Your wedding day is just too important to let stress ruin the fun of planning it, the events leading up to it and the Big Day itself.

Drawing from our experience as destination wedding specialists and from our own personal experience being brides, here are a few tips to allow you to enjoy this momentous occasion:

1. Enjoy being engaged. Take time to relish your engagement – we suggest a month and an engagement party before starting to plan your destination wedding.
2. Make it meaningful. Always keep in mind the real reasons why you’re exchanging your vows.
3. Plan within a budget. Help keep it a stress-free event by budgeting for your destination wedding event. Nothing sucks the life out of a wedding than financial woes.
4. Delegate tasks. Ask for help from your wedding party in planning parties and the wedding itself. Also, during the Big Day, ask someone close who’s not in the wedding party to be a go-to person for guests with questions.
5. Control your emotions. Do you tend to hyperventilate during big events or maybe you’re emotional to the point of tears? Whenever you find yourself fighting strong emotions, try singing a silly ditty to take your mind off the negative thoughts or come up with a mantra, like: “This is the best day of my life – I’m marrying the man of my dreams!”
6. Keep it simple, silly. Somewhat in line with #3 in this list about managing money, do the same for your time. Only plan events when you’re sure you have the time, energy and assistance to pull it off without getting overwhelmed.
7. Calming reminders. No matter what happens with events leading up to and on the Big Day, you’ll be married! And the happy ending always trumps the speed bumps of life.
8. Who do you plan for? Sometimes Moms are well-meaning but over-step their boundaries when their children get married. While this is a debatable subject because it’s very personal, we suggest that you plan the ceremony for you and hubby, and incorporate the Mom suggestions you like the most. Also, your guests are an important part of your celebration and you’ll want to make it as fun for them as possible. Make them your priority when planning food and entertainment.
9. Hire a destination wedding specialist. Remember #6? Investing in a destination wedding specialist will greatly reduce your stress load. We help you mainly with the travel and accommodations for yourself, hubby and guests so you can all concentrate on having a good time. We also help keep you on-track with your planning and will liaison with the on-site coordinator on your behalf when needed! Read “Top 8 Ways a Destination Wedding Specialist Gives You Peace” for more information in how we can make your destination wedding planning easier.

Keep Bridezilla at bay when you use one or more of the above tips for planning your destination wedding!

Have we missed some essential wedding advice? Please share it below in the comment section for all the Beachside Brides-to-Be.

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One of the best features of a destination wedding is you get the romance and beauty of an exotic location while saving loads of money compared to a traditional wedding. The trade off to destination weddings tend to appear when a few of your beloved friends and family are unable to budget the resources for a week-long getaway.

As destination wedding specialists, we’re always looking for creative solutions so that our Beachside Couples can make their destination wedding work for everyone – like an at-home wedding reception at Toronto’s own Ward’s Island!

Have you been to Toronto’s little island paradise? Megan, our head destination wedding specialist here at Weddings By Oceans, recently enjoyed the city’s oasis at The Rectory Café twice in two months and thought it would be perfect for a beach-themed, at-home wedding reception.

The Café is a beautiful spot with a gorgeous, spacious patio and newly renovated inside bar/restaurant. Their menu features tasty, healthy cuisine, including island-y type meals like crab cakes and salmon dishes. With only a $6 ferry ride over to the island, your guests will have a chance to feel like they left the city without the expense or travel!

Here’s a video of The Rectory Café so you can get a better idea of what they offer:

Rectory Cafe — VIRTUAL TOUR from Stephen Webb Wedding Films on Vimeo.

Since the cost is low for destination weddings, hosting a separate event is a viable option for most couples. Guests who are unable to attend your destination wedding for whatever reason will appreciate the opportunity to celebrate this momentous occasion with you.

Do you have an upcoming destination wedding? Are you considering holding a separate, at-home event for guests who just can’t make it down south?

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Many travelers expect to find the best rates closer to the travel date. This is generally true because airlines and hotels offer discounts in order to fill empty seats and rooms so they don’t lose money.

However, it’s important to note that regular travelling typically involves booking for only 1 person, a couple or sometimes a small group, as in family or friends.

With a destination wedding, though, we’re dealing with a minimum of 10 people, more commonly groups of 30, and for some of the larger groups, we’ve helped over 100 people get to their destination wedding!

As with every life event, organizing a group of people together in one place at the same time gets more complicated with every invitation. And that’s not even counting events where travel and accommodation is necessary.

