Space is limited and it’s been filling up fast! But Il Fornello in Richmond Hill (where we’ll be holding it) is a big restaurant and we still have a few more spots available for you and your groom-to-be. If you haven’t registered yet, contact us for your formal invitation and registration form.

It’s been a month sent we announced the event on our blog, “Toronto Destination Wedding & 4th Annual Bride’s Bash,” and so if you missed it, please read it before you continue with this post. It’ll give you the complete low-down on what you can expect and who will be there.

However, that list is now dated because even more participants have signed up since that first announcement! Here is an up-dated list of attending industry reps:

Tour operators

• Air Canada Vacations
• Thomas Cook/Sunquest Vacations
• Transat Holidays
• Nolitours
• Sunwing
• Signature Vacations

Tourist boards

• Jamaica
• Bahamas
• Antigua
• St. Lucia

Hoteliers

• Iberostar Resorts
• Grand Palladium Resorts
• Occidental Resorts
• Sol Melia in Cuba
• Sirenis Hotels & Resorts
• Riu Resorts
• Anse Chastenet in St. Lucia
• Jade Mountain in St. Lucia
• Bay Gardens Resorts in St. Lucia
• Rendezvous Resorts in St. Lucia
• The BodyHoliday at LeSPORT in Saint Lucia
• Jolly Beach Resort & Spa in Antigua
• Coconut Bay in St. Lucia
• The Crane in Barbados
• Mango Bay in Barbados
• Karisma Resorts (featuring Azul Sensatori, El Dorado Royale and El Dorado Seaside Suites) in Mexico
• Majestic Colonial and Majestic Elegance in Punta Cana
• Couples Resorts
• Windjammer in Antigua
• East Winds Inn in St. Lucia
• Spice Island Beach Resort in Grenada

Don’t forget that you’ll also have a chance to chat it up with couples who have been in your shoes! We’ve invited a few of our couples who are currently planning their beach wedding and those who have already experienced a destination wedding. They have graciously offered to be available to answer your questions and provide testimonials.

Time is running out and we’d love to see you at this special event! Did we mention it’s free to attend, so is parking, and you’ll enjoy a lunch on us? All you have to do is cancel any plans you have for Saturday, May 29th, and contact us today for your registration form!

Related posts:

1. Toronto Destination Wedding Event & 4th Annual Bride’s Bash
2. Open Invite: Fall Destination Wedding Event in Toronto
3. Destination Wedding Event & 4th Annual Bride’s Bash: A Smashing Success!

For the past four years, we’ve been partying it up with our Beachside Brides and Grooms to celebrate their destination weddings. But we thought, “What about all the engaged couples who haven’t yet booked their trips and need extra access to learn more about their destination and hotel options?”

The solution: A `lunch and learn’ mini trade show!

Couples in the Toronto area who are considering a destination wedding are invited to this special complimentary event on Saturday, May 29th, 2010.

The trendy and spacious Il Fornello restaurant in Richmond Hill has been reserved and will be set up with a podium for presentations and round tables for information sessions.

From the news release:

“This year’s Bride’s Bash will be the best yet, combining it with our first annual destination wedding event,” says Megan McWhinnie-Crouse, Weddings By Oceans owner. “I’m excited to provide a beautiful and inviting atmosphere where potential beachside brides and grooms can meet face-to-face with representatives from companies who help make destination wedding dreams a reality.”

This day event will be divided up into morning and afternoon sessions where attendees will be treated to a buffet lunch, free parking and complete access to our most trusted partners and suppliers. Among the many participants, the attending couples will meet representatives from tour operators, tourist boards and various hotels from the Caribbean, Mexico and Hawaii.

What makes this event so special is that it’s in conjunction with our annual Bride’s Bash. This means attending couples will also include married couples who have already enjoyed a destination wedding as well as engaged couples who are just waiting for their Big Day to arrive. Who better to ask some of your most burning questions than with those who used to be in your shoes?!

