BALTIMORE | 121 | WEDDINGS
stir up some excitement for our friends and
family that this is a place where you can go
and spend the weekend or spend the week
and enjoy yourself and see the true charm
that the city has.”
Five months after their wedding, De-
Raffele and Gaerlan made the permanent
move to Charm City.“Local planners will have their thumb
on the pulse of what is trending in the city
and which vendors will be the best fit for
each couple.”
UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY
While email is an easy wedding-planning
tool no matter your location, out-of-town
couples say FaceTiming or Skyping with
vendors made a difference in their comfort
level. Leah Workneh’s photographer,
Barbara Oliveira, recommended the two
video chat since they couldn’t meet in
person. “I was like, ‘Oh we’ll just trust
you,’” Workneh recalls. “But Barbara was
like, ‘No, let’s FaceTime, let’s meet.’ She
made a point to get to know us as a
couple, because I think that helped her.”
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NEARBY CITIES
Baltimore’s smaller size can be a benefit,
but during busy seasons vendors can get
booked quickly. Such was the case for
Chris Choi and Nina Sheth, Brooklynites
who were married at the BMA and ended
up booking a band from D.C. “There are
really a lot of advantages about where
Baltimore is located, like being able to pull
in resources from New York, D.C., or
Philadelphia when you need them.”
LEAVE TIME TO BE A TOURIST
You’ve booked your location, made your
wedding website, and planned activities
for your guests. But don’t forget to leave
time to explore your wedding destination
before or after the big day. “Come in a
little early so you can experience the city,
too,” advises Workneh. “You get so caught
up with planning your wedding that you
don’t get to see the sights.” Allow yourself
to have fun.