This is where a destination wedding specialist can really benefit you:

• We’re well-versed in group bookings and know how to get all your destination wedding guests to your destination and hotel at the same time – so they can make it to your wedding!
• Destination wedding specialists also know about the best deals (often before they’re even promoted) as well as crucial industry updates that might affect your wedding and/or your guests’ travel and accommodations.

Why You Might Want to Book your Wedding Group and Ceremony in Advance

Did you know that those who book early often receive early booking bonuses? And…

Some tour operators offer a one-time price adjustment up to 90 days prior to departure (upon request), so if you book in advance, you get the space blocked at a lower rate than current system pricing. By doing this you increase your chances of getting the wedding date and time you want.

While you could wait until the last minute to book your destination wedding, and you might (just might) save a couple of bucks (literally), you’d be taking several risks:

1. Not enough space on the aircraft that you require
2. Wedding date and time may be booked if you wait too long

For instance, Majestic Colonial in Punta Cana had only 8 dates left in October 2009 for the popular month of May (2010). That’s 6 months in advance! (It’s no wonder November is the new May.)

We’re seeing a rise in advance bookings because couples want the early booking bonuses, reduced group rate, confirmed wedding date and time, and would rather pay a little more to offset the potential risks of waiting.

Did we give you enough reasons to book early in this post? If so and you’re looking to book a 2011 destination wedding, now is the time to contact us – especially for the busy months of January, April and May!

Would you (and your guests) be willing to pay an extra $100-$200 on an all-inclusive package to ensure confirmed space for them and the date you want for the most important day of your life? We want to know your honest opinion so please feel free to leave a comment.

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If you’ve been hemming and hawing in making a decision to have a fall destination wedding, one of the most persuasive reasons why you might book now (at least before July 31st, 2010) is the wonderful wedding gift we’re currently offering new groups: a free wedding package at any Karisma property in the Mayan Riviera!

Before we get into the rest of the reasons why you might consider booking a fall destination wedding, we’d like to address the most common reason why brides and grooms don’t book a fall wedding…

Photo: courtesy of Michael Steingard

The fear of hurricanes and inclement (or nasty) weather.

No matter when you book, we can never guarantee the weather. No one can.

However, what we can tell you is that over the past few years we’ve booked many, many fall destination weddings and haven’t heard one complaint yet about poor weather from our Beachside Brides, Grooms and their guests!

We can also provide a weather comparison between Toronto and a few destination locales:

Also, please consider this comparison:

Choosing NOT to book a destination wedding or vacation in the tropics during the fall months based on the fear of experiencing horrid weather is like refusing to book a trip to Canada in January for fear of a snow storm!

Rest assured, if it does happen to rain on your wedding day, all the hotels have a `Plan B’ in which your entire wedding will be moved to an indoor area. And, you’ll also have the unique opportunity for some incredible photos, like the one in this post by Michael Steingard.

How’s that for looking on the bright side?

Now, getting back to more reasons for a fall destination wedding:

1. Prolong your summer. With the cooler fall months here in Canada, many brides and grooms wish to treat their guests with more sun and warmer weather. Who wants summer to end so soon?
2. Quieter resort. Many families choose to travel with their children during the spring and summer months. Come September, the kids are back at school and most parents would rather not pull them out for a vacation. If you haven’t any children on your guest list, consider taking advantage of a quieter resort but if you do have kids on your guest list, we recently wrote how Karisma’s Azul properties are perfect for family-friendly destination weddings.
3. Use remaining vacation time. For all those couples and guests who haven’t used up their yearly-allotted vacation time by the fall rolls around, a destination wedding is the ideal opportunity for a final getaway before the holiday season.
4. Great rates & deals. Since the fall months are considered “off-season”, many airlines and tour operators offer great financial rewards to book at this time. For instance see below for 2 outstanding offers!

Transat Holiday Fall Specials

1. Get 1 passenger for free when you book 10 people at selected hotels!
2. Get 50% off for September 1 – October 31st packages at all Grand Palladium Resorts!

If you’re considering a fall destination wedding or would like to hear more about these Transat Holiday Fall Specials, contact a Cyber Maid of Honour here at Weddings By Oceans today.

We’d like to hear about your fall destination wedding in the Caribbean. How did it go? Was it sunshine or rain? If it did happen to rain, how did your on-site wedding coordinator handle it and did you make the best of the experience?

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Most of us north of the equator have fairly sensitive skin since we haven’t had a chance to build up a tolerance for the sun. So if you’re travelling to a sunny beach for a vacation or a destination wedding, please don’t forget to wear sunscreen with a high SPF factor and ensure you apply frequently.

The tropical sun is strong!

