A Destination Wedding Alternative

Formerly the exclusive domain of the “rich and famous”, destination weddings have become popular with today’s couples who want an unforgettable, unique wedding.  With proper planning, destination weddings could cost less than a traditional hometown wedding.  As an added benefit, you and your guests can turn this special event into a “mini-vacation”.  With the current trend of destination weddings, there are so many locations for you to consider.  Just pick up a bridal magazine or search for “destination weddings” and you will be bombarded with various choices.  From the tropical locations that are closer to or even within the United States to far away places in the other side of the world.  Your choice location will largely depend on how much you want to spend on your destination wedding - the Caribbean islands, Mexico, Hawaii or Fiji, Italy and Indonesia.  Before making your decision, consider the following tips:

1. Find out in well in advance the marriage legal requirements of your chosen wedding destination.  Some require waiting periods from one day to at least a month residency .  A good starting point would be to visit the tourism website of the island or country you are interested in.
2. When selecting a hotel or resort for your destination wedding, be sure to read and understand the fine print. Find out what is included in the price. Many of the inexpensive wedding packages are for a ceremony with only the bride and the groom plus witnesses in attendance.  The price does not include food, drink or any guests.  It also does not include air travel and lodging. If you are planning to have your family and friends join you, ask for how much will be the per-head additional cost.  Once you have this information, you can figure out if this is within your budget.
3. Since this is going to be wedding planning the long distance way, consider hiring a bridal consultant from the locale you chose.  Often  times the resort can provide names of local consultants.  The local consultant can make bring local colors, foods and festivities to your wedding. 
4. Allow enough time for your guests to plan for a destination wedding so they can plan months in advance. Encourage your invited guests to book together to get better price for the location. 

Whatever destination you choose, just be sure to do your homework and enjoy!