destination weddings

Ali & Humberto's Slideshow- DW Wedding Barcelo Resort on the Mexico's Caribbean

2010-08-26T19:08:00.001-07:00

Mexico Wedding

2010-08-26T18:56:00.001-07:00

Ali & Humberto- Mexico

2010-08-26T18:52:00.001-07:00

Barcelo Resort on the Mexico's Caribbean

2010-08-26T18:50:00.000-07:00

Destination Wedding - Couples Swept Away , Jamaica

2009-07-14T11:37:00.000-07:00

Promotion that is great for Destination Weddings and Honeymoons!

2009-05-01T13:10:00.000-07:00

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Sizzlin' Sampler

4th Night FREE - $300 Air Credit - $100 in Dining & Attraction Coupons
Spirit Vacations has partnered with the U.S. Virgin Islands to offer fantastic Summer savings!

When traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands you can enjoy the ease and convenience of not needing a passport and receive discounts of up to 35%! Plus this Summer we've made your vacation dream a little more affordable by offering $300 in Air Credit, as well as $50 in attraction coupons and $50 dining coupons from participating hotels during your stay. Simply book a stay of four nights or longer and you'll receive your 4th night free. All these savings are yours when you book a four night or longer air-inclusive vacation between Now and 10/15/09 and travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands 4/15/09 through 10/31/09.

Have the time of your lives while getting the deal of a lifetime with Spirit Vacations!Book by: 10/15/09Travel begins: 4/15/09Complete travel by: 10/31/09Participating Hotels:
Bolongo Bay Beach Resort
Point Pleasant Resort
Sapphire Village
The Westin Resort & Villas, St. John
Marriott Frenchman's Reef & Morning Star Beach Resort
Sapphire Beach Resort & Marina
The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas
Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa

We are pleased to offer service from:
Atlanta
Detroit
New York/LaGuardia
Atlanta City
Ft. Lauderdale
Orlando
Boston
Las Vegas
Washington/Reagan National
Tampa
Los Angeles
Chicago/O'Hare
Myrtle Beach

Vacation packages include roundtrip airfare on Spirit Airlines®, hotel accommodations, roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, hotel taxes and service charges and superior Customer Care Service. All-Inclusive vacation packages also include all meals, snacks, beverages, non-motorized watersports, entertainment and more.

Restrictions: The Sizzlin Sampler promotion applies to new bookings only and is only valid at participating hotels in select room categories. $300 in Air Credit is reflected in package price during the booking process. Coupon booklet is per booking based on stays of four (4) nights or longer and will be given upon arrival at the hotel. See hotel profile under current promotions for the specific room categories this promotion applies to. All travel must be completed within specified date range. Not combinable with other promotions or discounts. Other conditions may apply.

To find out more information on this promotion, go to Spirit's Website.

European Honeymoon

2009-01-29T07:21:00.000-08:00

Stacey & Kevin’s European Honeymoon

Kevin and I wanted to go somewhere really special after our wedding and after many discussions on where to go we decided that the prefect honeymoon trip for us was to do a short tour of Europe. It was a crazy, whirlwind trip to some of the most beautiful places in the world! Relaxing it was not, but it was nothing short of perfection!

Our first destination was to Barcelona, Spain. We spent our first few days walking every inch of the city. We saw the Olympic village and stadiums, the fabulous architecture by Gaudi, ate tapas and paella by the ocean and toured the fabulous art museums. It was a fantastic beginning to an amazing trip!

From Barcelona we flew to Venice, Italy. We didn’t spend much time in Venice, (a day and a half) but it was just the right amount of time to be able to see all of the major sites. We walked the city, ate gelato (Stacey’s most favorite thing in the entire world!), toured churches and walked the bridges. It is the most romantic place and we highly recommend going there at least once in your life!

Our favorite honeymoon moment came in Venice. We had a great Italian dinner and then walked through the famous St. Mark’s square on our way back to our hotel. The cafés that line the square have 6 piece classical bands that perform for patrons sitting outside in the night air. But because there are several cafes and each one has their own band, it becomes a battle of the bands at night. Each one will play a few songs and as soon as their set is over the next café’s band starts to play. We sat on the square and ordered a bottle of champagne and just watched and listened. It was so romantic and so classically European!

From Venice we flew to Paris, France where we spent 3 wonderful (and very cold) days walking and exploring the city. We did many of the tourist things that everyone does when they go to Paris: Climbed to the top of the Eifel Tower; went to the museums, took a boat ride at dusk on the Seine. We ate fabulous French food and drank fabulous French wine. The only drawback was it was about 30 degrees colder than it normally is at that time of the year! Even with the cold, it was the perfect excuse to do more honeymoon snuggling!