A few weeks ago, while we were reviewing Punta Cana resorts (part of our commitment as destination wedding specialists), a friend travelling with us burned himself so severely one day while wearing SPF 30 that 2 days later he ended up with 2nd degree burns.

He was sent to Hospiten Bavaro, the Dominican Republic international hospital and had surgery to remove the damaged skin on his leg. They put him on antibiotics for the rest of his trip and is now possibly facing plastic surgery for skin grafting.

Poor guy, just one day after he proposed to his girlfriend of 18 years.

Thank goodness he had RBC Insurance, which we maintain is the most important travel tip ever and how you can save a destination wedding gone wrong.

We didn’t even see the bill. The RBC representative was reached without any trouble and the hotels’ clinic, ambulance trip, hospital stay, anesthetic, surgery and antibiotics were all covered. Even his fiancée’s overnight stay at the hospital was covered, as well as breakfast and lunch for both of them!

RECENT UPDATE (July 13, 2010): Good news! Darren doesn’t need skin grafting done. Whew. And what a trooper – he’s ready to travel again! Now all we have to do is either cover him head to toe in zinc or keep him indoors until after 3pm…

We added up the costs and if he hadn’t been covered, this unfortunate and unforeseeable incident would have cost him $8,000 US.

If you’re travelling to a gorgeous island or beach, be sure to wear plenty of sunscreen, apply generously and often, and don’t forget your health insurance!

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Planning a wedding at home is stressful enough; you’ve got loads of details to attend to while trying to juggle all your responsibilities and obligations, too.

Planning a wedding in a different country adds an entirely new dimension to the equation. This post explains what destination wedding specialists are, what we do and how we can help ease your load so you can actually enjoy planning the wedding as much as you will the Big Day.

We are Destination Wedding Specialists

We’re sometimes called destination wedding travel consultants or destination wedding group travel agents. We use our knowledge of destinations, weddings, resorts, air travel and group bookings to advise clients on the best choices for their beach wedding dreams, desires and budgets.

As Destination Wedding Specialists, we add value.

Think of us as you would accountants or real estate agents. You can file your own tax return, but those who choose to use an accountant do so because they recognize that specialized knowledge pays off. The same goes for a real estate agent. You can sell your house without an agent, but most don’t because the absence of that knowledge can result in major problems.

While our role is to match up clients with destination wedding travel products and services, it’s always your interests we represent. If anything goes wrong with your trip, we’re here for you.

Your time is precious.

You have choices today. You can research and book your destination wedding online. You might even save a couple of dollars. If you’re just booking a flight from point A to point B, a wedding package, car rental or a hotel room, go ahead and book it online. We won’t be offended.

You might find that it takes longer than you expected to find the `best price’ and if your flight is oversold or cancelled you’ll be on your own. There’s also the matter of obtaining group rates and the possibility of a hotel overbooking which may result in half of your guests being transferred to another hotel. But if you’re a gambler, the odds are pretty good you’ll be o.k.  

When it comes to your well-deserved destination wedding and your hard-earned guests’ vacation time, we will passionately defend the value of our services. That shiny brochure with the beautiful bride and groom on the tropical beach doesn’t always tell the whole story.

We might know that the on-site wedding coordinator works on `island time’, that the pool is under renovation, the rooms are tired and dated or that on the particular week of your destination wedding, the place will be packed with drunken college kids. That might matter to you and your guests. That might even be worth many times the complimentary services we offer to you as destination wedding specialists at Weddings By Oceans!

Benefit from our knowledge.

Our knowledge offers other benefits. We speak Spanish and French, for instance, which helps to greatly reduce chances of misunderstandings between you and the hotel wedding coordinator.

Consider us concierges who can arrange tickets to anything… That wonderful little restaurant tucked away in a side street. The seat on the plane with that extra legroom. These are the kinds of things we learn through our travels and studies. We’re thrilled to share them with you.

We are Destination Wedding Specialists.

This is how we make our living but we don’t get rich doing this. That’s not our motivation. We love to hear couples tell us how they had the perfect beach wedding. We love to travel, see new places, meet new people, enjoy new sensations and pass this experience on to our couples so that they can choose the perfect destination for their wedding.

More than anything, we love the feedback from clients in how our knowledge, care and attention helped them create lasting memories for the couple and their guests. That’s worth a lot to them. What’s it worth to you?

If you remain unconvinced that you’d benefit from the guidance of a destination wedding specialist, check out our list of complimentary services, reasons to choose Weddings By Oceans and some of our testimonials.

If you have decided you’d like your very own Cyber Maid of Honour, then what are you waiting for? Contact us today and let’s start planning your dream destination wedding!

