Destination Weddings are In
March 15, 2006 by Christine Gooding
Filed under Unusual Weddings, Wedding Locations
Yes, they are in..because they are gaining popularity among soon-to-be married couples! If my Husband and I could afford, we would have gotten married somewhere exotic preferably close to the beach and obviously outside the city! But alas, limited funds deterred us from getting married past the local church and the nearby hotel — but we made do with what we have and enjoyed the celebrations anyway.
Here are the Q&A from an interview with Lisa Light, the author of the book, “Destination Bride” on things you should know when planning your nuptials in far-flung places. Light, 37, of Chatham, N.Y., has been a wedding planner for 14 years:
Question: Popular destination weddings spots are Hawaii, Las Vegas, Jamaica and the Bahamas. But what are the new hot spots?Answer: Americans should think seriously about Canada and South America. Also, the Dominican Republic is exploding. In Europe, think Croatia. Asia, Vietnam. And Raffles Resort on Canouan Island in the Grenadines.
Q: If you have a destination wedding, are you obligated to pay for all your guests’ lodging and transportation?
A: No, you are not obligated. Generally, brides and grooms do end up paying for a few people who may not otherwise be able to come, like younger siblings, grandma or a member of the bridal party.
Q: Should you plan travel and lodging for guests?A: Again, you are not obligated. In general, it’s good to at least provide a list of lodging options.
Q: The average wedding in 2006 will cost $28,000, predictions show. Are destination weddings cheaper?
A: No, they’re not cheaper, but they can run the gamut in price. An elopement with 10 guests in Las Vegas will save money compared to having 200 people at a church wedding at home. Destination weddings can be used as a tool to save money because you can break out of the mold and do things differently.
One warning: Destination weddings have become so commonplace that people will invite 250 people, thinking only 50 will show up. Don’t fool yourself. People do want to come. You might get 100 people, more than you bargained for.
Q: Which countries are easiest and hardest to have destination weddings in and why?
A: Easy countries are most of the Caribbean, except for the French islands. Scotland is really easy. Italy is not easy, but totally doable and common. Fiji is really easy. Canada is easy with the exception of Quebec.
Tahiti is hard because anything French is hard. French, Spanish, Irish and English countries all require you to be there 30 days in advance.
You can be married anywhere in the world — but if you fall in love with a destination where it is hard to have a legal wedding, have a small civil ceremony at home before you go, then do your religious ceremony at the destination.
Q: Should couples choose an all-inclusive wedding package at a resort or cruise?
A: You can save money this way. They are good for non-fussy, fun couples. It won’t work for a bride who needs to micromanage or who plans lots of original detail in the wedding.
Q: What’s the best way to pay vendors at a destination wedding?A: Credit card. I also would recommend it because of the insurance it provides.
Q: Who should help plan a destination wedding?A: Use a travel agent for an all-inclusive. Hire a wedding consultant either near your home or on site if you have a lot of detail. Also, (for the wedding itself) I recommend hiring a local group escort, someone who speaks the language, somebody to baby-sit the guests. And I urge brides to take a planning trip to the destination if they can afford it.
Q: A planning trip? Isn’t that expensive?
A: They say the average cost of a wedding is $28,000, but the average cost I see is $100,000. If you are spending $100,000 you’d better take a planning trip. If you can’t afford a planning trip you can’t afford a $100,000 wedding.
Q: You spend a lot of time planning international weddings, but your own wedding was simpler. Where was it?
A: On a wooden bridge over a brook in the woods on my family’s property.
Photo credit: Destination Bride
