Once most of your bigger wedding decisions (like date, destination, venue and theme) have been made, and before you send out your save-the-dates (click here for a sample), it’s a good idea to create a wedding website.

Two excellent sources for creating a free wedding website are: MomentVille.com and WeddingAnnouncer.com.

You can then share this link on your save-the-dates. Don’t worry if you don’t have all the details for your site yet; remember: you want to give your guests as much notice of the date as possible so they can start arranging their plans. As long as your site is up and running, you can always publish, “More details to follow.”

Your wedding website is an online resource for your guests so that those who are serious about attending can log on and see frequently updated details about your wedding as they become available. The information you’ll share on your website should be geared towards helping your guests make a decision to attend and help them plan for the trip.

What to Include on Your Wedding Website

Here’s a list of what we suggest you publish on your website:

1. The Destination. What’s so great about the destination you chose for your wedding? Make sure to include its local colour: history, customs and interesting facts about the culture and cuisine. All of this will help get your guests psyched for the journey! Try linking to the tourist board website as it’s most likely a resource that contains a lot of this information.
2. Travel Info. Let guests know the travel documentation they’ll need, currency info, where to exchange money while in the destination, travel options to and from the hotel and airport or if you’ve arranged this for them, links and/or contact info for travel options while in the destination, and anything else you can think of that will help them be prepared and get around. They might also like to know the time zone difference between their hometowns and the destination, and the cheapest options they have if they’d like phone home during the wedding week.
3. The Hotel. There are so many benefits to your guests booking together as a group and staying at the hotel where you’ll get married. Not only do you get group rates but if you all book together, the hotel is less likely to send members of a group to alternate lodgings if they should happen to overbook. (You might share this link to our page on group booking advantages.) Plus, almost all of our couples have commented how convenient it was having everyone at the same hotel for outings and dinners, and having the peace of mind knowing everyone will show up to the ceremony on time.
4. Local Hotel Options. It’s always helpful for guests to have options, especially if they decided last minute because of extenuating circumstances.
5. The Weather. How will your guests know what to pack if they don’t know the typical weather conditions for your destination of choice at the time of year when your wedding will be held?
6. Local Sites & Activities. Do a little research and include a list of sights and things-to-do in the area that your guests can choose to do on their own while in the destination.
7. Scheduled Activities. Many couples organize a few activities for the group so guests have a chance to do something fun with the couple outside wedding-related functions. Use links to descriptions of these outings so guests can get excited about joining the group!
8. Dress Code. There’ll be various wedding events and guests will appreciate having an idea of what to pack for each. Include the dress code for the ceremony, reception, special dinners, restaurant dress codes, etc. To help them even more with their packing tasks, share our blog posts: Helpful Packing List for Ladies and Helpful Packing List for Men (scroll down to the bottom).
9. How to Book. Make it super easy for guests to book with the group once they’ve made a decision. Include the price with deposit amounts and the date of final payment. If you’re working with a destination wedding specialist, they’ll provide you with this information to share. Also worth sharing is information on travel insurance, send them to our blog post, “The Most Important Travel Tip Ever” and let them know they can obtain travel insurance with your destination wedding specialist.
10. Your Destination Wedding Specialist’s Contact Info. You’re going to be very busy from now until the wedding. One of the benefits of working with a destination wedding specialist is that you can ask your guests to contact your Cyber Maid of Honour if they have any questions about the travel and accommodation aspects of your wedding. If you choose Weddings By Oceans, add a link to our contact us page.

These 10 sections will get you started but you may discover more as you continue your planning. Make sure to update your website regularly. To help keep your stress levels down, try scheduling a small block of time every week for this task and keep a list with you titled, “website additions” so you can add to it as ideas come to you.

Have you any ideas that will help your guests choose to attend your destination wedding that we haven’t covered in this post?

Related posts:

1. General Destination Wedding Planning Process
2. Calendar Countdown to Your Destination Wedding Day

Part of our services as destination wedding specialists is to provide Beachside Brides and Grooms-to-be with our knowledge in helping you find the perfect wedding destination for you.

