Beach Wedding

[chantal990]

Hi,

Has anyone had a beach wedding and how did it go? I really want to get married on a beach on a tropical island and I am desperate for ideas.

Thanks

 

[qtiekiki]

I had a classmate who got married in Hawaii and she loved it. She loved it so much that she was suggesting it to everyone. She said it was very intimate with just close family and friends. She had orchids for her bouquets and decorations, and it was cheap.

 

[chantal990]

Do you know if she did it herself or just got a package? I am thinking of Fiji but I don''t want to attempt to plan a wedding overseas and end up really disapointed with the choice. The other choice is the whitsunday Islands at the Great Barrrier Reef which is where we got engaged but weddings there can get REALLY pricey.

 

[Mara]

try visiting the message boards on theknot.com . they have destination weddings sections and also articles on destination weddings. you can also talk to people in the board sections you want to visit (aka hawaii), or the destination area. lastly, they sometimes showcase destinations or beach weddings in their ''couple of the week'' thing or whatever...when you go onto their homepage and they showcase a couple and what they did. you may get some information and ideas from there but i will say that the best information i got in planning our Hawaii wedding (on Kauai on a plantation overlooking the ocean) was from theknot.com''s Hawaii message board section, i found our vendors on there and alot of great advice and comments.

good luck!

 

[Dodger Gurl]

I was recently a bridesmaid at a beach wedding (local, not destination) and it was just GORGEOUS!

I don''t think you will regret it. Just make sure to plan it during a month when the weather is the least craziest and also on the warmer side since it is always cooler on the beach than inland.

Also, if you are going to do a unity candle thing use torches instead so that the wind doesn''t blow them out.

 

[zoobiedo]

I was married in a gazebo next to the beach on the island of St. Lucia. Would I do it again? Absolutely and without hesitation. It was the best wedding ever (and it was my second marriage). I had a beautiful, traditional wedding in New England the first time at an elegant country inn - it was fabulous as well BUT it could not compare to my island wedding. If you have specific questions, I will try to answer them for you.

 

[qtiekiki]

Date: 12/10/2004 1:14

0 AM
Author: Emeraldgirl
Do you know if she did it herself or just got a package? I am thinking of Fiji but I don''t want to attempt to plan a wedding overseas and end up really disapointed with the choice. The other choice is the whitsunday Islands at the Great Barrrier Reef which is where we got engaged but weddings there can get REALLY pricey.

As I recall, she planned it herself through the internet and lots of phone calls, and then she went there a week before the wedding to make sure everything will be ready.

 

[chantal990]

Thanks everyone for the great advice

I am so not a bridey organised sort of person so I just want to get it the whole planning part out of the way and move on the fun stuff (dress shopping, flower shopping, ring shopping - gee I''m starting to see a pattern here

)

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

My sister got married in Cancun at a resort, I was bridesmate, and it was tres fab. From what I recall, most of the planning was done via email with the hotel''s catering department--they have this happen all the time so they helped with flowers, music, JOP, itinerary.

cheers--Sharon

 

[chantal990]

That''s what I am after but we have to pick our beach first the choices so far are between Mexico, Hawaii, Maldives, Fiji, Hayman Island or Broome in Western Australia. A sort of package deals sounds like a nice easy way of doing it especially if we have the wedding somewhere with language/cultural differences

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 12/13/2004 7:15:59 PM
Author: Emeraldgirl
That''s what I am after but we have to pick our beach first the choices so far are between Mexico, Hawaii, Maldives, Fiji, Hayman Island or Broome in Western Australia. A sort of package deals sounds like a nice easy way of doing it especially if we have the wedding somewhere with language/cultural differences

HI:

For sure. I know my sister was very happy to have some contact with some fairly efficient wedding planners at the resort in Cancun--they help with all the things you might otherwise overlook; for instance what is required on a premarital bloodwork profile, etc,. Good luck.

cheers--Sharon

 

[abradabra]

Yay for beach weddings! I''m going to one in Anguilla in two weeks and as a guest, this is such a great excuse to take a lavish vacation!

I think your idea of looking at packages/wedding planners/etc. is a great one. My friend who has been planning this wedding, although familiar with Anguilla, has had some difficulty with some of the more normal details (making it legal back in the states, flowers, photography, etc.) because she didn''t have someone over there to take care of things for her.

I''ll let you know if she has any advice after I get back from the wedding though...

 

[laney]

I''m having one!

We chose Key West Florida - for the US location - and cost of getting there (cheaper than HI from east coast).

We don''t have a wedding planner - as I have found it very easy to book vendors and see their work on line. We make a recent scouting trip as well - so I got to meet everyone in person.

We are getting married in a gazebo over the water at the Wyndham Reach hotel - and then having our reception in the sand, on the beach. We are also hosting a scuba/snorkel event the day before - and a big welcome dinner for everyone the night before.

Hopefully it will be a great fun weekend!

 

[NyssaLynne]

We had our beach wedding at Couples Resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. It was included in the cost of our room if we stayed at least 4 nights. The resort provided the minister, flowers, cake, champage, and paid the paperwork fees (now they charge around $150 for the paperwork due to govt. regulations). They also threw in 2 massages and 2 "just married" t-shirts. Video and photos were much less expensive than in the US and just as high quality. It was not much trouble to plan as they take care of most everything for you. Up until you arrive you can correspond by email with the wedding department. You meet with the coordinator and photo/video people a few days before the ceremony to pick out flowers, location, etc.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone. I have no regrets and treasure my beautiful, tropical wedding memories. Feel free to contact me for more info about our wedding.

More wedding pictures: www.MyTravelViews.com/wedding
Password: NyssaLynne

 

[chantal990]

Wow that looks fantastic. I have my heart set on Hawaii at the moment and I think I have managed to convince my dear FI as we can tour the US for a honeymoon. Originally he wanted to do it up on Hayman Island in the Whitsundays on the Great Barrier Reef which I liked but we would of either had charter a ferry service for guests or pay for the night before''s accomodation which would of cost a fortune so less guests and a more exoctic location(for us at least cause it will be his first overseas trip)

 

[NyssaLynne]

My in-laws are going to Hawaii for a week at the beginning of February. It will be their first trip there, for their 40th wedding anniversary. If it wasn''t so expensive I might consider going myself sometime. For what we would end up paying for a week in Hawaii, we could spend 2 weeks in Mexico or Jamaica. I guess Hawaii isn''t such a big deal to me because I live in the US and it is just another state.

Whatever you decide, have a wonderful time!

 

[eks6426]

Laney,

My best friend got married in Key West at the Wyndham Reach in May 2003 on the gazebo overlooking the water. The wedding was beautiful and the staff went out of the way to make things easier for her. The hotel wedding coordinator even stayed up almost all night ironing new chair covers because the ones my friend rented did not arrive in time. (Her reception was on the 2nd level of Shulas overlooking the water & gazebo). The pictures on the gazebo were just awesome. She had one taken of her and her husband from the back overlooking the water...like they were looking to the horizon of their future together. It''s just breathtaking as was the whole event. Have fun!

 

[PaulaW]

I got married in Key West this past October and I wouldn''t have done it any other way! Our guests are still talking about it and I''m pretty sure everyone had a great time! I say go for it! We would have done an island somewhere by my husband did not want people to have to worry about passports or anything like that so we went with FL. Good luck!