After three glorious, cold days in Paris we took the train to London. We saw Big Ben, London Bridge, Buckingham Palace and the guards, and we walked through great little London neighborhoods and parks. We rode the London Eye which was such a cool experience to see the city from that high up – you can see everything when you get to the top! Both nights we were in London we had amazing Indian food, which is one of our favorite things to eat, and we even went to a pub for fish, chips and a pint!

The entire trip was so fantastic! We have a ton of memories (and even more pictures!) and it was the perfect way for us to celebrate our marriage!

Destination Wedding Invitation Giveaway!

2008-12-01T09:55:00.000-08:00

Polka Dot Bride is offering one of their lucky readers invitations for their Destination Wedding! Go to their website to see if you can win! Good Luck!

Hilton Hotel Room Giveaway!

2008-11-25T05:51:00.000-08:00

If you are planning a Destination Wedding, this is the contest that you need to be jumping all over....and quickly! Thanks to Wedding Chicks Blog, they are have partnered with Hilton Hotels to give away $3,000.00 worth of hotel rooms anywhere in the US (including Hawaii!) This contest does not include anything else but the rooms (sorry, you have to pay for your own wet bar!) You can take as many people with you to your destination wedding and put them up in a very nice Hilton hotel. Check out Wedding Chicks Blog to get all the details. Good luck!

Make leis for your guests!

2008-11-21T06:13:00.000-08:00

If you are having a DW in Hawaii, what better way to celebrate than to make your own leis! You can make them for your bridal party for the day of the wedding and for anyone else that might like one. Here is how to do it:

1. Gather the following items: Lei Needle or sewing needle (stainless steel), thread or fishing line, flowers

2. Choose your flowers (stringing method depends on flower type). The flowers used throughout the island include: Walahe'e Haole (Mock Orange), 'Awapuhi ke'oke'o (White Ginger), 'Ilima (Hibiscus), Kepalo (Bouganvilla), Kiele (Gardenia), Kupalo (Tuberose), Loke (Roses),Male (Stephanotis),'Ohai Ali'i (Poinciana), 'Okika (Orchid), Pikake (Arabian Jasmine) but the most famous is Melia (Plumeria).

3. Decide how you will string them. Depending on the flower, the methods are either straight in a single pattern through the center of each flower, or Circular/Double pattern through the stem of each flower. For this step by step, we will discuss the Plumeria flower lei with a single pattern.

4. Take your needle and thread the eye with thread or fishing line.

5. String each flower directly through the center of the flower. (You will need approximately 50 Plumeria blossoms for a single 40 inch lei.) These are somewhat idiot-proof flowers in that they have holes (tubes) right down the center...perfect for making leis!

6. When you have finished stringing all the flowers, tie off the thread/line and cut off any excess.

7. Add a ribbon if you wish! Now you are ready to present it to whomever you wish to honor.

Unique Guestbook for a Destination Wedding

2008-11-12T17:59:00.000-08:00

Want a unique way to remember your guests at your wedding? Try this...purchase a map (like these from Vintage Maps) and place it on an easel for your guests to sign. Once you get home you can have the map framed so that you can always remember your guests and your destination wedding location!

Another idea is to gather smooth rocks from a sentimental location (such as your vacation spot at your favorite lake) and ask guests to sign them with paint-style oil markers or enamel-based metallic pens. Once home, place them in a glass cylinder to display.

What to do when in a tricky travel situation

2008-11-04T13:15:00.000-08:00

Once again, Real Simple has great advice for travelers. Check out this article to learn how to handle and avoid bad travel situations.

A Venetian Wedding

2008-10-27T06:46:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-24T06:41:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-21T06:49:00.000-07:00

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...

Thanks to the Lazy Bride Blog for this fab idea!

Santorini, Greece

2008-10-13T16:51:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-10-07T05:52:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-01T06:04:00.000-07:00

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.

Invitation Sale!

2008-09-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

We have 25 Ivory Invitations with Black Organza Ribbon for sale...at a REALLY CHEAP PRICE! One of our clients accidentally ordered too many and wants to sale them so that they are not just put in a box and never used.

The sale includes everything that you see above. Here are the details:

-25 Cream Smooth Front Cards with Envelope

-25 Cream Smooth Front Response Cards

-25 Cream Smooth Front Reception Cards

-15 Cream Direction / Map Cards

- 25 Cream Tea Length Menu Cards

- 25 Cream Place Cards

- 3 Black Ribbon Spools (25 yards each)

The asking price for these invitations is $50.00 (that equals out to $2.00 each! That is a GREAT deal!)

