From Deployment to Destination Wedding: A Bride’s Tale September 29, 2011 – Posted in: Uncategorized

From Deployment to Destination Wedding: A Bride’s Tale

There’s no question that planning a destination wedding can be more stressful than originally anticipated. To some friends and family, this is the kind of wedding that will plan itself. Call a hotel, tell your guests how to make their reservations in paradise, buy a dress and show up!

Well, it’s time to toss that notion out the window.

Planning a destination wedding is a completely unique experience that calls for patience, flexibility and resourcefulness. Add in time zone changes, language barriers, responses on “island time” and the “just stop worrying” attitude of some hotel wedding planners and you’ll have just a few of the “challenges” you may encounter.

Now, combine those gems with the possibility of being ordered to leave your current location to travel anywhere in the world (and having to be ready within 12 hours notice). Oh, one more thing…you may be gone for an undetermined amount of time.

While most of us have felt like choosing the best color for “out of town bags” was one of the most stressful processes, Chelsee Anderson is planning her destination wedding in Riviera Maya, Mexico while working as a pilot in the United States Air Force helping protect the free world. I asked Chelsee if she could give me her perspective on planning a destination wedding while being so far away not only from her wedding destination, but also her fiancé until a time period that is still undetermined.

This bride takes jet-setting to a whole new level!

What is your fiance’s name?

Will Thomas

When/where did you meet?

United States Air Force Pilot Training in Del Rio Texas

Where are you stationed?

I am stationed at McConnell AFB in Wichita KS and he is stationed out of Forbes Field in Topeka Ks. We were deployed together to an “undisclosed location in Southwest Asia” in the summer during wedding planning. While he is now back at home, I am still stationed here until a future time that I am currently unsure of.

Why did you choose a destination wedding?

Cheaper and wedding + honeymoon all in one due to the fact that it is a obstacle itself to try and schedule specific leave dates based around deployment and TDY ‘s (temporary duty) schedules for a flyer in the military. At times we can get as little as 12 hours notice to be packed and ready to go for an undetermined amount of time.

What has been your biggest challenge while planning your destination wedding?

Trying to communicate questions and information to our wedding coordinator in Mexico.
Hoping that I will be able to get dress alterations within 2 months prior to the wedding.
Trying to communicate with my wedding party via email since I don’t have full access to phones.
And of course….trying to get the man to pick out some outfits for the wedding party. He keeps threatening me with combat boots and tank tops 🙂

What made you choose Mexico as your destination?

Limited amounts of time in the air to get to the destination (i.e. all the large airports have direct flights to Cancun). If we had chosen Jamaica or
Dominican Republic, 1 – it would have taken 2 or more stops to make it, 2 -once landing it can take up to 2-3 hours to arrive at the hotel. We wanted a short flight with a short drive to the hotel in order to help our guests enjoy the time that they have on this trip of relaxing. Also, we have been to the area numerous times prior so we can give our guests suggestions and tips on what to bring and what adventures to experience on their vacation. This destination allows people to also get out of the resort and experience such things as the Ruins and the Riviera Maya as short day tours. Also, Mexico is cheaper than many of the other islands found in the Caribbean.

Would you consider yourself more of an extremely involved bride or more of a roll with the punches kind of gal?

I’m more of a roll with the punches type of bride and person, there are areas that are important to me (I hear pictures is the area to splurge) but the dress and other stuff are so fluid. I could pick out a billion dresses and be happy with them, it’s the stuff that will last for a lifetime that should be the main concern, not napkin colors. No one will remember if you have bows on your chairs or pink napkins at your wedding. Plus I didn’t want to spend the money on it.

Is anyone helping you plan your wedding?

My maid of honor has helped with a lot of the details, but besides that my Mother just tells me, “whatever you do will be just fine.” The wedding coordinator has asked me to make selections from the options the hotel supplies. It has been interesting trying to go through pictures of the resort with the limited amount of internet that is supplied in deployed locations to try and make the best picks for locations of cocktail hour and the actual wedding reception.

Are you going on a honeymoon? What would be your dream honeymoon location?

Wedding + honeymoon in one due to military schedules. We would love to eventually go to Thailand and stay in a hut on the ocean, but in time that will be an anniversary gift to us.

What is a word of advice you would have for other brides planning their destination weddings while in the military (specifically on active duty)?

Have a wedding coordinator or a maid of honor who can really work out the details for you or send suggestions of options she might think you should pick from. Internet is going to be your best friend. I printed up my own checklists (of course, I’m a pilot and that’s how I understand things) to send to my family in the wedding invitation envelopes to include directions on how to order a trip and what they should bring to the resort.