Destination weddings: stunning beaches, Margaritas flowing, Mariachi band is playing. If you are looking to relax on your special day - having a destination wedding is the way to know. I had my wedding in Mexico and it was the perfect day with the perfect ending. I snorkeled in the morning, had a massage in the afternoon and by the time the ceremony came around I was fed, happy, and most of all, stress-free.
However, it wasn’t always stress-free. In fact, agreeing on a destination wedding was one of the topics that my husband and I CONSTANTLY fought about. So I wanted to write this blog post and simplify the search for you. I did some research online, and also for my own wedding a few years back, and came up with this list of top 10 Destination Wedding Spots to have your beach wedding:
10. Curacao.
Curacao is located just off the coast of South America, right next to Aruba. Not too many people know where Curacao is located, and because of this, this exclusive islands gets the number 10 spot. Curacao prides itself on having high end resorts and beautiful beaches.
9. Los Cabos
Located in Mexico is a wonderful, luxurious get away. Los Cabos has a ton of adult-only hotels. Prices of venues are definitely on the higher-end when comparing to other prices in Mexico, however the scenery is truly beautiful.
8. Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is a perfect spot if you are looking for a “chill, relaxed” location without the typical hype of tourists. Don’t get me wrong - there are obviously tourists, but from personal experience - beaches like in Rincon are perfect getaways if you are looking for that rustic wedding and some epic surf.
7. St. Lucia
Beautiful island with stunning views, rainforest and volcanic plugs. Your background for the pictures will look absolutely breathtaking. St. Lucia offers a wide variety of resorts with amazing beaches.
6. Dominican Republic
DR is known for the stunning beaches and Punta Cana. DR offers the most variety of all inclusive resorts. When researching your venues, don’t forget to inquire about different wedding packages available.
5. Jamaica
Beautiful beaches, stunning sunsets and tons of scenic spots. Most of all - 7 Mile Beach. Just imagine… 7 miles of crystal clear water and softest sand in the world.
4. Bahamas
I visited Bahamas on a cruise and was amazed at the diversity of the place. On one have - you have Atlantis. You can purchase day passes and enjoy all of the amenities Atlantis has to offer. On another hand you have funky restaurants, downtown and tons of attractions. If you are looking to get away from the crowds there are plenty of smaller hotels, away from the crowds.
3. St. Martin
St. Martin is a stunning place. It has everything you could ever ask for: the beautiful beach, the tropical sands and the stunning mountains. St. Martin is typically not your cheapest destination, however, there are plenty of hotels to choose from - depending on your budget.
2. Aruba
Aruba gets the number 2 spot for a wonderful reason: It has the perfect weather year round. Aruba is located outside of the hurricane belt and rarely experiences bad weather. You sure won’t have to worry about hurricane ruining your wedding.
1. Riviera Maya
My person favorite. Not only because I had my own wedding in Mexico, but because it is a perfect getaway for “the traveler type”. If you are looking to sightsee, explore and submerge yourself in culture - Riviera Maya is perfect. Mexico’s prices are exceptionally affordable. You’ve got the Mayan Ruins, the adventure parks, Cenotes, zip lining, partying in Cancun and getting a taste of Mayan culture of the Mayan in Tulum. Quite honestly, for the price we payed staying in Puerto Aventuras, we were able to fit in 3 days worth of adventure and exploring. This is why, in my opinion - Mexico definitely takes the win.
No matter where you chose to have your wedding - make sure you do a thorough research of the hotels and packages offered by all of the places. Keep in mind flight prices and the overall costs of the trip to your guests.
A friend of mine posted in a Facebook status last week requesting opinions on destination weddings. Here’s a tip – never post a “How Do You Feel About…?” query if you have your heart set on a particular idea. She received a response to everything from “Too Expensive!” to “You’re selfish if you make that decision!” ... This girl isn't even engaged, and was just expressing curiosity about an option. Yet, the name calling and harsh criticism was flying five seconds after she hit the post option.