These are perfect cards for a smaller wedding (say a Destination Wedding!) The cards are blank, ready for you to print your own wording on them.

Call Natasha at 423-468-0815 or email her at Natasha@allureeventconsulting.com if you would like to know more or to purchase these cards.

Destination Wedding Dream Weekend!

2008-09-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

A lot of people have never heard of Mackinac Island but let me tell you, it truly is a gem. Located in Michigan, Mackinac Island is known as the "all natural" theme park of America. To get to the island you must travel by a ferry and once there the transportation is limited to horse and buggy, bicycle or foot. One of the main reasons travelers visit this wonderful island is for the annual Lilac Festival which is held every Spring.

With that said, Mackinac Island would be a wonderful in-country destination wedding. Most of the time people feel that they have to spend thousands and thousands of dollars traveling oversees to have a destination wedding. What they do not realize is that anywhere that they go is considered a destination as long as it isn't the hometown that you live in.

This October 10th - 12th Mackinac Island is holding a Destination Wedding Dream Weekend for any one who is interested in learning more about weddings. They will have a symposium with wedding professionals, ceremony and reception site tours, family events, bridal party events, pub crawls and a lot more. Go to Mackinac.com to view all the details.

-Allure

Happy Hour with Allure {New Hotel}

2008-09-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

I just received information on a new hotel in breath-taking Bora Bora. If there could be any location in the world that would be the most romantic and beautiful spot, I would have to say it is Bora Bora. After all, the island is known as the most romantic place on Earth.

The new hotel is the Four Seasons Resort and it offers a wide-range of amenities, including wedding packages for those who are going for a Destination Wedding. Contact their wedding specialist for any questions that you may have.

Happy Hour with Allure {Great Website}

2008-09-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

I found a GREAT website for anyone wanting to travel or get married in Greece. I posted a few weeks ago about why Greece is such a fabulous location....and now here is an Everything You Need to Know About Greece guide so you can make sure that you are covered when you travel to the great country.

The website is Greek Travel and the author is an expert on all things Greek. If you have any questions, email him and he will email you back within just a few days.

Just imagine...getting married on the white sandy beaches of the Greek Isles.....just seems like perfection.

Happy Hour with Allure {Save Some Money!}

2008-09-08T09:22:00.000-07:00

I found an article on www.moneysmartlife.com and thought it was something that all of you destination brides and grooms could benefit from:

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON A DESTINATION WEDDING:

1. Give yourself as much time to plan as possible – Booking your flights and hotels as far in advance as possible will save a considerable amount of money for you and your guests. Keep in mind that when you plan a destination wedding, the polite thing to do is to pay the hotel and some meal expenses for your guests. Guests at a destination wedding are typically expected to pay for their own flights, but not much else.

2. Consider getting married in the off-season – Flights, hotels and nearly everything you can imagine will be cheaper this way. Now, I am not telling you to get married on a beach in the middle of winter! If you can time your wedding just before, or just after the area’s peak season, then all of the associated discounts are yours for the taking.

3. Keep your guest list small – Having a destination wedding gives you the perfect excuse to pare down your guest list. After all, not everyone is going to be able to take off work and travel to your wedding – no matter how much they might want to. By keeping your guest list to the bare minimum (i.e. the wedding party, close family, and best friends) you will have the people there that really matter to you and your future spouse, and you will get to spend a lot more time with them before and after the ceremony.

4. Always ask for a group discount – Both hotels and airlines offer excellent group discount rates when you have parties of ten or more. The best way to maximize your money is to combine group rates with early bookings and off-season specials. If you can manage to do all of those things, then you could save as much as 40% off of your total travel costs.

5. Consider getting married at a resort, or on a cruise – Destination resorts and even some cruise ships often keep a wedding planner on staff. The planner they provide to you will already be familiar with the local caterers, bakeries and florists, and they can usually help you save money on every aspect of your dream wedding.

6. Buy a “package deal” – Destination resorts also usually offer pre-planned wedding packages where all you have to do is make a few decisions, and then show up for the big day. The wedding packages range from simple and elegant, to the truly extravagant. If you take some time to research online, and call around, then you should not have any trouble finding a package that fits your needs, and your budget.

7. Give simple favors to your guests – Suntan lotion, local chocolates and specialties, or even a group scuba trip are all nice ways to treat your guests to the local culture and encourage them to have fun – without spending a ton of money.

Don’t be fooled:
Paying for your wedding guest’s food and lodging might seem outrageously expensive, but if you put it in perspective, it’s really not. Consider this:

If you stayed at home, rented a church, and had a large traditional wedding with a sit down reception you could end up paying upwards of $50 - $100 per guest. Getting married locally would encourage everyone you knew to attend, so that $50 to $100 per person could easily turn into $5,000 - $10,000 dollars if you have close to 100 guests.

