A beautiful wedding without all the work. Sound perfect to you? Well, you aren't alone. Brides-to-be are flocking to destination wedding resorts for many reasons, not the least of which is that many of these resorts offer the services of an on-site wedding coordinator to make your life (and wedding) easier!
What's another reason brides are taking their wedding shows on the road? Cost. Some engaged couples are deciding that diving into significant debt to pay for a big wedding just isn't worth it in the long run. Depending on where you live, the final tally for the average in-town wedding (which is a term you'll see over and over again, referring to traditional weddings held in the bride's hometown) is somewhere between $20,000 and $30,000 — for a one-day event! A bride can pack up her dress, plan a week in the sun with her family and her fiancé, and end up shelling out way less money.
That may leave you thinking that destination weddings are always small events. Not so. You absolutely can plan a large wedding in some far-off paradise and include a couple hundred of your closest friends and family. Obviously, this is a costlier option, but some couples don't care. To them, the destination wedding is about giving everyone the opportunity to get away and have some fun. Wedding guests seem to love that philosophy, much more so than the idea of spending time in a (perhaps rather dull) little town where a traditional wedding might be held. If you're the least bit worried about people not showing up at your destination wedding, think again. Give them someplace good to go, and just watch who shows up!
Ease of planning is one reason why brides are embracing destination weddings these days. So many resorts have wedding planners on their payrolls that all you have to do is sign on the dotted line and all of your choices will be presented to you (as opposed to your having to go out and find them). Still, some brides prefer to plan destination weddings in locations that don't offer the services of a wedding consultant. Are these women setting themselves up for a big-time fall? Not at all. Planning a beautiful, meaningful destination wedding on your own is hardly an impossible task. All you need is some inspiration and great organizational skills!
Although this book is geared toward brides, don't forget to let the groom in on the planning, too! When you're talking about arranging a week of activities for yourselves and your guests, you're going to need all of the ideas you can get. It's his wedding (and his vacation) too, so make sure you're both going to be happy with the end result.
No matter where your destination wedding may take you, this book will help. It contains all the advice you need to see you safely (and sanely) from Point A (your engagement) to Point B (the ceremony). You'll find the answer for every question you may have, from how to pack your dress (eek!) to interviewing vendors yourself to writing your thank-you notes. So what are you waiting for? Start reading, start thinking outside the box, and start planning the wedding of your dreams in a land far, far away!