However, because there are so many possibilities in the Caribbean and Mexico, we always provide these tips to help clients condense their list of options:

1. Pick your top 3 countries and take a look at their marriage requirements. Many times these legal guidelines make a difference. Now if you’re really stuck on a destination and their marriage requirements are too tough, consider having a ceremony at home. (For more info, read this guest post by Mike Van Slingerland, an Ontario Wedding Officiant.)
2. Think of your top 5 resort features. Based on the feedback from some of our former Beachside Brides, here are their preferences: 1) Location, location, location! 2) Choice of wedding locations on property (beach, garden, gazebo); 3) All-inclusive, with a wide variety of activities for guests to enjoy; 4) Good service; and 5) Available wedding packages.
3. Real weddings. What could give you a better idea about the potential of your wedding than hearing and reading about, and viewing real-life photographs and videos featuring real-life destination weddings? For instance, we just posted Ryan & Chantelle’s story – they got married at the Majestic Colonial earlier this year. If you like that post, then look for your hotels of interest in our compilation post, What’s Your Dream Destination Wedding?, where we listed all the wedding stories and reviews we’ve published on the blog so far, like Katie & Amit’s wedding video at the Hotel Paradisus Playa Conchal in Costa Rica and Jason & Angela’s wedding at Paradisus Palma Real in Dominican Republic.
4. Read our hotel reviews. Scroll down past the real weddings section in our What’s Your Dream Destination Wedding? post and you’ll see a list of our hotel reviews that our destination wedding specialists write when they return from their site inspections. You’ll find reviews on hotels such as Karisma’s El Dorado Maroma in the Mayan Riviera, Couples in Jamaica and Sol Melia in Veradero, Cuba.
5. Save-the-Date for our Annual Destination Wedding Event! This is your chance to visit with the people who help make your dream destination wedding a reality. Speak (in-person) to representatives from various tourist boards, Canadian tour operators and hoteliers. Those who will be participating are some of our most preferred industry partners because they consistently satisfy our clients. Oh! And don’t forget the mystery guests: a few of our past clients (Beachside Brides & Grooms who are now happily married) may join us so you can ask them some of your most burning questions about their destination wedding experiences!

We hope these tips help you narrow down your choices in destinations and hotels for your wedding. We know how difficult it can be! So don’t forget, as destination wedding specialists, we’re here to assist you in every way possible. Contact us and let’s start planning!

Do you have a tip in how couples can narrow down their destination wedding choices? Please help the community by sharing!

Related posts:

1. Bridezilla, Be Gone! Wedding Planning Tips
2. Top 9 Destination Wedding Tips
3. Tips for Healthy Travel

We’ve been on a roll these last few weeks posting lists of destination wedding planning and etiquette tips. If you missed them, check out Top 9 Destination Wedding Tips, Another 9 Destination Wedding Tips and Destination Weddings: Who Pays For What?

While there’s the odd tip in these articles for destination wedding guests, we thought you deserved a post just for you.

Destination Wedding Guest Etiquette

1. RSVP ASAP. When you receive the save-the-date card, review your finances and check your availability. Next is to find out if you can book the time off work and/or school. The bride and groom should give you plenty of enough time to do this before they send you the wedding invitation. Once this arrives in the mail, be considerate of the couple’s task of planning an out-of-country wedding and inform them of your decision as soon as possible.
2. Feel free to politely decline. Couples who choose destination weddings realize the commitment involved in attending and will understand if you cannot make it. RSVP with a `no’ and include a separate letter focusing on your happiness for them but explain circumstances make it impossible for you to attend. Try to be there for as many pre- and post-wedding events hosted at home as you can. It’s your choice if you wish to send them a wedding gift.
3. Zip it if it’s a complaint. Once you’ve determined you have it in your budget and you’ve said `yes’ to the destination wedding, resist complaining. While the couple’s primary focus will be on their nuptials, your happiness and comfort is just as important to them. If you complain, especially about things that are out of their control, it’ll stress them out to the max and definitely put a damper on the celebration. Prepare a reasonable budget and concentrate on the positives.
4. Gifts. For most Canadians who host a destination wedding, they generally regard your attendance as the gift. If you do wish to give a gift and they have a gift registry, send your gift to their home before or after the wedding. They won’t be there to receive it otherwise and bringing it to the destination with you is a no-no because they’ll have to find a way to get it back home. The couple may appreciate a cash gift, though, especially if they’ve lived together awhile and already have everything they need.
5. Get destination ready. As we blogged about before in The Tourist’s 10 Commandments, treating people with respect when you travel goes a long way to creating a meaningful and pleasurable trip. Language barriers and ignorance are not acceptable excuses for poor manners! Learn a little about the culture and a few phrases in the native tongue before you depart. If you’re going to a Spanish-speaking country, check out Megan’s Handy Spanish Phrases.
6. Get travel ready. The best, most stress-free vacations are the ones that are planned well. Treat the destination wedding as you would any other holiday. Make lists, prepare travel documentation, confirm arrangements and pack appropriately. Here’s a packing list for ladies and for the men, scroll down to the bottom of this post.
7. Pack proper destination wedding attire. What’s this, you ask? Many couples will share a preferred dress code on their wedding website but if not and you’re going to a tropical destination, your best bet is to think: country club or high-end restaurant in the summer. Dress to suit the environment in colourful and light clothes (like linen). While some couples may choose a `flip-flops required’ dress code which includes sun dresses and khakis, if it’s unspecified, you’re safer to go with semi-formal beach wear (dresses and summer suits) and dressy sandals.
8. Leave the couple alone. Before you depart and if the couple has a destination wedding specialist handling group travel and accommodations, contact the DWS with all your travel-related questions. This is what the couple is paying us for so they can direct their energy towards wedding planning. While at the resort, again, they’ll have a million-and-one things on the go hosting this event. Resist hunting them down and schmooze with them during group activities and dinners throughout the week. After the wedding and while you’re still at the resort, the couple will want down-time and probably want to start their honeymoon!

