Amazing Beach Destination Weddings - Are they even Worth Looking into Anymore? September 19, 2009
Posted by janey in : bahamas and caribbean , comments closedAmazing destination weddings are not for the average person but more for those that are extravagant and wealthy and are not really even considered by couples who live in the real world. Not true! In fact, destination weddings are becoming so popular, that wedding planners are scrambling to try to cash in on this very popular choice. But is a destination wedding even worth considering?
According to Donna Heiderstadt, travel editor of Modern Bride magazine, “It turns a wedding into a longer celebration, one that’s a little bit more intimate because you usually have fewer guests.” And over the past 10 years, destination weddings and beach wedding favors have increased over 400 percent according to the publisher of Modern Bride, Brides and Elegant Bride magazines. But why?
The trend for marriages, at least in the United States, is that the couples are older and more mature than their counterparts of two or three decades ago. They are overall, looking for a more relaxed and intimate wedding where they feel they can enjoy themselves more because they are not thinking about making everyone else happy. They are focused on themselves.
But, there are also negatives to having a destination wedding and they need to be considered by the couple and perhaps close friends and family. Because of the lodging and travel factors involved, a destination wedding may be unrealistic. The cost of transportation alone can be too substantial for most of your invited guests.
The average cost of this type of wedding including those unique wedding favors is usually around $25,000. Although this seems much less than you probably anticipated, remember, this does not include airfare, accommodations and paying for parents and close friends and family, if they would be unable to attend otherwise. Also, that price tag is usually for about half the amount of guests you would invite to a typical wedding.
Are there any positives at all? There are too many to list! Who wouldn’t want to get married on a breathtaking beach in Mexico, aboard a Caribbean cruise or on the secluded Isle of Malta? And don’t forget one of the greatest reasons to consider a destination wedding; much less tension amongst friends and family. They have no idea how to plan this or what you have to do, so if you want to avoid “the family wedding blues,” this type of wedding may be just what the doctor ordered.
So now at least you are considering a destination wedding. There are some important points you cannot forget.
You must secure the services of a wedding planner who resides where you have decided to get married. They will know the area far better than you do and will steer you toward the best vendors and resources for the amount of money you want to spend.
You must plan this at least one year ahead of time. Documenting phone calls, saving and printing pertinent emails and discussing in detail every aspect of your wedding with the coordinator and venue is a must when planning a destination wedding.
Remember that between one third and one half of the people you invite actually attend.
Account for extra money which might be needed to pay for close family who cannot afford to travel to your destination, but you want to have present.
Hopefully with all the above factors weighing in, you have made the decision to either consider a destination wedding or totally dispel the idea. With nearly 20% of all weddings being in a destination other than where they live, it is becoming an extremely popular alternative.
Don’t forget, if you decide to tie the knot in an exotic location, you should set up a website with all dates, suggestions for lodging, options for traveling there, directions and pictures of the location so they can make an informed decision, and make sure you don’t forget the wedding favors. Also, sending out a “save the date” announcements between 6 months and one year prior to your wedding date is essential when making the decision to have a destination wedding.
So is it worth considering a destination wedding? Absolutely! Hopefully, this will be the most special day of your life. Consider every option to ensure that what you’ve dreamed of comes to pass.
More Ways To See St. Thomas On Your Budget July 23, 2009
Posted by janey in : bahamas and caribbean , comments closedSt. Thomas, an island located in the Virgin Islands, is a popular vacation destination.
If you are interested in planning a vacation to St. Thomas, there are a number of important decisions that you will have to make. One of those decisions involves travel.
When it comes to travel, there are many individuals who only are concerned with how they will get to St. Thomas.
While it is important to know how you will get to the island, you will also need to know what you will do once you arrive there. Even if you are staying at a beach resort that offers a large number of onsite activities, services, and facilities, it is still likely that you will want to get out and see what St. Thomas has to offer.
Before you can do that, you will need to develop a travel plan.
As with many other popular vacation destinations, St. Thomas has a wide range of travel methods. Many of these travel options you can do yourself, but others may require the assistance of others. To determine which method of travel will be best for you while on vacation in St. Thomas, you are encouraged to fully examine each method of travel.
Once you have familiarized yourself the advantages and disadvantage of each, you can make an informed decision.
One of the most popular ways to get around the St. Thomas island is to drive yourself. Since you flew into the area, you will have to arrange a car rental. Car rentals are available all around St. Thomas. When renting a vehicle, you may have to obtain a new auto insurance policy.
This auto insurance policy is only temporarily, but it is needed in St. Thomas. You will find that most United States insurance companies do not cover driving in foreign counties.
The biggest advantage of driving yourself around is that you will have complete freedom with where you can go. Driving is also nice in St. Thomas because of the size of the island.
During your vacation stay, you can easily drive the whole length of the island. You may find this exciting because it may enable you to get a chance to view the whole island.
While driving in St. Thomas is popular, there are many individuals who are uncomfortable driving or they are unable to altogether.
An alternative to driving yourself is taking a bus. Buses departure and arrive at popular vacation destinations in St. Thomas on a daily basis. In addition to transporting vacationers from the airport to their destination, bus route can often take you right into the most popular shopping centers.
For the most part, bus travel is the most cost effective way to travel in St. Thomas.
In addition to taking a bus, it is also possible to travel around the island in a cab. Taxi cabs are a great way to see St. Thomas; however, they can be a costly way to travel. Apparently, in St. Thomas a number of taxi cab drivers do not monitor the distance that they travel.
Unlike taxi cabs in the Untied States, meters are not used. This means that you will need to be careful when taking a cab. It may be best to request the cost of travel before you even step inside the vehicle.
The above mentioned methods of travel are the most popular in St. Thomas; however, they are not the only ways that you can get around. When making travel arrangements, many vacationers do not even consider traveling around St. Thomas by foot or bicycle.
If you are in a popular area of St. Thomas you may find everything you need located close to your hotel or resort.
If this is the case, you may want to consider walking to your destination or renting a bicycle. You can easily rent a bicycle for the day or for your whole stay. Get more on last minute cruise deals that is also helpful.
Whether chose to travel around St. Thomas by foot, bike, bus, taxi cab, or car rental, you are sure to get where you need to go. Each method of travel is effective. The best method for you will all depend on where you want to go and how much you want to pay to travel.