Planning from Louisiana!

A wedding planner who locates vendors for you will be costly. You can find vendors via Yelp and Instagram. Then hire a month of coordinator to tie up loose ends and make the day run smoothly.

I’m based in new york but my wedding is in California. We have a full service planner based in California which was been helpful. If you’re not able to meet with all your vendors in person it’s nice to get recommendations from an expert. If you can afford it, I’d recommend a planner.

If you are looking for someone, check out Sacred Rim Planning in Pinedale WY, I have heard awesome things about them!

I would say look at cities and/or towns you want your wedding in, make a list of venues, their prices, if they have coordinators, and proximity to hotels and hospitals (not even joking about this). Some places can offer packages, or be bed+ breakfasts. Speak to the location's coordinator often, invest in a planner if you can.

-If you can't visit in person, ask if you can do a virtual tour via zoom call.

-Add yourself to the Wedding Wire state groups and speak to other brides from these states. No one knows their state better than the locals!

If you have never been to the Rocky Mountains, do keep in mind that:

-Temperature and weather can change very quickly, and even snow or hail in mid summer! They will become very cold at night even in June. It helps if a venue has an indoor location just in case.

-You will need some time to adjust to the altitude, and I strongly suggest arriving at least 3 days in advance since parts of Louisiana are below sea level, and you'll be in a mile of altitude give or take. Running around may give you and your guests altitude sickness and cause dehydration at a faster rate.

-The more remote a location is, the more you may have to pay for decor and certain accommodations. These may include flushing toilets.

-If your dream wedding is at the end of a trail, see how long that trail is. I strongly recommend 1-2 miles, no more than 3 miles tops if you are versed enough with walking or running. The same applies with your guests.

-Depending on where your wedding is, you may have to set things up and dispose of items differently than you'd expect due to the wildlife (grizzly bears and mountain lions in particular). Speaking to a park ranger is always a good idea.