We hope these 8 destination wedding guest etiquette tips help you out in your time of need. And if you have any remaining questions, feel free to ask them in the comments below or contact us!

Related posts:

1. Another 9 Destination Wedding Tips
2. Top 9 Destination Wedding Tips
3. Destination Weddings: Who Pays for What?

The main appeal for destination weddings is exactly what causes most of the confusion. Destination weddings are a celebration and vacation all wrapped up into one, so there are different levels of commitment involved to attending or participating in one.

For most people, the biggie is the money. Since the expense is higher for guests invited to a destination wedding compared to a traditional wedding, it’s understandable to question how this affects traditional wedding etiquette.

Destination weddings: Who pays for what?

Below you’ll find a list of what the guests, the wedding party and the bride, groom and/or parents are expected to pay for at a destination wedding.

Guests

• Airfare (to and from destination)
• Accommodations
• Meals and bevies apart from the wedding events
• Non-wedding activities they choose to partake in

The wedding party (or attendants)

• Airfare (to and from destination)
• Formal wear and accessories
• Hair, makeup or spa appointments
• Food and drinks apart from wedding festivities

Brides, Grooms and/or their parents

• Wedding reception
• Rehearsal dinner
• Welcome party
• Morning-after brunch

As a way to show your appreciation, it’s also recommended the hosts cover the costs for:

• At least one fun activity or excursion for the entire wedding group who wish to join
• Transportation to and from the ceremony and reception sites
• Airport shuttle from the destination airport to the hotel (if it’s not included in a package)

Did you notice any mention of wedding gifts? For Canadians, attendance is the gift. Knowing who’s expected to pay for what will help you with your destination wedding budget. And you are more than welcome to share this blog post on your wedding site so everyone is on the same page!

Important Note & Tip:

Many brides and grooms are concerned about the expense they’re asking guests and the wedding party to incur for their destination wedding. We say, don’t be!

While we strongly suggest choosing a reasonable budget for the majority of your guests (and/or offering options at nearby hotels, for instance), at the end of the day your guests will have value in the experience because it’s a vacation. They WILL be getting their money’s worth.

Have faith that guests who really cannot afford a vacation now, regardless if it’s for the purpose of attending your wedding, will decline your offer. To avoid too many disappointed would-be guests, we recommend planning a celebration at home upon your return.

Have we answered all your questions regarding who pays for what at a destination wedding?

Related posts:

1. Another 9 Destination Wedding Tips
2. Destination Wedding Etiquette for Guests
3. Top 9 Destination Wedding Tips

Certified by The Wedding Planning Institute of Canada, we’ve helped countless couples plan their dream destination weddings since launching our destination wedding travel agency. (Click here for more reasons to hire us.)