Early confirmations of event participants include representatives from:

1. Tour operators, like Air Canada Vacations and Sunquest
2. Tourist boards from Jamaica, Bahamas, St. Lucia and Anguilla
3. Hoteliers from various countries:

• Majestic Colonial in Punta Cana
• Honua Kai Resort & Spa in Maui
• Occidental Resorts
• Sol Melia in Cuba
• Sirenis Hotels & Resorts
• Bay Gardens Resorts in St. Lucia
• Rendevouz in St. Lucia
• The BodyHoliday at LeSPORT in Saint Lucia
• Iberostar Resorts
• Grand Palladium Resorts
• Anse Chastenet in St. Lucia
• Jade Mountain in St. Lucia
• Coconut Bay in St. Lucia
• Couples Resorts in Jamaica
• Jolly Beach Resort & Spa in Antigua
• Blue Waters in Antigua

We hope you accept our invitation to the Weddings By Oceans’ 1st Annual Destination Wedding Event and 4th Annual Bride’s Bash. It’ll be a hoot! Not only will you meet great people and enjoy a tasty lunch, you’ll learn about destinations and hotels, and how all the companies work together to make successful destination weddings.

If you’re interested in joining us at Il Fornello restaurant in Richmond Hill on May 29th, 2010, contact us or email us at info@weddingsbyoceans.com with the subject heading, `Count me in!’ to request your official invitation.

Related posts:

1. Have You Registered for the Toronto Destination Wedding Event & Bride’s Bash Yet?
2. Destination Wedding Event & 4th Annual Bride’s Bash: A Smashing Success!
3. Save-the-Date for our Annual Destination Wedding Event!

We are pleased to announce an exciting contest for all future Beachside Brides and Grooms who book their group of 10 or more with Weddings By Oceans.

The lucky couple whose names are drawn will win a destination wedding photography package including the services of a professional Azure Blue primary photographer and their assistant for 5 to 7 days.

The contest prize includes:

• 1 full day wedding photo coverage
• 1 day creative shoot (such as Trash the Dress)
• Online gallery of all images
• High-resolution images on DVD

Azure Blue is an award-winning wedding and event photography company based out of Toronto, Canada. In addition to serving the GTA area, they have also covered weddings in India, Italy, Bahamas, St.Lucia, and many other locations throughout the world.

Contest Details

Contest officially opens 12:01 am on April 15th, 2010.

Eligibility: When you book your group of 10 or more adults by July 1st (travelling from November 1, 2010 and returning by April 30, 2011) with Weddings By Oceans, you are automatically entered into the contest.

Increase your odds of winning!

There are 3 ways you can actively participate in the contest:

1. Invite your friends to join the Weddings By Oceans Facebook fan page. Write the list of the Facebook friends who you invited in a single email with the subject heading “My FB friends” and send to info@weddingsbyoceans.com. Your name will be entered into the draw for every friend of yours who becomes our fan.
2. Join the NEW Weddings By Oceans Forum! Your name will be added to the contest draw for every post you add that gets a response from another member.
3. Come to our Annual Brides Bash on Saturday, May 29, 2010, and you will automatically be rewarded with 5 extra chances to win the photography shoot! Email us with a request for an invitation to the Brides Bash with all the exciting details (info@weddingsbyoceans.com).

Entries will be accepted until the contest deadline at midnight of June 30th, 2010. The winning couple will be contacted and announced on July 15, 2010.

Please note:

• Travel expenses to the location of the photo shoot must be paid for by the couple. When booking a group, the complimentary passenger concession may go towards this cost if applicable.
• Weddings By Oceans and Azure Blue Photography are not responsible for any fees imposed by destination resorts or location for use of outside photographers.

We hope you have fun with all the different ways you can win the Weddings By Oceans’ professional photography contest. Good luck to all our Beachside Bride & Groom couples!

Related posts:

1. Win 2 Free Tickets to the National Bridal Show
2. Win a Free Honeymoon! Enter the Bring Us to the Beach Contest
3. Why Do Brides “Trash” the Dress?

Planning a wedding, whether it’s at home or in a tropical country, can turn any mild-mannered bride into Bridezilla! If you could use a destination wedding checklist and a men’s packing list, then this post is for you.

Knowing exactly what you need to know about planning a destination wedding will help you properly prepare so you can actually relax and enjoy the process!

Based on our experience and our Beachside Brides, we’ve put together a complete “To Do List” which includes a time line so you know what you have to do and when you must complete it:

How’s that for a comprehensive checklist for your destination wedding?