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There are many fine details to attend to when planning a wedding. To help you and our Beachside Brides marrying this fall 2010 and beyond, the following is a comprehensive list of things you need to do and when you need to do them from now until then:

6 MONTHS TO 1 YEAR

1. Decide on the budget.
2. Choose your wedding style:
   • Small, boutique style resort
   • Large, mega- resort
   • Group or just the 2 of you
   • With/ without children
3. Research destinations and hotels.
   Tip: Narrow your choices to 2 or 3 in case your first selection in not available
4. Request information on the wedding packages at your selected hotels.
5. Contact the consulates of your chosen countries to obtain the marriage legal requirements and start collecting the documentation.
6. Select a wedding week.
   Tip: If you have 10 or more guests travelling you will get a group rate.
7. Finalize the destination and resort.
8. Contact Weddings By Oceans coordinator or the resort’s wedding planner directly to ensure your wedding date is available.
9. Confirm your destination and hotel of choice with Weddings By Oceans or your travel professional.
10. Send out invitations to your wedding guests that includes:
    • Destination and resort information
    • Documentation requirements
    • Restaurant dress code
    • Ceremony dress code
    • Price with deposit amounts and date of final payment
    • How to book
    • BETTER YET – Make a wedding website with all of the info on it! See our links for free websites.
11. Confirm photographer, you can bring them along or use the one provided by the hotel.
12. Select bridal attire:
    • Traditional, casual, or custom made
    • Island specific
13. Confirm hair and make-up stylists are available at the resort.

4 TO 6 MONTHS

1. Talk with the hotel wedding planner about legal requirements and submitting.
2. Decide on a la carte options from the wedding packages at your resort and confirm with your wedding planner.
3. Follow up with the invited guests who have not yet booked.
4. Select attire for bridesmaids.
5. Purchase wedding bands.

2- 4 MONTHS

1. Finalize the wedding attire for the groom and groomsman.
2. Purchase bridal accessories.
3. Choose wedding favours for your guests.
   Tip: Look for favours that will not add a lot of excess weight to your luggage such as charitable donations, canvas tote bags, personal luggage tags, or better yet – buy local gifts.
4. Look into event/tours for your wedding group while in the destination with the assistance of your travel professional at the hotel. For example, a catamaran tour or a special thank you dinner.
   Tip: Ask your travel professional for special group rates on local excursions.

1- 2 MONTHS

1. Final fitting for bridal attire.
2. Shop for holiday wear:
   • Swim suits
   • ‘Just Married’ flip flops, beach hats or t-shirts
3. Pre-book seats on the airplane so all your wedding guests can sit together.
4. Arrange for transportation to and from the airport.

2 WEEKS

1. Confirm all details with Weddings By Oceans or the hotel wedding planner directly.
2. Pick-up all wedding attire.
3. Assemble wedding favours and pack then.

UPON ARRIVAL

1. Meet with your Wedding coordinator to go over the marriage licence and documentation.
2. Make final cake, floral arrangements, music and location.
3. Give the photographer an itinerary of your wedding day detailing where the ceremony, photographs and dinner will be held.
4. Make salon appointments.

WEDDING DAY

1. Relax, focus on each other and most importantly have fun!
   Tip: Make sure to eat breakfast, with all the excitement it could be awhile before your next meal.

These are the most important wedding planning tasks you’ll need to complete in order to make your destination wedding dreams a reality.

Are there any tasks we missed that may be specific to your wedding wishes? Please share them in the comments below for the benefit of other Beachside Brides!

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Our mission at Weddings By Oceans is to help make it as easy as possible for you and your guests to plan, organize and prepare for your destination wedding. What better way to do this than provide you with packing lists so you don’t have to think about packing, you just have to pack!

So far on the Beachside Brides Blog, we’ve shared many useful lists for you and your guests, including packing lists for both men and ladies.

We’d be remiss if we forgot to include packing lists specifically for the bride and groom!

Here they are for your convenience:

Scanning these lists, have we missed anything? If you have anything to add, please share them in the comment section below!