A destination wedding on the other hand, requires only that you pay for the hotel rooms and several of your guest’s meals. Some resorts will even offer you a free wedding package in exchange for booking your group into their hotel!

If you took ten people to your destination wedding, and paid an average of $500 each, you would still only be out $5,000 on your guests. And you would have a more intimate, romantic setting for everyone involved.

Where ever you choose to have your destination wedding please be sure that you give yourself and your guests enough time to get passports, book flights and take off of work. This will be one of the most special days of your entire life. Careful planning will not only make things run smoother, but will save you a lot of money in the end.

Happy Hour with Allure {Cute Save the Dates}

2008-09-05T08:42:00.000-07:00

I don't think I have ever seen cuter Save the Dates than these! My husband and I love to travel and ALWAYS use luggage tags so we make sure that the bag we are grabbing off of the belt is ours and not Joe Blows. What a great way to set off your Destination Wedding! These tags will get everyone excited for their trip and wedding. I love that you can keep reusing them too...what a perfect gift! Check them out on their website!

Honeymoon: St. Lucia

2008-09-03T11:24:00.000-07:00

Beth & Greg

We went to St. Lucia for our honeymoon. We stayed at the Sandals Grande and I would highly recommend that to other couples. We have great weather, great service, great food and a great time relaxing in the sun! Tyler and Seth (2 of Greg's groomsmen) got us a canopy tour for our wedding present. I was a little scared and was secretly wishing they just got us a couple's massage, but I was grateful for the gift when we were ziplining through the rain forest :)

When we were on our honeymoon, we saw a couple getting married on the beach - just the 2 of them. They had dinner (or their reception if you want to get technical) in a hut that was directly in front of the hot tub we were sitting in, so we literally had a front row seat to their wedding. A gentleman from the resort was taking pictures, but all of them were posed and he didn't take as many as I thought he should have!! I desperately wanted to take them to the beach for a photo shoot by the water, but Greg said I shouldn't bother them while they were trying to get MARRIED! When they were finished with dinner, I just couldn't help myself and I hopped out of the hot tub before Greg could catch me. Turns out they were very excited to have more pictures from their wedding day and I had a great time "playing Tracy" for 20 minutes. The POINT of my story is that I am so glad you are doing destination weddings...there are lots of brides getting married on beaches that need a professional photographer like YOU to document their day :)

Happy Hour with Allure {Book an agent}

2008-09-03T10:41:00.000-07:00

One of the most important things in planning a Destination Wedding is to book a travel agent. If you are not very familiar with your location (and most likely you are not) booking an agent can save you both time and headaches. While American-based travel agencies are great for weddings that take place on American soil, they are typically not what I go with when planning a wedding in another country. If you are wanting to plan a wedding in London, a London-based agent will know much more about the hotels, travel arrangements, construction that is going on, etc. Most agents only are able to travel to places one (if that) time a year and they just can't know everything that you would need to know about the area.

While a wedding planner is a necessity for your wedding, they are not travel agents. Yes, we can assist you with booking venues, etc. but to give you the inside scoop on the location and all of it's secrets, that is a travel agent's job. Travel agents can also give your guests the peace of mind that you want them to have. If Aunt Ida hasn't ever left the country, questions will be racing her mind like, "How do I know if the hotel is nice?", "Will I be safe?", "What is closest store in case of my hose run?" and so on. A good travel agent should know all the answers to these questions, putting Aunt Ida to ease, therefore putting you to ease knowing that your guests are not worried.

To find a good travel agent research those that are in the area that you are going to have your Destination Wedding. Find three agents and contact all of them by phone, email and web form (if they have one on their website) to see how timely they are in getting back to you. This will be the first indication of a good travel agent. Don't be afraid to ask a million questions either. That is what they are there for. It is better to ask them now than end up having a situation that could have been avoided with one little question.

Link from Stephanie Wheeler: Destination Bride

2008-08-27T08:14:00.001-07:00

Secrets of a successful destination wedding
Take advantages of resources to make your wedding a spectacular event

Happy Hour with Allure {Color Board}

2008-08-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

I just love the Tiffany Blue color that is popping up everywhere. It is so light and fun and definitely goes well with a beach wedding! The inspiration for this board came from the middle picture of the bride and groom running through the water.

Thanks to the following for the pictures: www.weddingthemes.net/, www.budgetdreamweddings.com, www.weddingpaperdivas.com, www.trippon.com, www.cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com, www.alohaislandweddings.com, www.weddingbycolor.com, www.brides.com

Happy Hour with Allure {Win a Honeymoon!}

2008-08-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

JW Marriott Las Vegas Sweepstakes!

