Destination Weddings: An Expert’s Guide by Pronovias’ Amandine Ohayon

Destination Weddings: An Expert’s Guide by Pronovias’ Amandine Ohayon

If you’re planning on getting hitched overseas, you’ll be wanting to hear wedding guru and Pronovias CEO Amandine Ohayon’s top tips on everything from the location to the dress.



Once
the choice of just a handful of couples, getting married
abroad has become very much A Thing. While guests may bemoan their
bank balances, this is a trend that looks here to stay. So if
you’re going to do it, you need to do it right.

From tropical beaches to Tuscan wineries, the sky’s the limit
(airborne nuptials anyone?). Pinterest boards abound with
inspiration, bridal mags are bursting at the seams with intel and
new trends – your mother probably also has some suggestions…

Cancelling out the noise, we did some hypothetical wedding
planning with Pronovias, the luxury Spanish wedding-gown brand that
inhabits the saved tabs section of every style-conscious, modern
bride-to-be’s Instagram account.

Sharing some seriously indispensable advice, Pronovias’ CEO
Amandine Ohayon is a destination wedding guru of the highest
order.


The most popular wedding destinations in the world are…


The Caribbean
, coast of Mexico,
the
South of France
and
Tuscany
.

Advice on choosing your wedding destination…

In my view, it should be a location that reflects the
personality of the bride and groom, so when guests arrive, they
think “this is very them”. Most importantly, the couple should feel
relaxed there – then their guests will feel the same.

Some of your favourite wedding destinations include…

The French Riviera and the
Amalfi Coast
, for sure.

What are your top tips for planning a destination wedding?

Look for an exciting place that you would like to remember the
rest of your life. As with every wedding, planning (food, flowers,
music, table settings, accommodation, etc) is important but when
you are considering a destination wedding, so many of these things
need more thought as they are being arranged from afar.

How much of someone’s wedding can realistically be planned
online?

Nowadays anything is possible – we are able to plan our whole
lives online – but I think there are elements of a wedding that
need to be experienced in real life to ensure the bride and groom
have the day they would like. For example, food tastings are
critical in my opinion.

Do you remember the first Pronovias wedding dress you fell in
love with?

When I first started working for Pronovias, I tried on every
single dress in the collection to understand the fit of each one,
the fabrics, comfort of the structure, etc. I fell in love with so
many of them for very different reasons.

What should brides be aware of in terms of their dress choice
when planning a destination wedding?

You need to think about the practicality of your dress in
relation to your location. Marrying in a castle
in Scotland in the winter might well call for warmth (long-sleeved
dresses or even a cape might be a sensible option), whereas a dress
for a beach wedding might be more bohemian and floaty in style.
Looking your “best” largely stems from feeling comfortable.


Great hotels to get married in…

Personally, I prefer boutique hotels versus big chain
hotels.

London: Number Sixteen for a more modern touch, or
Claridge’s which I love for its style and
modern take on tradition.

UK countryside: Cliveden House

South of France: Cap Estel

Tuscany: Borgo Santo Pietro

South Africa: Birkenhead House, Hermanus

Things to consider before committing to a destination
wedding…

Will your friends/family commit to travelling? How important is
that to you? Then there’s the weather to consider – wind,
unforeseen rain and heat (will it be too hot?). It’s worth having a
backup plan just in case the weather catches you out.



Tell us about Pronovias’s go-to beach wedding styles…

I would recommend some of our bohemian-style dresses such as
Apollo, Chiron, Icarus, Eris and Eurydamas. Some of the dresses are more
structured, others more flowing and floaty.

And what about for a winter destination wedding?

Long-sleeved dresses like Vesta or Albion, or dresses in mikado (a luxurious type
of heavier silk that gives a dress more structure and has a slight
shine) and crepe, like Antiope, are very popular for colder
climates.

What should wedding guests consider when dressing for a
destination wedding?

Be yourself but dress for the weather, the feel of the venue and
the plans for the day/evening.

Advice on sourcing a wedding photographer abroad…

If you are working with a wedding planner, seek their advice and
look at a few options. Research thoroughly and make sure the
photographer’s style is one you really like – there are so many
different ways to photograph weddings and capture such a special
day, it’s so important to get it right.



Favourite honeymoon spots…

It’s such a personal decision. On the one hand, I love to ski
but I also adore the warm sunshine. I like a combination of rest
and relaxation and experiencing my surroundings, taking exercise
and exploring where I am.

So, my choices are varied:

Aman Le Melezin, Courchevel

Grace Hotel, Santorini

Soneva Jani, Maldives

Awasi, Patagonia

Secret Bay, Dominica

Cotton House, Mustique

Honeymoon packing tips…

Pack for your destination – warm or cold. Take into account
whether you’ll be moving around a lot and if the amount of luggage
you take needs to be edited down. You’ll need comfy clothes to
travel in. Pack toiletries in zipped bags to avoid any spillage
onto special clothes.

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