A Venetian Wedding

If you have wanted to go to Italy, there is no better time than during the most romantic moment of your life. Get married in beautiful, romantic Venice! What a great way to celebrate love than to be in a city that is just so romantic. With the old architecture, water-filled winding streets, tons of history and beautiful scenery, it would be hard to not feel magical. Getting married in Venice is actually easier than one would think. The city is a wedding-friendly place that will work to make your day the best that it can be.

Whether you want to say your "I Do's" on a gondola, in an ancient Palace or in a beautiful garden,
the wedding professionals in Venice will make it happen. When the wedding is over, make your honeymoon a trip around Italy. You will already be there so it would be ideal to get the full taste of what Italy has to offer. Visit Rome, Florence, Milan, Naples and all the other great places that are there. Just remember.....bring me back some wine from the fabulous wine country!

Thanks to Weddings Italy for the pictures. Check them out for more information about your Venetian Wedding.

Travel Checklists

If you do not travel on a regular basis, you may not know about everything that you need to know when going on a trip, especially a trip to another country. A check list will ensure that you are aware of everything that a traveler needs to know before entering another country. Here is a sample checklist found on Real Simple. For a more detailed list go to Art of Travel.

One thing that I have found very helpful for me is to write every single thing down that I put in my suitcase. Even write down the small things like bobby pins, makeup, etc. Then at the end of your trip go through your checklist (more like inventory sheet) of what you brought that way you make sure that you return home with the same things that you left with. There are some people that I know (no names mentioned) that are notorious about leaving their items (or in several cases, items that they have borrowed from me!) everywhere that they go. If you have a checklist of the things that you brought you shouldn't be worried about leaving anything behind.
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Fun Tropical Drinks

I LOVE these fun drinks! What a great way to start off your cocktail hour for your DW wedding! Make sure that your guests feel like they are some place exotic and theme up your party. Gosh, I could do a whole wedding around the idea of these drinks...

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Thanks to the Lazy Bride Blog for this fab idea!

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Santorini, Greece

PicturesbyTracy: A recent couples honeymoon in Santorini, Greece.....

We went to Santorini, Greece for our honeymoon. It was absolutely beautiful there! We stayed at the Canavas Oia and stayed in the town of Oia. We wanted to do something special and unique for our first trip as newlyweds and we succeeded! It was the perfect amount of relaxation and exploration! We spent our first two days in Athens, Greece and saw the Parthenon, Olympic Stadium, Lycabettus Hill and all of the other tourist things that you should see while you are there! Then we flew to the Greek Island of Santorini and spent the majority of our time relaxing by the water, eating delicious greek food, and checking out all of the cafes, wineries, marinas and churches!





The people were so friendly and laid back, and every tourist that we met was on their honeymoon! Santorini is known for its beautiful sunsets, elaborate churches, and white buildings with blue roofs and windows. The view looked like it was right from a postcard! I would definitely recommend checking out Santorini, it was a great honeymoon spot.

Congratulations Jen & Matt! Thank you for sharing your experience in Greece on our DW blog!

Make it a Fairytale...get married in a castle!

Every little girl dreams of her "Fairytale" wedding. Why not actually make it come true?! There are castles all over Europe that cater to the wedding industry and the Cinderella Brides. This castle has definitely caught my eye as a fabulous venue for a castle wedding. It is Ashford Castle, located in Ireland. The reasons to visit Ireland are endless, but to spend the most romantic day of your life in an Ireland castle seems just magical. Built in 1228 (that was before America was even discovered! That puts it into perspective of how old it really is) Ashford Castle has offered a myriad of ways to enjoy the hospitality of an Ireland castle. From the imposing exterior one enters a richly decorated interior that speaks of centuries of care and love of fine craftsmanship.

Ashford Castle can accommodate two style of weddings, either a maximum of 40 people or a maximum of 160 people, depending on which part of the castle best fits your needs. Enjoy the breathtaking scenery, the 350 acre private estate, a nine hole private golf course, the Ashford Equestrian Center, and my favorite part -- the bagpiper welcome when you arrive!

Kahala Bridal Showcase - Honolulu, Hawaii

If any of you DW brides have been thinking about getting married in romantic Hawaii, check out this facility - The Kahala Hotel and Resort. As you can see from the pictures above, it is a beautiful property that can accommodate your wedding or special event needs. If this is exactly the kind of place that you have been looking for in Hawaii, you may want to invest in going to their Bridal Showcase that will be at the end of this month. The date is Friday, October 24, 2008 from 5:30pm - 9:30pm. During these times you will be able to tour the property and get all of your Big Day questions answered. With DW it is always good to visit your wedding location at least once before the ceremony so that you are not surprised by anything (good or bad!)

Money Saving Tip - If you are seriously interested in having your DW in Hawaii and think that this venue might meet all of your needs, talk to the resort's Director of Sales and see if they can comp a room for you while you are there visiting their hotel. Most likely they will give you a huge discount or even a free room if they know that you are going to hold your event at their property.