Month: May 2017

It’s fair to say most people go abroad for their honeymoon. But have you ever considered it for your wedding? Getting married in another country is becoming increasingly popular – and with good reason too. It can make the wedding more unique, enjoyable and memorable for everyone involved. But you need to get the destination right. Read on for our pick of the best wedding destinations abroad.

1. Caribbean

The Caribbean is one of the most popular wedding destinations in the world. It’s no wonder, with stretching white beaches, endless blue seas and all the palm trees a bride and groom could wish for. The likes of Barbados, Antigua and Jamaica are the perfect setting for an idyllic beach wedding, with the delightful temperatures to match. Famous as the home of rum and jerk chicken, the islands also offer some great options for the wedding breakfast and toasts.

2. Italy

Italy is in its own league when it comes to weddings abroad. The European gem is full of scenic destinations like the Amalfi coast, Venice and of course the beautiful Italian lakes. Italian cuisine speaks for itself, with some of the best wine in the world too. And in the Spring and Summer months, you can usually count on some great weather.

3. USA

As with most things, the States have their own unique offering for tying the knot. Weddings in Vegas, New York and Orlando swap quaint and subtle for bold and eye-catching. Sure, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. But if you want to go big on your ‘big day’, you should definitely venture across the pond.

4. Iceland

Not everybody wants sun, sea and sand on their wedding day. For those looking for a wedding abroad that’s a bit different, you can’t beat Iceland. The Nordic island has stunning views at every corner, with natural spas, fjords and – if you’re lucky – a glimpse of the unbelievable northern lights. It’s perfect for truly unique wedding photos, but make sure you don’t forget your coat.

5. Cyprus

Home to the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, Cyprus has it all. Beautiful scenery, gorgeous weather – the so-called ‘island of love’ even has plenty of great nightlife for stag and hen parties should you choose to take the pre-wedding festivities abroad too. Unlike some of the other wedding destinations, Cyprus also offers great value for money. Whether it’s a world heritage site or a simple hotel wedding, Cyprus weddings provide boundless beauty without the massive budget.

Where to go?

As well as being great for weddings, Cyprus is amongst the best destinations to visit this year. Located on the western coast, the city of Paphos has been chosen as European Capital of Culture for 2017. It’s just one of many great places though. Check out which other destinations made the list on our infographic Travelling in 2017: Top 10 Destinations in the World.

I am sure that you would agree with me that it is never too late to have fun. It doesn’t matter how old or young you are, fun is something that can keep you going and motivated to work the next day.

When was the last time you went to a wedding for example? I go to weddings all the time because many of my friends have been getting married lately, and I have to admit that weddings are probably my favourite way to spend a weekend. Most of the weddings I attend are packed with fun activities thanks to the very creative wedding planners who usually organise them.

Whenever you are about to plan a wedding, make sure that you pack it with fun funfair games such as Hoopla. You think that your guests are too old for this type of fun? Not really. You would be surprised how fit your auntie can be when she participates in a game like that, and you might not be able to recall her ever have fun like that. You need to get the right ideas to keep your guests entertained, or they will get bored and leave your wedding earlier than planned. I am talking here about games such as hoopla, coconut shy, high striker/ strongman game, and similar ones, in other words funfair games for hire. The list here goes on and on. Most of such funfair games have been around for over 150 years, and their popularity is on the rise despite the fact that some of them were invented some time ago.

If you have some memorable funfair games experiences, feel free to share them with me. I am always willing to listen to them as I always want to have some ideas up my sleeve in case I need to organise an event for somebody. Such events don’t have to be limited to weddings only, as many other occasions are great for such games. I am thinking here about fundraisers, various school events, family reunions, etc. Such events deserve to have a very fun element in them, and this is where funfair games come in with everything they have to offer to those who wish to take part in them.

If you are considering eloping in Las Vegas, this may be one of the best decisions of your life. Many wedding couples have made this choice and reported their happiness making this decision.

Everyone knows weddings can be one of the most stressful times to endure. One of the reasons they choose to elope is to reduce the stress of the occasion.

Just the process of packing your bags and preparing for the experience can be stressful.  Many people don’t want to add stress by having to accommodate and plan the experience for their wedding guests and relatives as well.

When you reserve this time to focus on your spouse it can be a refreshing and memorable stress free experience.

Most family members understand it when you decide to elope. That is the beauty of eloping.  Many couples don’t even tell people they are getting married. Let’s face it, some family members and even friends get offended when they are not invited and they feel left out of the process of planning your wedding.

However, if you have close family members you don’t want to leave out bring them along. It is still considered eloping if you bring a few people close friends or family along. If it really matters to you, do what you feel is best. It’s your experience, make it a great one.

After you make your choice to elope, there are still things you need to know about Vegas which will make your experience better. These tips should help you plan and know what is essential when planning your wedding in Vegas.

Selecting the date

The beauty of eloping is your ability to choose your wedding date on whatever date you find best suits you both. You don’t have to cater to family members and their schedules. Since Las Vegas is a 24 hour town it opens up opportunities in many ways.

Nonetheless, there are things you need to take into consideration when choosing your date.

Some holidays in Vegas are especially busy and not the best to choose.  If you do choose them, you will need to research what to expect.

Some of the extra busy holidays are Valentine’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, and New Year’s Eve to name a few.  Holidays bring more traffic and longer wait times at the Courthouse when you go to get your marriage license. For instance, on New Year’s Eve the Vegas Strip closes down for a period of time and costs for wedding facilities will increase.

Booking your hotel and wedding ceremony in the off season will help guarantee some of the lowest rates of the year.

Conventions may make it difficult:

Finding a place to stay during a convention will be more difficult. Hotel resorts often increase their pricing during large conventions.  It’s a matter of supply and demand.  Hotels have even been known to kick out people if other customers are willing to pay more, even if the reservation has already been made. Be careful and visit the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors authority to check ahead of time what conventions are in town before you book your wedding date.