1. Before putting down a nonrefundable deposit at a resort, research the time of year you’ll be traveling. The great deal you might be getting could be due to the fact that it’s a noted time for hurricanes or inclement weather in that region. Having a destination wedding in the resort's off season could potentially save you some serious bucks, so you may want to look into that option as well.
2. Rather than being put off by all the negativity of opinions (which people will have if you decide to have your wedding in the Caribbean, Disney World, or the pizzeria around the corner) look into the reasoning as to why a destination wedding might be difficult for you to have, especially if the issues arise with people you really want to attend your wedding.
3. Destination weddings can be rather pricey for guests. Even though the resort might offer all inclusive deals, the cost of everything that’s “free” has to be factored in somewhere. Besides airfare and accommodations, there’s also the issue and added expenses that if they have pets or children, they will have to pay for and acquire the care for them while they are traveling.
4. Research your country / place of your wedding. This is crucial. For example, when getting married in Mexico you will need to be in the country for at least 48 hours. In addition, you will need to submit a blood test to the local hospital ( don't ask me why ). In Saint Martin you must have 3 witnesses from each bridal party. The point is this: make sure you do a thorough research on wedding procedures in that particular country before you actually book your venue.
5. Requesting ample time off from work in order to travel to and from to attend the wedding might also be an issue for some if their jobs are not very flexible with scheduling and vacation time. Keep that in mind when setting the date. Some people are simply unable to take off a week from work to travel to the Bahamas.
6. Certain places require a passport to travel to and to return to the country of origin. Adult American passport books and cards cost over $160. They also can take approximately 4 – 6 weeks for a routine application, and 3 weeks for expedited application (which is another fee). Information about obtaining American passports can be found at US Passports and International Travel.
7. Also, take into the consideration that if you have family members or friends that you really want to be there on your special day, but have medical conditions that need to be monitored or cannot travel for long periods because of a condition, might not be able to attend. My poor friend, who was probably just looking for information on how to plan one or issues that had arisen while others were planning theirs texted me that night thanking me “for being the only person that actually answered her with any sense of reasoning!” What did I write as a comment? The same thing I will write in this article: If it’s what you and your future spouse really want, have a destination wedding, but be understanding that guests you invite might not be able to attend for very valid reasons.
Last words of wisdom: Destination Weddings are a lot of fun. They can cost a fraction of a price you would otherwise pay here, and you will have an amazing time. Before making any major decisions, talk to your groom and research all possible options. Evaluate your budget and make a pros and cons list. If the "pros" outweigh the "cons" - start your research as soon as you can.
First of all, congratulations on your upcoming celebration and commitment to the person you love! Every bride-to-be (and even members of the bridal party) will have moments of anxiety, and it’s perfectly normal. Hopefully, with a few of our tips and tricks listed below, we’ll be able to help you focus on what you should be focused on and enjoy planning what is to be the best day of your life!
1. Remember that this is your wedding. Don’t let anybody pressure you into something they think is perfect or a “must have!” You will never be able to make everybody happy, so focus on what you and your future partner want and what makes the two of you happy.
2. Set a budget and stick with it! Don’t take out an extra credit card or on extra debt that isn't
necessary. Going a little over budget is okay, but try to stay in range as best as possible. Ignore
the voice (whether it’s in your head or someone else's in your ear) saying,:“But it’s your wedding!”
The extra stress and debt for months, or even years, after the ceremony just isn’t worth it.
3. Have a planner or calendar that is only for wedding planning and events. This will leave room for lists and extra information (addressed/phone numbers of location) and not leave you overwhelmed with having multiple appointments or deadlines.
4. Remember, this is real life and not a television special. In order for those shows to be executed properly, it might look like there’s bridesmaid gown drama, but it’s usually staged or edited that way. Everything gets fixed in the end because they have a budget which allows for multiple assistants to ensure everything happens as planned.
5. Don't over do it with Pinterest. It’s great that you might want to hand embroider your baby pictures, with thread made from the hair of a unicorn, but if you don’t have time to, then don’t stress over it.
