I need all the advice I can get on a wedding elsewhere. I am thinking more of an island. I would love to hear from someone who has experienced one.
2007-11-01 05:03:49 · 12 answers · asked by Cindy H 2 in Family & Relationships ➔ Weddings
I had a vow renewal in Kauai - it was great - we used a local planner and officiant who made all the arrangements - that helped a LOT. Anyway DO IT! and be happy!
2007-11-01 18:00:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
We're planning one for February in St Thomas, and we cannot wait. There are a few unique things to keep in mind--the legal requirements, the guests, the planning. The legal requirements will vary, depending on which island you choose, so make sure you know well ahead of time what you need to do to satisfy those requirements. Many guests will not be able to attend (which is part of the appeal for us). We've decided to cover the airfare and hotel for our immediate families. The planning is a bit different because you aren't actually there to check out a variety of venues. We did make a long weekend trip to see it, and chose the hotel, restaurant and venue then, but it could be done over hte internet, and lots of hotels have wedding packages for this kind of thing.
It's costing us as much as an ordinary wedding, so we aren't saving anything by having a smaller wedding, but it will be our own, and we never wanted a huge church wedding, so for us, this is a wonderful alternative. We'll be about 30 all together, and so much more special because we're doing things that matter to us, rather than to someone else.
Our wedding planners are: www.islandweddingservices.com
Thay've been wonderful to deal with so far. Good luck!
2007-11-01 12:25:04 · answer #2 · answered by melouofs 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
We had our wedding in the Turks and Caicos at the Beaches Resort - It was absolutely wonderful!!! It's an all-inclusive resort, so the rooms alone were about $350 per day per couple.
The wedding itself was relatively inexpensive - about $2,000 for the ceremony, cake, and reception. (There were a lot of add-ons that cost more flowers, sit-down dinner, live music, open bar, these all cost a little more - so ask a lot of questions about what's included in the price) The wedding itself can be as elaborate or as simple as you decide, but the basic packages for the ceremony are pretty inexpensive.
A destination wedding can be really cost effective. It's also really great to go from the wedding right in to your honeymoon! I'd also suggest going to the island a few days before the wedding to relax with your fiance before the big day.
Be prepared for a lot less friends and family members to attend than if it were a ceremony close to home - that didn't matter to us, but it might matter to you. You have to go into it prepared to get a lot of "no" responses. Not everyone can afford the airfare & hotel, not to mention the time off from work.
My parents paid for my maid of honor and best man's flight down there, but not the accomodations. Be prepared to chip in some of the cost for the wedding party - if your asking someone to be in your wedding party they shouldn't be obligated to the entire cost (at least that's what I think)
We had about 25 guests attend out of 100 invited. The cost to the guests depended on how long they decided to stay. We did it over memorial day weekend, so it was a long weekend for everyone, so they stayed at least 3 days.
We had a great time!! Good luck!!
2007-11-01 15:59:38 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hi, To start with, let me say I don't think destination weddings are selfish, or over priced. Not everyone wants a big wedding. In our case, we have no family. For Christmas dinner, there's just 4 of us.
My daughter is getting married 8 weeks today in Jamaica. Almost every resort will have a wedding package.
She chose Jamaica for 2 reasons. The first one is that English is the official language. So no need to have all the documents translated back & forth. No blood test required.
The 2nd reason was we could get a direct flight (from Vancouver, Canada)
The documents needed for a wedding in Jamaica are a passport & a birth certificate. These have to be notarized by a lawyer & sent to the resort a month before the wedding. You must take the originals with you. Also if you have been divorced, they require the papers for that.
You have to be on the Island for 48 hrs before you can get married.
2007-11-01 12:48:09 · answer #4 · answered by tess 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Don't listen to those that tell you it's a bad idea. It's your wedding, do wahtever you want.
I am having a destination wedding in the Caribbean. First, decide which island and date you would like, then do some research on the internet or call around to different resorts to find out which is best suited to your needs.
The cool thing about a destination wedding, besides it being a totally unique experience, is it's a mini-vacation for everyone and a wedding rolled into one!
Also, if we were to have it at home (me and my faince), we'd have to invite about 300 people more. But because not everyone can go, it fits in our budget perfectly!
