THE EVERYTHING DESTINATION WEDDING BOOK
A complete guide to planning your wedding away from home
Shelly Hagen
Copyright 2007, F+W Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.
An Everything Series Book.
Everything and everything.com are registered trademarks of F+W Publications, Inc.
Published by Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company 57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A.
www.adamsmedia.com
ISBN 10: 1-59337-720-7
ISBN 13: 978-1-59337-720-5 (paperback)
ISBN 13: 978-1-60550-302-8 (EPUB)
Printed in the United States of America.
J I H G F E D C B A
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hagen, Shelly.
The everything destination wedding book / Shelly Hagen.
p. cm. (An everything series book)
Includes index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-59337-720-5 (paperback)
ISBN-10: 1-59337-720-7
ISBN 13: 978-1-60550-302-8 (EPUB)
1. Destination weddings Planning. 2. Weddings Planning. 3. Wedding etiquette. I. Title.
HQ745.H17 2007
395.22 dc22
2006028139
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.
From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.
This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases.
For information, please call 1-800-289-0963.
The series
Editorial
Publishing Director | Gary M. Krebs |
Director of Product Development | Paula Munier |
Associate Managing Editor | Laura M. Daly |
Associate Copy Chief | Brett Palana-Shanahan |
Acquisitions Editor | Kate Burgo |
Development Editor | Katie McDonough |
Associate Production Editor | Casey Ebert |
Production
Director of Manufacturing | Susan Beale |
Associate Director of Production | Michelle Roy Kelly |
Cover Design | Paul Beatrice Matt LeBlanc Erick DaCosta |
Design and Layout | Heather Barrett Brewster Brownville Colleen Cunningham Jennifer Oliveira |
Series Cover Artist | Barry Littmann |
Visit the entire Everything Series at www.everything.com
Destination Wedding Book
Dear Reader,
I love the recent trend toward destination weddings. Couples are now starting to focus on what's most important to them where their weddings are concerned, and the answers they're coming up with have nothing to do with a $3,000 wedding cake or the biggest stretch limo they can find. Their thoughts are centered on bringing people together to celebrate this special occasion for a week or more. And that's really what a wedding should be about: Reconnecting with loved ones; feeling at peace in the days before the wedding; focusing not on the size or grandeur of the church, but on the important elements of the ceremony itself.
If you're considering a destination wedding, I hope that this book will be a big help to you. You'll find that you can choose to go in many, many different directions, both literally and figuratively. Just remember: In the end, you need to plan the wedding that will make you and your groom happiest, not a wedding that fits someone else's idea of perfection. If you can meet that simple goal, your day will be perfect, no matter where you are!
Best Wishes,
For my sister Kathy, who taught me to love words.
Acknowledgments
I'd like to extend my thanks to Jacky Sach at Bookends Literary Agency for the help and advice she always has for me at a moment's notice.
Thank you to the Meissners from Brooklyn, New York, for letting me in on the particulars of putting together a beautiful destination wedding without the help of a planner
And last but not least, thanks to Kate Burgo at Adams for allowing me the opportunity to work on such a fun project
Top Ten Considerations When Choosing the Perfect Destination Wedding Spot
- The destination or resort itself. It is classy enough for a wedding? Is it somewhere you'd love to spend two weeks?
- Cost. Can you comfortably afford a wedding in this particular place?
- Accommodations. Will all of your guests be able to attend a reception in this place, or will you have to cut your guest list?
- Season. A wedding in Jamaica might be a better choice in January than in July (during the height of hurricane season)!
- Deals. Does your ideal spot also offer several free nights' lodging if you book a ceremony? Sounds like a done deal.
- Adventure. Is there enough going on around your preferred location to prevent you and your guests from becoming bored over the course of a week or two?
- Length of travel/vacation time. Elderly relatives are unlikely to travel halfway around the world for a wedding.
- Your nerves. Can you handle planning a wedding without being able to pop into the reception site once a week (just to make sure it's there, ready and waiting for you)?
- Surroundings. Is the resort located in an interesting area of the state or country you've chosen? Guests are more likely to come if they can plan a side trip or two.
- Assistance. If your ideal resort also has a wedding coordinator to take most of the planning work out of your handswhat are you waiting for?
Introduction
Abeautiful wedding without all the work. Sound perfect to you? Well, you aren't alone. Brides-to-be are flocking to destination wedding resorts for many reasons, not the least of which is that many of these resorts offer the services of an on-site wedding coordinator to make your life (and wedding) easier!
What's another reason brides are taking their wedding shows on the road? Cost. Some engaged couples are deciding that diving into significant debt to pay for a big wedding just isn't worth it in the long run. Depending on where you live, the final tally for the average in-town wedding (which is a term you'll see over and over again, referring to traditional weddings held in the bride's hometown) is somewhere between $20,000 and $30,000 for a one-day event! A bride can pack up her dress, plan a week in the sun with her family and her fianc, and end up shelling out
Next page