6. If traveling for a destination wedding or the honeymoon, check with the airline about TSA regulations for everything from passports, proper forms of identification, to what is allowed in a carry-on. Forward this information to anyone that might be traveling the same way for your
wedding.
7. Try to keep it budget friendly for everyone. Some members of your party might be able to afford a bachelorette party in Vegas, but some members of your party might be working overtime to afford the dress to be a bridesmaid. They want to be there for you and will feel obligated to
follow along with whatever you want in your plans, so try to keep it fair for everyone involved.
8. Make sure you have cash the night before your bachelorette party and / or your wedding to tip the limo driver, bar tender, hairstylist, makeup artist, etc. to avoid an awkward last minute (that no one has) run to the bank or an ATM.
9. Make sure your shoes fit properly and you have a pair of flats on hand for extra comfort.
10. Use the services, venues, and professionals you want. If someone suggests that they “Just loved ____!!! You have to use ______!!!”, but you didn't love the work they do, do not feel obligated to hire them, even if they are a friend of the family.
11. Keep a table in the room you’re getting ready as the designated place for all food and drink. You might also want to impose the rule that once everyone is in their outfits, only clear liquids can be consumed – at least until after the pictures are taken or the ceremony is over.
The entire experience should be fun and enjoyable for you. Yes, there will be moments when you’re
stressed or overwhelmed, but remember that what you’re planning for is a celebration and is just the beginning of what is to be the start of an amazing new time of your life.
As I thought about all the beautiful brides-to-be I wanted to spend a little time to write about what you can do to take away some of the stress when it comes to planning a destination wedding. This can be a very stressful topic for a lot of girls out there. From personal experience, I can relate.
When I was planning my destination wedding in Mexico my husband and I ran into countless debates. Planning together wasn't easy and for the first time we actually disagreed on A LOT of things. Please keep that in mind when planning a wedding. You are going to have to communicate to your future husband and often time this is not going to be easy.
I consider myself a pretty easy going person and always have been like that, but when it came down to planning that special day I was often frustrated and annoyed. This is exactly why I wanted to share some of the tips I had about the process and make it a bit easier to deal with.
1. Take a deep breath. Relax. Tell yourself "It is going to be OKAY. Things will work out just fine."
It is so easy to get easily overwhelmed. "How do I book the hotel? What are their rates? How are my guests going to get to the hotel? What if they don't have the flowers I am looking for? Am I going to have to bring my own photographer? Should I have a band or a DJ?" These and many other questions can make you feel clustered and stresses. The first step of having a stress free destination wedding is to take a deep breath, relax and organize your thoughts. You don't need to be worrying about ten thousand things at once. Instead, focus on ONE thing at a time. With that said, we move into ....
2. Discuss with your future partner on what type of wedding venue / ceremony you would like to have ( especially there WHERE PART ) and what is the budget for your wedding.
This was hard for me. Very hard. Like I said before, I am a laid back person. I don't need to be in control of everything. My husband and I discuss variety types of resorts. First, he would tell me he wanted to have this "rustic and exclusive" place with "huts on the beach". So I would go and spend a week on researching hotels, reading their reviews, e-mail them and asking for a quote and a whole-lotta-other-nonsense ONLY TO FIND OUT that Mike ( my hubbs ) changed his mind or did not like the price. OK. So there goes my whole week wasted. After 3 weeks of research and not being able to come up with a decision I hit a wall with frustration. We decided that we EACH needed to do research and come up with top 3 hotels by the end of the week that we thought would be a good place AND fit into our budget. So we did just that. Mike came up with 3 choices and I did as well. Based on narrowing down our search we were able to discuss the choices, pros/cons of each place and finally make a decision.
3. Once you have figured out the venue - don't wait - contact their wedding coordinator ASAP.
Usually this is done through e-mail. Request information, ask about the availability of your preset date. You may find the hotel of your dreams but after you look at their prices you may change their mind. They may also not be able to accommodate the number of quests you may have so contacting them and getting down to business needs to be done as soon as possible. Usually, they will send you a brochure and you will be able to figure out whether or not the place meets your expectations / budget. 4. Once you have figured out the venue research and book a photographer.
