at sunset. This is quite a popular time to be on the beach, as others like to admire its beauty, too. So, it is important that you select a part of the beach that is as close to private as you can get for your ceremony. (All San Diego beaches are public.) You want that intimate moment in your lives to stay that way--intimate. Most sunset fans are respectful when they see a wedding taking place. However, in addition to privacy, you also need to plan so that your wedding is at least and hour before sunset so you can get your beautiful sunset photographs. Check the scheduled sunset time for the time of year you are getting married, and schedule your ceremony to begin at least one hour prior to sunset. Click here to check the time of Sunset for any date.
Q. HOW FAR IN ADVANCE CAN WE BOOK OUR WEDDING?
A. Sooner is always better. Most brides make firm reservations between six months and one year in advance, but we have done many short notice weddings. We would be happy to check the availability of the date that you have in mind.
Q. HOW MUCH OF A DEPOSIT TO YOU REQUIRE?
A. We require 1/2 of your package cost (in most cases) as a non-refundable retainer with the signed contract. If we are planning a short notice wedding (2 months prior to wedding date or less), we require FULL payment up front.
Q. ARE THERE ANY EXTRA SET UP FEES?
A. There are no hidden costs in our package price.
Q. HOW EARLY WILL THE COORDINATOR BE AVAILABLE DAY OF THE WEDDING?
A. Your coordinator is typically on site at least 3 hours prior to your wedding ceremony, but available to you by phone at all times.