Have you ever wanted to spend your honeymoon in one of the most fun cities in America???? Well here is your chance to win a fabulous honeymoon to Las Vegas!!! Wine and dine in some of the world-renowned restaurants, try your luck at the tables, get a romantic couples massage and go see a show! It is all there waiting for you...all you have to do is sign up through Destination Weddings Magazine's website.

The prize package includes:

4 nights accommodations in a suite
50-minute Couples Massage at Aquae Sulis Spa
Champagne & Strawberries upon arrival
Breakfast Buffet in Ceres Restaurant each morning
One dinner for 2 in Ceres (Value $150)

GOOD LUCK!

Happy Hour with Allure {Hot Spots to Tie the Knot!}

2008-08-18T10:38:00.000-07:00

www.afterelton.com

I found this article on MSN.com about Hot Spots to Tie the Knot and it caught my attention. Yes, everyone has heard about the grand weddings that Walt Disney World has to offer brides, but what about these other places...have any of you ever thought about doing something like the following? If so then let us know..we would love to hear your ideas!

-The Culinary Institute of America (St. Helena, CA)

-Colonial Williamsburg (Williamsburg, VA)

-Bridal Cave (Camdenton, MO)

-Underground Seattle (Seattle, WA)

-Disney's Fairytale Weddings (Disneyland, Anaheim, CA)

-Burning Man (Black Rock City, NV)

-Hot Air Balloon Wedding over the Rockies (Colorado)

Happy Hour with Allure {Win a Trip!}

2008-08-14T13:13:00.000-07:00

You could win a trip to FABULOUS Chattanooga!!! Just go to Tennessee's Website and enter to win. It is just that easy! Chattanooga really is a wonderful place. There is SO much to do there that you will definitely need to bring good walking shoes! It is right on the river so you have the beautiful view with the mountains surrounding the winding river, parks along the river, a walking bridge that is made just for walkers or bikers that hangs high over the water and lights up beautifully at night, plus much much much more! For a full listing of everything there is to do in Chattanooga, go to www.chattanoogafun.com. Good Luck!

Happy Hour with Allure {Wedding Customs Around the World}

2008-08-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

Photo by dioneanddinesh.com

I found this article on RealSimple.com and found it interesting. I always love to learn about other cultures especially when it comes to their wedding traditions! If you are doing a destination wedding to any of these places, through in some of the local culture to make your wedding special!

India: Hindu weddings include a ritual called saptapadi, a religious rite that traditionally involves the bride and groom taking seven steps around a ceremonial fire. The steps go hand in hand with seven vows, representing nourishment, strength and health, spirituality, happiness, progeny, longevity, and friendship and fidelity. Under Hindu law, the marriage is not legal until the saptapadi is complete.

Mexico: It's customary for the groom to give the bride 13 gold coins, trece monedas de oro, to represent his commitment, trust, and confidence in her. Her acceptance means that she receives his trust and confidence unconditionally, with total dedication and prudence. The coins are then blessed by the priest during the ceremony.

Italy: Food figures big in an Italian wedding — even before the reception begins. At the end of the ceremony, candy-coated almonds, called confetti, meant to represent the sweetness in life, are tied into small bags and tossed to the bride and groom. The bags are also presented to guests as wedding favors.

Sri Lanka: Buddhist weddings take place on beautifully carved wooden platforms called magul poru.

Morocco: Before the wedding, a Moroccan bride has her hands and feet painted with henna tattoos to represent good luck, protection, and the transition from unwed woman to wife.

China: A bride is virtually guaranteed a good hair day for the wedding, since a "good luck woman" (any woman who has a healthy son, husband, or daughter) prepares the bride's hair for the ceremony. The hair is combed four times.

Ireland: A bride sews an ornament in the shape of a horseshoe into her dress for good luck, or she may carry a horseshoe in her bouquet.

Brazil: It's customary for a bride to be fashionably late to her wedding. This helps ensure that the groom will not see her in her wedding dress before the ceremony begins.
Kenya: The day after the "real" wedding, Swahili brides are the focus of a ceremony called kupamba. It's a chance for the bride and other women to show off elaborate dresses and hairstyles.

Kenya: The day after the "real" wedding, Swahili brides are the focus of a ceremony called kupamba. It's a chance for the bride and other women to show off elaborate dresses and hairstyles.

Happy Hour with Allure {Chinese Inspiration Board}

2008-08-12T10:56:00.000-07:00

Since the focus has been on China, I thought I would create an board for all of you brides to inspired by :)

Chinese Proverb: Married couples tell each other a thousand things without speech.

