Reasons Couples Choose A Destination Wedding

Couples used to elope to get secretly
married. Couples headed to Las Vegas
or Niagara Falls. It evolved into a full blown
destination wedding when couples decided
to go away and have their dream wedding
away from home.

We asked a lot of couples why they
decided on a destination wedding and
here's what they said.

We've always dreamed of getting married
at a beach. We're beach people.

We got engaged on a vacation to Cabo.
It seemed like a natural place for
our wedding.

It was a second wedding for both of us.
We didn't want a large church wedding since
we'd both been there and done that. We
wanted something meaningful and less showy.

Our family was driving us nuts. Both moms
wanted what THEY wanted. The stress was killing
us and we got tired of this not being about
our wedding. So we planned a destination wedding
and it was amazing.

We have a big blended family and they don't
get along. We didn't want to deal with doing
seating charts to keep them apart. You can
choose your friends, but you can't choose
your relatives.

My husbands father is an alcoholic and we could
either have a reception with no alcohol or
have someone watch him all day long so he
doesn't create an incident. My husband had a
hard life because of his dad's drinking and even
though he loves him dearly, it wasn't fair
to my husband to worry about his dad on our
wedding day. We decided a destination wedding
was the way to go.

We went to a friends wedding in the Bahamas. It was
beautiful. We enjoyed it so much that we decided
when we got married, that we wanted a destination
wedding at sunset on a beach.

We come from different religious backgrounds. It
isn't a problem for us, but it IS a problem for
our parents. So, we decided on a nondenominational
chapel wedding to avoid the religion argument.

We wanted a vacation and we wanted to get married.
Killed two birds with one stone..LOL.

A destination wedding was less expensive and fit
into our budget. I thought I wanted the big
fairy tale wedding, but the economy made me realize
that we shouldn't be spending that money for a huge
wedding. So we decided on to upgrade on a destination
wedding and we are so glad we did!

Keeping Your Destination Wedding Guests in the Loop

A destination wedding means you have to
keep the information flowing to the
guests who are traveling to your wedding.
They need to know of any change of plans
that will affect their travel plans.

Save the date cards should be sent out
as far in advance as possible. Your guests will
need time to arrange their finances, save for
the trip and get the time off work so they can
attend your wedding. You should include a link to
a personal wedding web site where you can
keep current information.
wedsimple.com - View our beautiful website designs

Post on the site special information for your
guests such as travel agents or sites you
are working with to help them make their
travel arrangements. Post discounted hotel
options for the guests. Most resorts or hotels
will discount a block of hotel rooms for your
guests. You, as the bride, need to arrange
this either by negotiation or by using a
wedding planner in your location.

You might want to include a schedule of the wedding
events as well as local things for them to see
or do. Include information on local weather and
transportation. Ask yourself: If I were a guest,
what would I want or need to know so I can attend
this wedding. Then answer them on your personal
web site.

The more information you give to your guests, the
easier it will be for everyone to attend the
wedding and have a blast! Remember, your guests
are spending a lot of money to travel to the wedding
and this is also a vacation for them. Give them
free time to enjoy themselves and take in some of
the local color, lounge by the pool or beach or
just chill.

Destination Weddings and Dealing With the Humidity

Tropical climate equals humidity. Lets say
you are getting married in Florida, and yes,
Florida does have tropical weather and the
humidity is off the charts. Normal Florida
weather, so to speak. Its humid and you
are in a wedding dress for a beach wedding.
How do you stay picture perfect and look fresh?

My nephew had an awesome beach wedding in Florida.
Everything was perfect, except for the humidity.
It was so humid in the evening that my teeth were
sweating. We'd been rocking out on the dance floor
that was on a huge deck surrounding the hotel.
There were fans, but no ocean breeze and the
brides makeup looked fresher than a daisy.
Mandy, the bride, asked me to help her remove
her crinoline. No one could figure out how to
peel it off her because of the corset back but
me. So while I was helping her cool off,
she told me she had on makeup primer.
Head smack! Why hadn't I thought of that?

Rule number one: Wear makeup primer. It
will keep your makeup on through the
most wicked humidity.

Carry some makeup blotters that blot your
skin and remove the oils and leave the
makeup intact.

Rule number two: Don't wear a heavy crinoline
if you are having a beach wedding. Most
dresses already have a built in crinoline
and you don't need more fullness and added
fabric to make you warmer.

Rule number three: If you are having
an outdoor or beach wedding with an
outdoor reception, keep the cold drinks
flowing. Limit your alcohol intake, it
will make you warmer. Drink ice water, ice
tea and lemonade to rehydrate.

Rule number four: Let your groomsmen take
off their ties and jacket after the ceremony
and the pictures. Tuxes are hot, in both
senses of the word. ;)

Rule number five: Enjoy yourself, a cool
shower when you get home and you'll feel
great!

We've Relaunched Our Destination Web Site!

After months, our revamped website is
finally online for all of our destination
brides! Beach Bride To Be
has been expanded with new destinations, more wedding
planning tips and more ideas. Our old web host had
change their platform, and made it nearly impossible
for us to update the site. So, after months of
hard work, we rebuilt the site from the bottom up.

Our revamped site is a work in progress, we will
be adding more destinations, more advice and more
comments from real life destination brides who
have been there and done that and give their
honest impressions.

If you have destination wedding questions, we
have answers. Comment on the blog or
email through our FAQ page and we'll find
the answer for you!