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With over 30 years combined experience as destination wedding specialists, we can help ease your anxiety about your upcoming wedding. Here is a list of our most frequently asked questions:

1. How much in advance do I need to book the wedding?
   It is normally best to book at least 8-14 months in advance to insure you get the resort you want and there are enough seats on the plane.
2. What’s included in my all-inclusive travel package?
   Your package includes: food, drinks, accommodation and transfers.
3. When should I send the invitations to my guests?
   Send the wedding invitations (or at least the `save the date’ cards) once you have confirmed the wedding at the hotel and deposited the group space, or as soon as possible.
4. What happens when I get to my destination?
   A representative from the tour operator will be waiting at the airport to escort you to your transfer where you will be taken to the resort.
5. How many wedding guests do I need for my wedding?
   A minimum of 10 wedding guests are required to receive a group rate for a destination wedding.
6. What happens if I have guests coming from out of the province or country?
   We can make the necessary travel arrangements for all of your guests so they arrive at your wedding destination and on time.
7. What documents do I need to be legally married?
   This varies by destination. It is best to consult us for specific details.
8. Do I have options for where the wedding ceremony takes place?
   Options for your ceremony may include: a sunrise beach ceremony, gazebo ceremony, garden ceremony, banquet room and evening ceremonies. There may be more choices available to you depending on the hotel you choose – ask your destination wedding specialist!
9. Is there a special wedding dinner?
   Yes, but you need to reserve the menu and your preferred restaurant with the hotel prior to arriving at the destination. Options will vary by resort and private event fees may be applicable.
10. Will there be a hair stylist and make-up artist available?
    Yes, a hair stylist and make-up artist will be available and can be requested upon booking. Charges may apply and services vary by resort.
11. Do I get a deal if I stay for my honeymoon?
    Yes, most tour operators offer the bride and groom a special wedding & honeymoon package.
12. Do all my guests have to book with Weddings By Oceans?
    No, though we recommend that they do (even if it’s a guest who books “last minute”) in order for them to receive the group rates and travel with the group on the same plane.
    As a side note: guests who book outside of the group do not count towards your complementary concessions and may get “bumped” to another property in the event of hotel overbooking. Passengers who booked as part of a group are usually not affected in these cases.
13. What colour scheme and decorations are available for my wedding?
    The resort’s Wedding Coordinator will give you a list of colours to choose from for your wedding day. (Varies by each resort)
14. Does my destination wedding specialist accompany me to my wedding?
    On a personal level, we would love to attend your wedding! However, if we accepted every Beachside Brides’ wedding invitation we’d be flat broke! On a professional level, yes, you may request and retain the services of your Weddings By Oceans’ destination wedding specialist on location for a fee.
15. Why should I choose your wedding destination company?
    Weddings by Oceans is specifically devoted to and focused on destination weddings. Nothing else. Our wedding specialists have more combined years of experience than any other destination wedding company in Canada and have personally visited the destinations we recommend.

Have we answered all your questions? If not, please feel free to ask us your questions in the comment section below or even better, contact a Cyber Maid of Honour at Weddings By Oceans and speak to a destination wedding specialist.

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Your destination wedding and your guest’s vacation are investments. As with any investment, there’s always some level of risk involved. For instance, what if someone falls ill or misses their flight?

This is precisely the reason why we recommend protecting your destination wedding and your guest’s vacation with travel insurance.

Did you know…

Perhaps you are one of the many fortunate people who are insured through their company benefits, but are you aware that most policies have limitations?

Before you say no to additional trip cancellation and out of country medical insurance, double check your policy and answer these questions:

1. If we have to extend our trip due to illness, will our hotel and meal expenses be reimbursed?
2. If our luggage was delayed, could we manage at our destination for more than half a day?
3. If either one of us becomes ill or injured while travelling, will my government or company health insurance cover my medical expenses, including these:
   • Ambulance
   • X-rays
   • Wheelchairs & crutches
   • Prescription drugs
4. In an emergency, do I have to pay up front for my covered medical expenses?
5. Does my credit card provide 24/7 worldwide emergency medical assistance and cancellation, interruption and delay protection for up to 44 possible situations?

We trust RBC as our insurance provider. They offer several different types of travel insurance that can be purchased individually or as part of a package. Keep in mind that packages maximize value and contain the most complete travel protection available.

For example, the Deluxe Package includes*:

• Unlimited benefits for emergency medical treatment
• Trip Cancellation and Interruption protection
• Baggage and Personal Effects coverage
• Flight and Travel Accident insurance
• 24/7 emergency assistance and upfront payment of eligible medical expenses when possible

*Subject to policy terms and conditions. Please read the policy for complete details.  

Your destination wedding will be one of the most important days of your life. Why take the chance? Visit www.rbcinsurance.com/clientstories and see how RBC Insurance helped clients when they experienced a real-life travel emergency.

Whether you just want your current insurance topped up or you require full coverage to save a destination wedding gone wrong, contact one of our destination wedding specialists to help you choose the most appropriate insurance for you. And please send your guests this post so they can be protected, too!

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