Thanks to the following for pictures: www.juliefleming.com, www.standardmandarin.com, www.oneinchpunch.net, www.wildflowersbylori.com, www.brighton.virtualmuseum.info, www.icatchingcards.com, www.kaboodle.com, www.shopreorient.com, www.cherryblossomgardens.com, www.theknot.com

Happy Hour with Allure {Destination Spotlight: China}

2008-08-08T07:58:00.000-07:00

http://www.beijingvisitor.blogspot.com/

With the Olympic games beginning this evening, I thought it was no better time than now to spotlight China as a Destination Wedding location. If you have ever been to China you know that it is not your typical vacation spot...so do not go expecting to lounge around on the beach and do nothing. China is romantic, but in a completely different way than someplace like Paris. It has a vast amount of history and culture, and if you let yourself really experience the "true" heritage, it can be a vacation like no other.

With ancient temples, statues, and botanical gardens with exotic flowers, it is the perfect setting for a wedding. You can step back in time (over 5000 years) by visiting these sites, while still being surrounded by new and astounding skyscrapers that seem to go on forever.

The best times to travel to China are around the Chinese New Year (which is in Jan. - Feb. depending on the lunar calendar), May 1st, July - August, and in the Fall (but avoid October 1st, it is a holiday week for China).

近义词 - 近义词 - 近义词
Live - Laugh - Love

Happy Hour with Allure {Destination Spotlight: Greece}

2008-07-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

Normally when people think about a "destination wedding" they think about the Caribbean, Mexico or Hawaii...all places that are focused mainly around the beach and the ocean. Why not surprise everyone and get married somewhere that has so much more to offer, while still having the beach......GREECE! Greece is a magical place that has so much history, beauty and culture. No, your wedding does not have to match the wedding that was portrayed in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but it can still have the culture just by being surrounded by all things Greek. And just think....that antipasti spread will be evgefstos (delicious!)

To learn more about getting married in Greece, read about the laws Here.

Thanks to www.harmonicminor.com, wwp.greenwichmeantime.com, www.almiyachts.com for the beautiful pictures of Greece!

Ocho Rios, Jamaica

2008-07-29T07:23:00.000-07:00

Nina & Vlad: Honeymoon

We went to Ocho Rios, Jamaica for 10 days. We didn't leave for Jamaica until a week after our wedding because we didn't want to be rushing around trying to leave the Sunday after our wedding in Dayton. Plus, I knew I'd be packing at 3 am the night of my wedding! :)

We stayed at an all-inclusive Sandals resort that offers free renewal of vows ceremonies to guests if you stay a certain amount of time. During the wedding planning process of our ceremony and reception in Dayton, Vlad and I would jokingly say that maybe we should just run off and get married by the beach just the two of us, but we knew how important it was to both of us to have that one chance to have all of our family and friends in one place for a wedding in Dayton. So, when we booked our honeymoon and saw that they offered free vow renewals, we thought it would be a great opportunity to still have that quiet wedding by the beach just the two of us. So, that's just what we did. We made a reservation with the wedding departments, and then got to meet with a wedding planner (who was fantastic!) when we arrived at the resort to choose final details such as flowers (a bout and bouquet were included), ceremony and cake reception location (we chose a gazebo that looked out over the beach for the ceremony and a shaded terrace for our first dance, cake, and champagne toast), cake flavor (Caribbean fruit), and music. We just kept it super basic, and tried to choose things completely different than what we did at home. Our wedding in Dayton was pretty big, more formal, with a full Catholic Mass, and all about winter and ice blue, and so we chose warm, summer, beachy colors and super casual clothes. We both wore flip flops (I got us both "Just Married" flip flops as our fun honeymoon gift). He wore khakis and a button down shirt, and I wore a simple white dress from David's bridal because my Dayton wedding dress was ice blue.

The ceremony was short and simple and nondenominational, and it gave us a chance to recommit to each other in a much calmer, more intimate way than the whirlwind that is a wedding day. We also got to have a first dance and cake and champagne alone together in such a beautiful setting. Then, the best part was that afterwards, we could go to our room and change and go straight to the beach and enjoy some tropical drinks on the Caribbean Sea!

The rest of the honeymoon was great, as well. Great food/drinks, great service, great beach and pool. Mostly, we just did a lot of relaxing because your honeymoon really is one of the only times in your life where people just leave you alone to spend time together regardless of where you go. We had a couples spa treatment that included a body scrub and wrap, an essential oil bath, and a massage (the hubby is not a big "spa" person, but he enjoyed it). We also tried to get off the resort property and hiked up Dunn's River Falls and went on a canopy tour, which is a series of zip lines through the trees in the canopy of the rain forest (the absolute highlight of the trip). 10 days absolutely flew by! Our last night, we wanted to splurge a bit before we got back to "normal life" so we had a private candlelit dinner in a gazebo atop the waterfall at the main pool area of the resort complete with 4 course meal and white glove service. It was a fantastic way to end a great trip!

