If you’ve never been to our area—you are truly in for a treat with our islands, Saint Simons, Jekyll Island, Sea Island and Little Saint Simons Island.  Tucked away off of the Georgia Coast, is the perfect getaway without “actually” going away.  These islands are perfect for those who love the concept of a destination wedding, but want to make sure that their guests are able to attend their wedding without spending a lot of money for travel.  Each island offers something for everyone—Jekyll Island is a quiet, natural island full of beauty and history. It is the home to the historic Jekyll Island Club Hotel, the al fresco Beachview Club, as well as the quaint Villas by the Sea with Straton Hall, and the large beachside Jekyll Island Convention Center.  Saint Simons Island is a true vacation island??home to the historic seaside dance club turned uber resort King and Prince, luxurious Ocean Lodge, other sprawling estates like Villa de Suenos and several boutiques and restaurants.  Sea Island  is home to the ultra exclusive Cloister that is an experience all its own.

With all these options, I’ll share some tips on planning your destination wedding here in Coastal Georgia:

• Enlist the help of a planner.  A planner will be able to steer you to the perfect vendors according to your budget, event vision and style.  It’s great for you to have what we call “boots on the ground” to work as a liaison for you and your vendors—share your likes , dislikes and event vision.  Your planner will most likely work with many of the local vendors as well as have a list of those that travel to the area.

• Get to know your vendors ahead of time.  With the help of the internet, you can research your vendors before you come to the area.  This means checking out their rating on sites like Wedding Wire or Project Wedding  from previous couples.  We’ve listed some local wedding pros that use Twitter and it might be helpful for you to read their blogs or Facebook business pages. This gives you the opportunity to get to know them before you meet you visit the area.
• Make a planning trip to the area. Trust me, you’ll fall in love with the area. If you haven’t narrowed down your choices on a venue, plan to spend one day on one island and the next on the other. Be prepared to take some time off—with our area being a destination wedding area, most of your event pros are working on Fridays and Saturdays, and their offices close on Sundays and Monday.
• Experience the area.  Take as many pictures as possible and visit some of the sights— like the St. Simons Lighthouse, Downtown Brunswick and sandy beaches of Jekyll Island.  Your guests will rely on this information during their stay, so it will be helpful for you to have information about what’s nearby, the must-sees and dos, as well as some places to catch some rays, enjoy some southern cooking or a martini and good music.

These tips should get you started with your upcoming wedding Saint Simons, Jekyll Island or Sea Island.  We hope to work with you soon!