Have you decided that you want a Caribbean destination wedding, as opposed to a wedding at home? If so, you will need to make many plans. To get started, please continue reading on for a few helpful destination wedding planning tips.
Research your options. Before deciding on a destination wedding in the Caribbean, it is important to research. Of course, find affordable airline reservations and overnight accommodations, but look beyond that. For example, some all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica give you a free standard wedding ceremony. In most cases, very few restrictions are involved, such as a 5 or 7 day stay.
Make wedding plans. As previously stated, some all-inclusive Jamaica resorts give you a free wedding. If you opt for these resorts, be sure to make your plans in advance and ensure you get a picture perfect wedding, even if it is free. If you opt for a separate wedding venue, make these plans well in advance and keep up-to-date on progress and changes.
Reexamine your decision. Make sure you are making the right choice. If you change your mind, you can still use your Caribbean reservations for your honeymoon. You may, however, run into problems with guests. For that reason, reaffirm your decision to get married in the Caribbean before telling friends and family.
Tell your family. As soon as you decide on a destination wedding, tell your family. Do you have a mother who is excited about your engagement and wants to help you plan? If so, she may get started right away. Don’t give her the opportunity to be disappointed. When telling your family, know ahead of time if you want to invite guests.
Decide on a date. When deciding on a wedding date, give time. Most of your guests will want to attend, but some may need to save money first. If you want someone special to attend, such as a best friend, give them word of your plans before the official invite arrives in the mail. Also, make sure you and all guests have time to order and receive passports.
Make your travel plans. Once you decide on a date, it is important to check availability. With a large selection of Caribbean resorts to choose from, you should not have a problem getting a reservation. With that said, if you opt for a resort with a free wedding included, double check availability before providing guests with a specific date.
Decide who to invite. When planning a Caribbean wedding, you will face a tough decision in terms of guests. Who do you want to invite? Most want to keep their destination weddings small. Also, consider finances, but fairness. Not sending an invite to one aunt, but the rest because you assume she cannot afford is tricky. Send the invite and let her decide.
Inform guests. You will want to tell immediate family members in person first, but everyone else can receive a destination wedding invitation. As previously stated, destination wedding invitations should be sent at least two months in advance.
Order invitations. For the invitations [...]
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Caribbean Destination Wedding Planning Tips
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Imaginative Planning Of A Caribbean Destination Wedding
Imaginative planning of a Caribbean destination wedding is the key to a fabulous wedding day that you will never forget. A destination wedding is frequently more difficult to plan than a home town wedding since you will normally be doing it from a distance, but with a bit of imagination and creativity then that can work to your advantage.
The fact you are not able to physically check up on the venues for the ceremony and the reception will give you more time to concentrate on what needs to be done from your end. If you take the option of employing a professional wedding planner to run things from the destination end, and you to deal with your end of the arrangements, then that is wedding planning at its best.
However, many brides prefer to do it all themselves, although a certain amount of local knowledge is generally needed. You could compromise and hire somebody to keep the legalities right and look after both the arrangements for the ceremony and reception venues, and also any tours or entertainment needed for your guests during the run-up to the big day itself
A Caribbean destination wedding is not too difficult to plan since most people understand the legal issues involved in getting married in most of the Caribbean countries. However, it is still wise to make sure of what is required before you can marry. There are many countries where you need a week or two of residence before you can be married, and it is always a good idea to make sure that no laws have been changed or amended since you last checked.
Imaginative planning, then, starts off by you deciding where in the Caribbean you want to be married, and then confirming the legal requirements of the country or island concerned. If you want a beach wedding you might or might not need permission, but now is the time to find out, not when you arrive there. You should then decide whether or not to employ a coordinator to help you.
The next step is whether you determine the number traveling with you before booking the reception venue, or take the conventional route and book the ceremony and reception venues first and then deciding on your invitation list. There is something to be said for each with a Caribbean destination wedding since you don’t want to book a large venue if only a few can travel to the Caribbean. A compromise could be a beach wedding that, in that part of the world, can be a truly fabulous experience. The beach can also accommodate as many or as few as you required.
If your family is wealthy then you will be able to invite whoever you want, but most young couples who want a Caribbean wedding cannot cover their guests traveling or accommodation costs. You will then only want to invite those that you know can attend, since otherwise you might be afraid of being seen as issuing invitations only to get wedding gifts.
You will [...]
A Beginner’s Guide to Caribbean Destination Weddings
Many a happy couple dream of tying the knot in a far-away Caribbean destination; hence the reason for the term “Caribbean destination wedding” in the first place. Just a decade or so ago, the practice of transporting an entire wedding to a location other than the local church was unheard of; but in today’s society of bigger and better, you can’t go wrong with such an exotic wedding day.
Planning any wedding can be a monumental task, let alone planning a wedding on a Caribbean island. However, with a little research and a lot of organizing, the bride and groom can choose from a multitude of locations where the sand will be warm under their feet and the ocean breeze will caress their first kiss as husband and wife.
One of the first things to know about Caribbean destination weddings is that there are multiple locations to choose from. The Caribbean consists of over a dozen islands surrounding the Caribbean Sea. Choices for wedding locations abound with these numbers. There is the island of Jamaica, which is a popular choice. There is also the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and The Cayman Islands.
With so many choices, what might you want to consider when planning a Caribbean destination wedding?
Work with professionals. Especially because your destination is far from home, working with a professional coordinator is an essential part of your wedding going off without a hitch. Many Caribbean destination weddings are planned through knowledgeable coordinators associated with major resorts. It takes only a bit of homework to find one you trust. Send invites early. Because of the travel involved, guests will need to take some time away from work, home and family responsibilities to attend your nuptials. In order to ensure you’ve given enough time for your guests to plan, sending out a save the date card is recommended. Typical invitations go out 4 to 6 weeks before the event; therefore, save the dates should go out well before then. Consider the climate. If you are planning a Caribbean destination wedding, it is wise to know the climate during the time of year, and time of day, you plan to wed. In some areas, the sun can beat down quite hot; you wouldn’t want to be stuck without some shade for you and your guests if you plan a daytime wedding. Decide what you will pay for. Oftentimes, guests of a Caribbean destination wedding will cover their own travel fares. However, it is a nice gesture on your part to make arrangements in terms of accommodations and flights to the extent of finding good packages. Work with a hotel in your Caribbean location to set aside special rates for your guests, and include that information in your invitations. Guests will appreciate it. Make sure you know the marriage laws of the island you will be married on. This is very important, as you don’t want to go through all that planning just to find out our marriage isn’t legal. Working through a coordinator, you [...]