This is also a very touchy-feely subject to many people. Some people choose to have a photographer for the entire day, some may only need a photographer for a few hours. Whatever your need may be, research the photographer as soon as you have your date set and your venue reserved. Their rates may vary greatly, so it is very important that you discuss the photographer budget with your hubbs-to-be and agree on the price. I recommend hiring a local, outside-of-the-hotel photographer ( after reviewing them, researching and getting in contact with them ). The reason why I am suggesting an outside photographer is because you can usually find a quality, local photographer who will be able to accommodate you on your wedding day and provide you with more "perks" versus a regular hotel photographer ( not the mention the quality of pictures you are going to get will be much higher from a professional photographer who does this for a living ).
Next step is to contact your photographer via e-mail ( usually ) and work out the perks of the wedding day.
Most photographers will require some sort of a deposit before your wedding day. At first, I was "sketched out" by the fact that my photographer wanted 50% deposit 6 months in advance. What I did was I asked to had her create a contract and e-mail me the contract that both parties would sign before transferring any money to anyone. This certainly gives you insurance in case things take an unexpected turn.
5. Take care of invitations no later than 8 months before the date.
We gave people a year in advance. I think this is essential because people are going to need to plan accordingly if you want them to be part of your wedding day. Make sure on your invitations you include all of the little details, such as: hotel name, how to get from the airport to hotel, how to book the trip, any group discount codes and etc...
Be patient and understand that not all quests invited will be able to come. We only send out 45 invitations ( which we made by hand - as a message in a bottle style ) to people we knew would most likely make it to the wedding and received 34 confirmations.
Three months before the wedding, we had a "Congrats to Mike and Anna" destination "party" at our house where we invited all those who cannot come to the wedding + other guests we would have normally invited if our wedding was in the States. We catered the party, had a "wedding cake" and played silly "wedding games". The guests were able to come with a gift and at the same time were still able to celebrate with us, even though they could not make it to the actual wedding.
This also provided the wedding guests with an opportunity to give their gifts at the party and not actually fly to them all the way to your destination.
Please be advised that when you invite guests to your destination wedding, people will probably assume that they are not required to give you a wedding gift. This is totally normal. The guests are spending a ton of money on travel / accommodation. Please understand their situation.
6. Decide on the bridal party / bridal attire. Buy a wedding dress.
Mexico was HOT. This was a whole different HOT than I have ever experienced. I mean June in Mexico is steamy hot. So hot, that it took my breath away when I got out of the airport, literally. When choosing wedding attire for yourself / your wedding party keep in mind the season and the location of your wedding. Also, is your ceremony going to be outside? Is there going to be a tent? ... If I did not have a tent at my wedding, I would not be writing this blog right now - I would be melted somewhere in the Mexico only God knows where. I am serious. It was HOT.
Shopping for a dress should be done relatively early. Again, consider the time of the year and location of your wedding. My wedding dress was beautiful and I loved every minute in it, except that the back felt like someone dumped a bucket of water on it ( but no... it was just sweat ... ). Try to be sympathetic of your bridal party. Choosing a 400$ bridal party dress may be a little steep if they are already paying $400 on flight and spending just as much, if not more for the hotel. In my opinion, less is more. Don't drive yourself nuts over this stuff.
I bought my dress and told my bridesmaids that the color was "aqua". They could buy any dress they wanted, as long as it was relatively short. That was it. Here is the outcome:
Each girl chose a dress that fit her figure the best. Each style was different. But to me that was "Okay". I wanted the girls to be able to show their own personalities and be able to wear something that fit THEIR body type the best. I think it worked out well in the end.
7. Wedding favors / Bridal Party Gifts
You've got the venue, you have your photographer ready. The bridesmaids are good to go and you're picking up your dress in a month. Awesome. Hardest part is over. Now onto the details.