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Thank you Nina for this great post!

Happy Hour with Allure {Your Photos}

2008-07-25T12:24:00.000-07:00

Hey happy newlyweds, we want your photos! If you have any pictures that you love from your destination wedding (or a friend's DW) we would love for you to share them with us and our continuously growing readership. Pictures by Tracy, Michelle McKibben Photography, and I(Allure Event Consulting) would love to let you shine through our blog. Please make sure that you include any fun details and information that you think would be enjoyable for our readers. Also, if you do send a photo, make sure that you include credit and source information.

All you have to do is email us your information and we will take care of the rest! Email pictures and stories to: natasha@allureeventconsulting.com, email@picturesbytracy.com, or bmckinc@aol.com.

We look forward to seeing what kind of destination wedding you had!

RECEIVING THANK YOU TESTIMONIAL....

2008-07-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

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Chris and I had gone to Tracy for our engagement pictures and we were so thrilled with them that we wanted her to do our reception the weekend we got back from our destination wedding, but unfortunately she was already booked. We had decided to get married in Turks and Caicos and were planning on purchasing a package through the resort. After we did further research and weighed all of our options, we decided to bring Tracy with us. The resorts package only included 40 pictures and we did not know what the quality of the pictures would be. We knew what Tracy would do and we knew that we would love the pictures! Tracy was able capture our rehearsal dinner, getting ready the day of the wedding, pictures of the resort and then also a few pictures the next day! If we went with the package from the resort we would not have gotten any of those beautiful images. Tracy was also able to do a slideshow for us so that we could play it at the reception we had the following weekend. Everyone at the reception loved the slideshow, they said they felt like they were right there with us. It was amazing and we are so thankful we have found Tracy and we appreciate her flying down to Turks and Caicos with us! Thanks you so much!!!!!

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We did a whole table with our wedding and engagement pictures at our recption. People were talking about the pictures all night long. That is all everyone talked about! We really appreciate what you have done.

"Model In A Bottle"

2008-07-23T07:59:00.000-07:00

"Model In A Bottle" can be purchased through Brideface locally or on http://www.modelinabottle.com/ . It is AMAZING! Check out modelinabottle for tips on applying your makeup, tips, trends and more.

Great tip from : Stephanie Huber, DW Bride

Happy Hour with Allure {Beat the Heat!}

2008-07-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

Don't be caught taking your cloths off! Beat the Heat in other ways...

Picture from www.readthehook.com

A lot of destination weddings take place in a location that is known for it's warm weather. It sounds so perfect, a beautiful summer day with a glorious view and two people expressing their love through their vowels.....until one of the groomsmen passes out due to overheating. Yes, it has happened, and yes it will happen again. Just make sure that it doesn't happen to you! Remember that your bridesmaids and groomsmen aren't just decoration at your wedding, they are supposed to be your closest friends. Don't let them be miserable! Here are a few things that you can do to protect them and yourself from that oh-so-hot sun.

1. As hard as it will be for some....DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL BEFORE THE CEREMONY!!! I cannot express this enough...especially for those weddings that are outside, in a hot location, in the middle of the day. This is a perfect way to dehydrate your body. Drink LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of water. If you are wanting some flavor, drink Gatorade instead of soda.

2. Choose attire that your bridal party can be comfortable in. Even though you may be traditional and like the look of tuxes on your groomsmen, they are not a good idea for an outdoor destination wedding that takes place in a warm weather location. Choose something that will be light and airy and will give their body room to breathe. They will love you so much more if you let them wear linen pants and sandals rather than a full on tux.

3. Make the ceremony short. This will not only help your bridal party, but your guests as well. Everyone spends a lot of time getting ready for your wedding, they don't want to have to sweat through an hour long service and have to try to re-do their makeup before the reception.

4. Consider printing your wedding programs on hand-held fans. Your guests will use them...I guarantee it.

5. Create a shady location for those who can't bare the sun. You can do this with some fabric and bamboo poles. It doesn't have to be too big, just enough space for those who can't take the sun (ex. grandparents, small children, etc.)

6. Monogrammed handkerchiefs might just be about the best groomsmen gift that you can give your guys for a hot destination wedding. They can slip it into their pocket and during prayers or other times the crowd isn't looking, they can wipe off and look refreshed for pictures.