There are many men who are incredibly organized, thoughtful and just know what to pack for any trip. Then there are the other men who need a little assistance.

Since my husband often accompanies me while I travel for business, he’s got packing down to a tee and has kindly contributed his list for us to share with you here. If you have a husband or male guests who may benefit from this list, send them here!

Did we miss anything on these lists? Please let us know in the comments below!

Related posts:

1. Calendar Countdown to Your Destination Wedding Day
2. Bride & Groom’s Packing List for a Destination Wedding
3. General Destination Wedding Planning Process

For destination weddings, we highly recommend Beachside Brides and Grooms send their guests `save the date’ cards. These cards are sent out before the formal invitations with the singular intention of requesting them to set aside your special date in their calendar.

You want them to join you in paradise to witness your vows, right? And you want to enjoy planning your wedding, right?

`Save the date’ cards allow you to take the first steps in planning your destination wedding: finalizing the date and destination.

Your guests will appreciate the heads up (8-10 months before the wedding date) so that they have time to prepare, budget for the expense and make all the necessary arrangements.

**As destination wedding specialists, we take care of all travel and accommodation arrangements for couples and their guests. This aspect of our complimentary service makes it easier for guests to accept the commitment to attend your destination wedding.**

Sending out `save the date’ cards also buys you time to iron out the details of your destination wedding. With so many options, why make rash decisions when you don’t have to?

What do `save the date’ cards look like?

As you can see from the above image, kindly donated to us by Chad and Amy (thank you!), some Beachside couples have fun with the destination wedding theme and go with it!

In any case, there are `save the date’ cards available in several formats, the most popular styles are postcards and magnets. There are many websites out there to help you out. For instance, AyleeBits.com shares instructions and a `boarding pass’ template that you can use on for either your invitation and/or `save the date’ cards.

Many brides like to be consistent and use the same design throughout the process. (Read our wedding invitation post to see Chad and Amy’s matching invitation!)

But `save the date’ cards do not have to match your formal wedding stationary. However, it is the perfect opportunity to introduce your wedding theme or style. Guests may use the cards to help them make certain decisions, such as wardrobe and gifts.

What to include on a `save the date’ card

Since its purpose is an advanced notice of the wedding, we suggest keeping it simple:

• The wedding date.
• Destination.
• Destination wedding specialists’ contact information.
• Notice that a formal invitation will be sent at a later date.
• Your wedding website.

We hope this post was helpful. Do you have any `save the date’ tips to add? Stay tuned for an upcoming post about wedding websites!

Related posts:

1. Destination Wedding Invitation Checklist (& samples you can use!)
2. General Destination Wedding Planning Process
3. Book with Weddings By Oceans & Save Big!

This is your unique destination wedding and many beachside brides prefer to customize their wedding invitations.

(Our technical team is working on an editable template for you so stay tuned!)

Depending on how different you want to be, here is a general checklist when creating your destination wedding invitations:

1. Wording. May closely resemble a local wedding invitation but we encourage you to have fun with the theme! Your destination wedding will be deliciously romantic so why not share that with your guests?
2. Address. List the full address. This includes the hotel name, city and country. See samples below
3. Contacts. It’s always a good idea to include toll free numbers for all contacts when possible. In case of an emergency or question, they may want to contact your destination wedding specialist and/or the hotel.
4. Wedding Venue. Whether it’s at the hotel, on the beach or offsite in a local chapel, make sure to share with your guests its name, address, phone number and website.

To be sent along with the invitation:

All other information they will need to know. Try your best to fit it all on one, separate page. We suggest:

• How to book (Weddings By Oceans via our website, email and phone number)
• Rates and important booking information
• Blocked group space (if needed)

Destination Wedding Invitation Samples

Thank you, Chad and Amy, for allowing us to share their boarding pass themed destination wedding invitation sample:

Front & back cover:

Inside cover & page 1:

Page 2 and signing page:

Page 4 & page 5 (disclaimer for those who cannot attend):

Page 6 & 7 (blank pages for guest notes while arranging plans):

Back cover:

Here are 4 wedding invitation samples. Please feel free to use the wording below in your invitation or to create your own:

Related posts:

1. `Save the Date’ Cards for Destination Weddings