Wedding favors - think about this. DO you REALLY want to carry another suitcase of party favors to your destination wedding? You have enough stuff to carry as it is. Don't go nuts. Sure, you can go all out and spend tons of money on party favors and all other traditional stuff ... or... you can settle for something a little less. You can buy some bubbles at stores like A.C. Moore and Michaels ( they usually come in a pretty small box of 50 ) and you can actually make unique party favors yourself.
Where do party favors usually end up? Think about the last time you went to a wedding and actually kept the party favors at that wedding. Sure, you probably have some sort of "favors" laying around somewhere...BUT... when are you ever going to use that or refer to it again? ...
My whole thing is this - "Why buy stuff, when you can make it?" Same goes for party favors. I am not saying make 100 picture frames or handmade ceramic candles. No, that would be insanity. But you can search the good ol' Pinterst for some awesome, CHEAP, and most importantly DIY wedding favors you can make for your guests. They will be one-of-a-kind, memorable and the guests will least likely throw them out after the wedding.
Bridal Gifts - Jewelry is the best way to go ( of course, in my opinion) for your girls. It is small, low maintenance and usually accommodates all tastes. I mean, what girl doesn't wear jewelry? You can buy great things on ETSY. Most sellers will give you a discount for buying in bulk. Make sure you buy something that is universal and neutral so it fits everyone's taste and won't be a waste of money. Same goes for groomsmen. Think simple and think "light". Like I said, you don't want to be stuck carrying an extra suitcase of favors / gifts with your luggage to Jamaica.
8. Make sure you can answer all of the questions below:
1. How will you transport your dress in the airport? Will you carry it in your hands or try to fit into the suitcase?
2. How many luggages can you bring on the plane? Does your airline provide any special accommodation for you?
3. When you get to your destination how are you and your guests going to get to/from the hotel to the airport?
4. Have you arranged necessary shuttle survives for your guests in case your hotel does not provide transportation?
5. What is the hotel check in time and how does that match your arrival time? You don't want to arrive at the hotel at 8 AM and not be able to check in to your room until 3PM.
6. Is your place all inclusive? If not, how are guests going to be able to get to local restaurants etc..
7. Are you going to rent a car? If so, does your hotel require any extra fees for the car rental?
8. Have you gotten in touch with the wedding coordinator and worked out the little details about the date and the ceremony?
9. DID YOU CHECK WITH THE YOUR DESTINATION'S LEGALITY REQUIREMENTS? Very important to do… For example, Mexico required blood tests and all licenses to be translated from Spanish to English ahead of time.
10. Did you start saving money? .. You should…
11. Have you picked your bridesmaids / their attire?
12. Have you bought them gifts?
13. Do you have appropriate accessories for your wedding - something blue, something borrowed etc..
14. What are you going to do about your favors?
15. Did you book the photographer?
16. Are you going to have a band / DJ and if so, have you booked them as well? Usually you can book them through your hotel.
17. Are you going to have a rehearsal dinner and if so, did you let you wedding coordinator know this? How are you going to plan the rehearsal dinner?
18. Make sure you have some spare finances ready for any last minute changes.
19. Did you set a date for your bridal shower?
20. BACHELORETTE PARTY TIME!!!!
9. The faster you get on planning, the sooner it will be over and you can finally relax.
In my opinion, the faster you get situated with all the details, the more time you will have to actually enjoy this awesome time of being engaged. So, don't put things away. Try to get them done and you will not be stressing out later. Trust me, this is the way to go.
10. A month before the wedding - get in contact with your wedding coordinator and your photographer to finalize everything and confirm the date one more time.
You should touch base with your coordinator / wedding photographer to work out any additional details that might of came up in the planning process that weren't discussed before. It's a good idea to keep in touch with these people so they can accommodate your needs in the best way possible.
The day of the wedding:
1. Wake up early and get some good breakfast in you.
You don't want to starve all day. You also don't want to think about food instead of your hubby-to-be. Like grandma used to say - "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day". Don't miss it!
