Destination weddings are becoming more popular every year. Many brides dream of having the perfect setting in a beautiful tropical location with the turquoise blue waters of the ocean lapping on the white, sandy beach! How do you decide from the multitude of choices exactly where you will tie the knot?
Many couples want to choose their wedding destination based on some significance to them. It may have been a place that they have visited in the past and have wonderful memories from their holiday there. It may be where he proposed! On the other hand, it may be a locale that couple have never visited but have always dreamed of seeing.
One of the first things to consider is how many guests will be attending and where will they be coming from? Find places that have easy to access from all parts of North America. The Riviera Maya, just south of Cancun, has daily flights throughout the year from all over North America. Try to avoid out of the way places which require numerous connecting flights to get there or have only one flight arriving and departing that week. Hawaii, a very popular place for destination weddings, may be quite far for your guests and family who live on the east coast. Also consider whether or not your wedding is a family affair or for adults only. Some resorts will not allow children onsite even for a wedding. Many times a couple may want to take their children with them to the destination wedding as that will be their vacation time together for the year.
Chapel on the big Island at Sheraton Keauhou Resort
Photo courtesy of Muriel MacRae
Photo courtesy of Muriel MacRae
Third, be sure to consider the type of resort that your guests will want to attend. You and you fiancée may love adventure and decide on an isolated eco-resort in a rustic setting with no electricity, screens on the windows, or modern conveniences. However, your guests may not share your enthusiasm and be upset with the accommodations that you have chosen which might be just as expensive as a luxury hotel but without the benefits. Think about what your guest want to do when they are not attending wedding-related activities. Are there golfers in the crowd? Do people want to hang out at the beach? Are there folks who like to visit the casinos? You might want to make a list of the “must haves” as well as a list of the “nice to haves” so that your destination wedding consultant can help you narrow down your decision.
Photo courtesy of Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort
Consider the timing of your wedding. Lots of brides think they will get a better deal if they and their guests travel in off season. Remember that these times are often off season due to poorer or rainy weather, hurricanes season, high humidity and other factors. In addition, many of the resort services including some of the restaurants will be closed at that time. Also consider that some resorts advertise special rates to the locales during off season which can result in an overcrowding of the amenities on the resort. Some couples think of Valentine’s Day as a date for their wedding. I have been in Las Vegas on February 14th and have seen brides and grooms in long lines in the hotels waiting to get into the chapel to get married. How unromantic! Be careful! You do not want to have your wedding at a resort where 20 or 30 weddings are taking place on the same day as yours.
Finally, let the dream begin. Close your eyes and let your imagination take over. What does your wedding look like? Where is it located? Maybe a tropical garden on a beautifully landscaped resort in Hawaii, or is it in a pretty wedding gazebo overlooking the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean? Or perhaps you always wanted to become man and wife in a quaint white stucco chapel in Greece, or dreamed about getting married by the captain aboard a cruise ship sailing to exotic places? There are so many exciting possibilities. Don’t settle for second best! With a little time, creativity, and planning, your destination wedding can become the dream that you have always been thinking about!
For more information about destination weddings, call Toll Free at 1-866-653-4055 or visit www.delsoltravel.ca.
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