Consider what you want

Think carefully about what you want.  What kind of experience do you want to have?   Do you want a simple wedding for your elopement? How simple do you want it to be?  What is your budget?  Your budget will determine what options are available. These are just a couple of the questions you need to ask yourself before deciding on a wedding venue.

Affordable elopement options you may not know about:

1. Choose mobile Vegas wedding vendors that offer affordable wedding packages
2. Getting married in Vegas with Las Vegas Wedding Photo Tours

Choose your Wedding Attire:

You can still wear elegant wedding attire when you elope. If you choose to get married simply you may still capture your memories and experience with a wedding photographer. This is an essential thing to decide.

Your choices:

1. Will you get all dressed up and choose to rent a dress and tux for your occasion?
2. Keep it simple and wear a dinner dress or semi-formal attire.
3. Go entirely casual with street clothes

Determine if you will still get all dressed up or if you will simply show up in whatever you are wearing that day. Many couples find something in the middle of formal and casual, after all, it is your wedding day.  But then again, the beauty of Vegas is you can do whatever you like for your wedding and no one will judge you.
Choosing mobile vendors keeps it simple: The beauty of eloping with a private vendor that is not a corporation with strict rules is going casual if you desire to. You may choose many mobile vendors or vendors that offer wedding packages.

• Mobile renting of tux and gowns
• Mobile Vegas wedding officiant
• Mobile Las Vegas wedding photographers
• Mobile Makeup and Hair vendors

These vendors can come to your room and marry you on your wedding day. They also offer you choices for enjoying wedding packages on the strip or in local parks, if you want to keep it simple and yet enjoy the excitement of the city.

Select your accommodations with this in mind

Finding accommodations during certain times of the year can be a challenge. For instance, New Year’s Eve is a very busy time of year and the price for hotels will rise.  If you are eloping during a holiday, you may want to consider staying off of the Las Vegas strip at one of the local hotel resorts.

The low season in Las Vegas are June to August primarily due to the heat of the season.  Even though it’s hot many tourists still come to Vegas in droves because they take vacation then.  There are many time shares, for instance, or rental homes that would offer you a great alternative to staying on the strip.  But if you do choose to elope you may want to consider choosing a resort that will accommodate both your ceremony and accommodations.  Serving both functions will save you money and offer you a private venue without the stress of traveling and feeling pressured by a chapel’s strict rotating assembly line of weddings.

Great Vegas Resorts for Elopement Ceremonies

The Four Seasons Hotel may be a great option for your wedding because it does not have gambling. It’s a luxurious choice and offers beautiful rooms and suites which can double as ceremony sites. If you want to be pampered in luxury this is a great choice.

Next door to the Four Seasons is Mandalay Bay Resort. This resort has excellent rooms and a great pool with a beach and wave machine.  The Mandalay Bay has a fountain area that is spectacular with waterfalls and lush scenery to take in.  It’s terrific for photo shoots.

The MGM Grand Signature Suites are terrific to have a private ceremony, even with a few guests.  The balconies offer a great view of the strips City Center.
The Venetian hotel is a romantic option offering a venue with the old world charm of Italy. Its venue boasts frescoed ceilings. Its rooms offer excellent options for weddings that may be held in the sunken living rooms. It also has the romantic Venetian canal and gondolas you may ride in after the ceremony.
City Center offers hotels like The Cosmopolitan and The Mandarin Oriental and Aria hotel, among the popular choices

The Cosmopolitan Hotel offers wrap around suites with balconies overlooking the Vegas Strips’ famous Bellagio Fountain. This make it a popular choice for a wedding elopement.

These are just a handful of popular resorts on the Vegas Strip but there are many more to choose from. You may hold the ceremony in these rooms and enjoy the privacy and pampering by having your hair and makeup done in the room before the wedding.

Whatever decisions you do make, have a peace of mind that you chose to get married your own way with low stress and memories of happiness to last a lifetime.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone wants their wedding to be a unique and amazing experience, but few people want to break their budget on a single day. While extravagant and outlandish weddings were popular for years, recently it has become more popular to save money on the wedding and hold a less outrageous and expensive party. This way, the newlyweds will have more money available to pay for either their honeymoon or for building their future together. However, you don’t need to sacrifice quality and excitement to stay on budget. Here are four tips for holding a once-in-a-lifetime wedding without spending a ton of money.

Look for Affordable Packages

If you’ve got your heart set on a destination wedding, it’s important that you do your research. You can organize an amazing and affordable wedding in an interesting location without going broke. For example, search online for destination wedding packages from an established provider like Florida Destination Weddings. In many cases, participants and guests in destination weddings can save money and still have a great time.

Shop Around for Dresses

While most brides go dress shopping without thinking about the price, a smart bride can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars by shopping around. If you’re looking for something specific, you can also hire a seamstress or tailor to modify a more affordable dress. Second-hand stores often have remarkable bargains on dresses, and you can shop with confidence, knowing that these dresses have only been worn once before. Tuxedos can be rented for a reasonable price, too, so you don’t have to buy them.

Look for Local Caterers

Instead of hiring a pricey chef or catering company, look into more affordable and practical options for feeding your guests. One of the most affordable choices is to ask about catering at your favorite restaurant. Many smaller restaurants and food providers will provide affordable options, especially if they are trying to branch out into catering services. Don’t be afraid to ask at your local restaurant, and make sure you also ask about bargain options.

Ask for Help from Friends

Sometimes the best way to save money on your wedding is by making it a family affair. Hire your talented cousin to do the wedding photography at a lower cost. Find a talented relative to help with your hair and makeup. You’ll appreciate the savings later.