2. Go on the beach and go for a swim.
I am telling you. This is the best! Who will be able to say that they went snorkeling on their wedding day? You will ! Spending sometime with the nature is the perfect way to stay relaxed and in tune with yourself versus freaking out the entire day and sweating the small stuff. You are having a destination wedding - ENJOY IT and take advantage of this awesome opportunity. This is me on my wedding day :)
3. After a swim, make sure you stop by the cafeteria or food court and pick up a snack.
This is import an because once you begin your hair/make up, dressing, and getting ready procedure you will not be able to eat. What happens when you have champaige on empty stomach? You get tipsyyyy or sloppy. You don't want either one on your wedding day. If you feel to anxious about eating a meal grab some granola bars / fruit and that should do the trick as well.
My ceremony was at 5 PM. I began getting ready at 1. I did not eat before getting ready. By the time reception came around 7 I thought I was going to either chew my arm off or eat Mike ( hubs ). GET SOME FOOD IN YOUR BELLY BEFORE GETTING READY.
4. Make sure you bring a picture of hair and make up that you want to your stylist.
This is a very simple step you can take towards making sure you look the way you want to look on your wedding day. When I was getting my hair done, I showed my hair stylist 6 pictures of what I wanted - a low bun. She did a great job and it looked awesome. However, when it came to make up I did not have a picture with me. She ended up putting purple eye shadow with other crazy colors I would have never worn in the first place. Luckily, I was able to come back to the room and completely redo my make up myself. This is why IT IS VERY IMPORTANT to bring pictures with you to show your stylist of EXACTLY how you want to look.
Don't forget to waterproof your make up - ask for waterproof eye liner and mascara if possible.
5. After you and your bridesmaids are good to go with hair / make up order champaign ( a couple bottles ) to your room and ENJOY the "getting ready" part with your girls.
Honestly, a little mimosa action will help you to loosen up and stay relaxed. Put on some fun dance music. No need to be in a serious and gloomy mood. Enjoy your time with them and your family. Seriously. Why would you want to stress on this awesome day?
6. When everything is set up and ready for the ceremony to start, that means IT'S GO TIME! Relax, take a deep breath and most of all enjoy every minute!
One of the memorable moments at my wedding was when the entire wedding party was walking through the resort to the beach, where the ceremony was taking place. Every single person was cheering and telling me how beautiful I was. That was really awesome. Random people were taking pictures and I really felt on top of the world. My dad was making jokes and trying not to get emotional while I was on the verge of crying myself it was a really memorable moment. Later on, Mike told me that before he even saw the wedding party walking on the boardwalk towards the beach he heard all the people cheering for us - and that's how he knew this was his last minute to run. Haha. Just kidding.
7. Don't sweat the small stuff.
Don't do it. You'll drive yourself nuts. So what if all of your bridesmaids don't get along? They will get over it. Who cares if person A doesn't want to sit next to person B at the same table. Guess what? They will suck it up. If its raining? Thats a good luck sign. If your shoe falls off while you are walking - kick the other one off and KEEP GOING. Your earring doesn't close? Borrow another one / take the closure off the other one - at least if one goes the other one will probably go as well. If one of your girls is wearing silver shoes and the other one is not wearing any shoes - WHO CARES?!?! No, seriously. No one will care about this small BS in the future. No one. Because everyone will be looking at you and not at your friends. This is your day. Don't let the small stuff bother you. Seriously. You're better than that.
8. Take pictures that YOU want, not pictures other people want.
We booked our photographer for 4 hours. That's it. We came home with probably over 10,000 pictures in total. Our guests took a million pictures along with the photographer. Many people were telling me that the wedding session should be with parents / bridal party and a bunch of other people. Umm. NO. Wedding pictures should be the way YOU want them to be. I wanted a few pictures with the wedding party, some pictures with family and a picture of all of our guests - the rest of just us. It worked out just as planned. Don't listen to grandma, grandpa, auntie from Nebraska or a friend of a friend of a friend. This is YOUR day, you need to do what YOU need to do. Not what other people want you to do.
9. Get ready to Boogie
The best part of the whole thing !!!
10. HAVE A BLAST AND ENJOY EVERY SINGLE MINUTE OF YOUR AMAZING DAY!!