7. A gift for the girls....sweat proof makeup. Perfect for your girls to look flawless and sweat proof! A couple of suggestions are Stila Sheer Color and Clinique Moisture Sheer Tint.

8. For your guests, have a nicely stacked pile of chilled washcloths, rolled up and tied with ribbon. They can use it to cool their faces and neck. This will send a statement that you are trying to pamper your guests who have traveled so far for your wedding!

Hope this helps both you, your bridal party and your guests enjoy your wedding even more! They will appreciate your efforts and will be happy that they attended!

Happy Planning,

Happy Hour with Allure {Travel Easy-Minded!}

2008-07-16T11:25:00.000-07:00

Traveling to a destination to get married seems like a dream for most. However...when there are dreams, unfortunately there can be nightmares as well. While I am hoping that nothing ever goes wrong with any of your trips that you plan on taking, I do have to warn you. If you are traveling out of the United States I HIGHLY recommend that you and whoever is traveling with you get Traveler's Insurance.

My next door neighbor is a traveling nurse. He tells me of horror stories all the time where someone traveled out of the country, got sick, hurt, whatever it may be and had to pay a FORTUNE to come back home. It is what he does for a living...goes and gets people from other coutnries and is the in-flight nurse. He has been all over the world doing this. He knows what he is talking about.

In some cases you may not want just any old doctor working on you. You may need your doctor with your medical history or just the care that you know that you will get here in America verses another coutnry. If you purchase traveler's insurance before you go on your trip then you can be rest assured that whatever might happen while you are away, you will be taken care of...and not have to get slapped with a $250,000.00 bill! Trust me, it happens every day. People leave the country, have a medical emergency, have to get a flight with a medical staff to come back to America and then Wham! the bill comes.

Getting married in a foreign place is very exciting...just make sure that you are prepared and everything will turn out great!

You can find traveler's insurance at http://www.insuremytrip.com/, http://www.travelguard.com/, http://www.travelinsured.com/. Thanks to http://www.storesonlinepro.com/ for the plane picture...very pretty!

Happy Planning!

Is a Destination Wedding Right for You?

2008-07-16T05:55:00.000-07:00

While many couples dream of a wedding day far from the hassles of home and in virtually guaranteed glorious sunshine, it isn't the right option for everyone.

Couples who decide to get married abroad usually fall into one of these groups:

*Those who do not wish to go to the expense of having a big wedding
*Those who want to avoid all the fuss that inevitably comes with a big wedding at home
*People who the idea of combining their wedding with a honeymoon somewhere exotic
*Couples who like the idea of going away somewhere with just close friends and family and combining a holiday with their wedding
*Couples one or both of whom are marrying for the second time and do not want to have a big wedding at home the second time around

Read more about the pros & cons at Flyway Weddings

Happy Hour with Allure {Invitations}

2008-07-14T16:58:00.000-07:00

This is my first post on Destination Weddings and let me say....I AM EXCITED! Not only am I excited for myself, but I am also excited for the two WONDERFUL photographers who started the blog, and most importantly, I'm excited for YOU! This is a great time in your life and you are doing what most couples would love to do....getting married in some place fabulous!

For my first post, I wanted to get the ball rolling with invitation ideas. Most invitations are now getting more personalized than the traditional white or ivory with the tissue paper inside the envelope. Make your guests excited about your wedding by sending them an invitation that gives them an idea of what to expect. The pictures from above are from Invitation Consultants and you can find tons of other ideas on invitations and Save the Dates.

There will be tons more to come on the new Destination Wedding blog from me. Keep watching for great ideas from all of us!

Happy Planning!

Flattering Hairstyles for Your Wedding Day

2008-07-11T23:13:00.000-07:00

For your wedding day, you will not only want to look beautiful for your groom, you want to feel confident. This will mean finding just the right hairstyle to complement your wedding theme, your personality and your dress. There are so many hairstyles to choose from, it may be hard to decide which will look best on you.

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For the bride that wants to reflect her unique style -- check out my sweet friend Dorene at Unveiled Bridal Designs. Dorene will not only create a beautiful veil for you, she also gives the very best customer service a bride could hope for.

The birdcage....

For those beach wedding brides, wearing your hair long and loose or with braids with flowers entwined is the perfect touch. Short and sassy will look just as beautiful framed by a headband of colorfully hued blooms.

.Love it!

I just love this....

Turks Caicos

2008-07-11T22:09:00.000-07:00

Destination Wedding Basics: 13 Must-read Tips

2008-07-11T08:43:00.000-07:00

Great tips from The Knot

Click Here

Welcome...

2008-07-11T07:53:00.000-07:00