Some wedding venues don’t need that much decor, because they’re already beautiful as is. You’ll still want a professional designer, though, because he or she is perfectly poised to come in and help you make the best use of that space. That’s where experts like my guest today, Candice Patterson, come in. 

Candice is a destination wedding planner, designer, and entrepreneur. After spending two years really learning the industry, networking with other planners and floral designers, and prioritizing professional development, she officially launched her company in 2017. Now, CM Events & Designs leads the event designer and planner industry in the Washington D.C. area.

Candice started focusing on destination weddings as a military spouse, which allowed her flexibility to move while growing her business. She plans and designs events across the East Coast and beyond. She enjoys creating chic-modern, timeless designs for her clients and providing a less stressful planning experience. 

Candice’s work has been featured on Style Me Pretty, Ruffled, MunaLuchi Bride, Allure Bridals, Black Bride,The Perfect Palette, Destination Wedding Details, and so much more. When not planning weddings, you can find her at Nordstrom, on vacation somewhere warm practicing self-care, or serving the community with her sorority sisters.

During our conversation, Candice provides plenty of tips for you and your planner to consider when selecting and designing around your chosen wedding venue. We also touch on considerations and differences to keep in mind about indoor vs. outdoor weddings, keeping your style and vision at the forefront, and some surprising decisions regarding destination weddings.

In This Episode:

[02:48] - Candice discusses how she started planning and designing for weddings.

[06:46] - Here’s how early Candice recommends you book your venue. The sooner you book, the better.

[08:31] - In addition to availability, Candice talks about the three main things she’d say to couples to help them select a venue.

[10:10] - During walkthroughs of a venue, Candice and her clients look at its scenery and how it can match or complement the couple’s style and vision.

[15:54] - How does the guest experience play into searching and designing for the venue for Candice?

[21:14] - Has a couple ever come to Candice with a vision that just did not match the venue?

[26:18] - Candice has more tips to help couples select the right venue for them concerning design and bringing it all together. 

[30:42] - Thanks to contracts, resorts for destination weddings require the use of their indoor vendors. Otherwise, you get charged a vendor fee.

[33:51] - Noise ordinances, time limits, and accessibility are all extra considerations that you may not necessarily think about but your planner sure does. 

[39:24] - For a destination wedding, Candice mentions a particular consideration to keep in mind and uses her own wedding as an example.

[41:17] - Eilena talks about her first country club wedding done recently. She’s seen some beautiful ones, but this one was bizarre.

Relevant Links:

Candice Patterson

Website |Instagram 

The Wedding Tea

Instagram

The Event Loft

Website | Instagram