If you can, I also suggest heading down to your place to check it out before the nuptials.
Congrats! Lovely idea!
2007-11-01 12:38:05 · answer #5 · answered by Mimi 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
My daughter got married on the schooner Appledore on a sunset cruise off of Key West. The captain of the ship married them. He wore a captain's uniform and had bare feet. His friend took pictures. The ship was full of tourists who loved being a part of the festivities. We then had a reception three weeks later at a B and B near where we lived in Minnesota.
I really think that a destination wedding saves a lot of stress. There were only seven of us including the bride and groom at the wedding. It was a really fun four day vacation for us.
Another great island that would be good for a wedding is Madeline Island which is in Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin.
2007-11-01 12:20:49 · answer #6 · answered by Tricia R 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Planning a wedding that will require your guests to travel, spend a lot of money on airfare, etc and also take time off from work to do so, is considered by some kind of selfish.
Of course, it's your wedding and your special day so you should have a destination wedding if that is what you really want.
Keep in mind that many people will not be able to attend or will be put out by the expense of attending, especially your bridesmaids and groomsmen.
It may be a better idea to have a wedding closer to where you live, and save the pretty island for your honeymoon.
Or, have the destination wedding just for family and VERY close friends (20-40 people) and have a reception close to home for those who could not travel to attend your wedding.
2007-11-01 12:14:12 · answer #7 · answered by Maya J 2 · 1⤊ 4⤋
We got married last year in Puerto Rico. It was the best ever!! I would definetly recommend it. The marriage took place on the beach at the San Juan Hotel. If interested I purchase beautiful destination wedding invitations at the site below. Check them out!
Good Luck :)
2007-11-01 18:12:20 · answer #8 · answered by Michael A 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, my new wife and I recently got married in Jamaica on the beach. We decided on Jamaica after much research of other countries, most require long "residency" periods or translation of documents into the language of their country. We went with Sandals in Jamaica, the wedding was free (was just the two of us), sent our documents in to the hotel wedding consultant three weeks before we arrived and were married on the beach two days after we arrived at the resort. Just keep in mind you can make it as elaborate and simple as you want.
2007-11-01 12:23:41 · answer #9 · answered by Doug H 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
One of my best friends is getting married in Cuba in may and I'm her maid of honour. The idea of a destination is beautiful and I understand on that level why people choose to get married away, but I'm really not a fan of the whole thing. Apparently I'm not in the majority here, but I do think it's selfish to go away for your wedding.
I know that the wedding is "just about the bride and groom" but as far as I'm concerned if you're inviting other people, then it's no longer just about you two. As much as you would like it to be, it's not. I know that's harsh and I'm sure lots of people don't agree with me, but when you go asking your good friends and relatives to put out $1500 (whatever the cost may be) to go see your wedding, it's not just about you anymore. Don't forget to think about the people who may not have their passport ($80), vaccinations for the region (could cost up to $400 per person), and if they're in your bridal party they have to pay for their dress/suit/etc.
I understand that they're not just paying to see your wedding but are getting a vacation out of the expense. But what if they don't want to go there? I have no desire to go to Cuba and would much rather spend the $2000+ that this wedding is going to cost me on something I truly want. It's a difficult situation because I want nothing more than to stand beside my friend on her wedding day and see her get married, but I don't think it's fair that I'm getting put out so much just to do so. My example might be a little extreme since I'm a student so I've had to take out extra loans and am going to miss a semester of classes in the summer just to go, but you may not realize how much people are having to change just to go to your wedding.
I guess I'm just trying to let you see this from the perspective of a guest who might love you more than anything and want to be with you on your day, but really might not be able to. I'm lucky and have the option to get student loans but if I couldn't, then I would miss out on her day and she'd have to pick someone else to be in her bridal party who she doesn't necessarily want to be there.
If it were me and I was set on a destination wedding, i would go and elope there or pay for everyone to go. If I couldn't do either of those then it wouldn't be worth it to me to put out people I love. Those who really care about you will really want to be there, but I don't think it's fair to ask them to do some things they might not be able to otherwise do.
Best of luck!! Hope I wasn't too much of a downer!! ;)
2007-11-05 05:06:33 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