Many couples have the same questions, wondering if expectations change with a destination wedding. Some do and others don’t. Picking up from our last post…

9 more destination wedding etiquette & planning tips: 

1. Brides and grooms customarily thank the wedding party with a gift. Some couples buy jewelry for the ladies, cuff links for the men and also given gift certificates for downtime after the wedding, such as for the spa or time at the driving range. Generally these gifts are given during the rehearsal dinner.
2. Many couples give guests welcome bags upon arrival and favour bags at the reception. It’s ok to give one bag per couple if you’re trying to cut the budget somewhere but give single guests their own bag.
3. If you take the #1 destination wedding ceremony planning tip and have a legal ceremony at home before you depart, make it low-key and invite only a few of your closest peeps to be witnesses. Celebrate the occasion with a small celebratory lunch or dinner. You don’t want to run out of steam for the main event.
4. It’s tradition to invite the wedding officiant to both the wedding reception and rehearsal dinner (unless you’re making life easier with an at-home ceremony). Although you may have just met your officiant, they are playing an important role in your marriage. This is a gracious way of thanking them.
5. For a kids-free reception, the best way to approach this is to get referrals from hotel staff you’ve been working with for your wedding plans. Arrange for a room close to the reception so parents can check in on their children during the evening. Hire an experienced babysitter and check references.
6. Make sure your reception runs smoothly and communicate your plans (include a list of who you’ve placed in charge of certain events) with all your vendors. Give them situational cues or a timeline so, for example, the caterers know to fill up campaign glasses before the first toast at 6:20pm.
7. To avoid annoying music at the reception, give your DJ or band a “do not play list.” Tell them to ignore all requests for the entire evening or at least up until the time you and the groom make your grand exit.
8. It’s considered poor taste to leave the reception before the cake cutting so make this an obvious event of the evening.
9. Quality time with wedding participants. Some couples show their appreciation for those directly involved with the wedding by hosting an outing complete with food and drinks. If it’s extravagant, you’re not expected to cover all the costs but you may choose to make it your gift to your attendants.

We hope this list (including the first 9 tips we shared last time) answers most of your questions. This last tip (#9) has probably got you wondering who’s expected to pay for what at a destination wedding. Stay tuned for, “Who Pays For What at a Destination Wedding?”

Do you have any destination etiquette or planning questions that we didn’t answer in our 18 tips?

Related posts:

1. Top 9 Destination Wedding Tips
2. Top 5 Tips to Narrow Down Your Destination Choices
3. Bridezilla, Be Gone! Wedding Planning Tips

Although all weddings share elements, specific features of destination weddings, specifically travel, accommodation and time-commitment (especially for the guests), change the game. It affects planning, timing, customs and expectations.

Being the ever-so-helpful destination wedding specialists we are, we compiled a list of the most popular destination wedding tips. Some of them apply to traditional weddings, some touch on etiquette, others on planning, and some contain both etiquette and planning.

Top 9 destination wedding etiquette & planning tips:

1. The destination spot will be a hot topic as you plan your dream wedding. Many well-meaning friends and family members (especially parents who typically pay for a big portion of the wedding costs) may attempt to sway you towards a certain destination. Thank them, tell them you’ll consider their suggestions, but be firm when you tell them you and your hubby-to-be will make the best decision suited for the two of you.
2. The wedding date. Try ruling out scheduling conflicts: ask your VIPs (wedding party or those who must be there) for a list of “can’t miss” prior engagements they’ve already booked; look for long weekend availabilities with the hotels you’re considering; and avoid booking your wedding date on cultural or religious holidays (e.g. Rosh Hashanah or Easter) as well as key times of the year people may be occupied (e.g. tax time, exams or graduations).
3. Who should be invited? Customarily, a third of the guests are from the bride’s family, a third from the groom’s family and a third made up of the couple’s friends.
4. If you’d prefer an intimate wedding, be clear and communicate your plans to friends and family you won’t be inviting to the wedding just before or when you send your save-the-date cards. Word quickly spreads and it’s better they hear it from you. To mitigate damages, plan a party at home to celebrate your union with those who won’t be attending your destination wedding. Lower your stress by scheduling this get-together after you return home.
5. Guests are making a commitment when accepting an invitation for a destination wedding. Respect their time by sending out your save-the-date cards 6 to 8 months before the wedding date.
6. When your RSVP date has passed, follow up with those who haven’t responded yet by email or call them. Ask them if they have any questions or if you can give them any more information to help them make a decision.
7. No matter how much you love them and they love you, friends or family members with too many responsibilities or who generally lead complicated lives are not good candidates for your wedding party (a.k.a. attendants). Have an honest yet diplomatic talk with them and request they play another important part in the wedding.
8. Be a good leader. You’re organizing this show so it’s up to you to delegate with clear instructions, inform your party of plans they need to know and your expectations of them. Just remember: they’re doing you a favour. Appreciate that, be a gracious leader, and you should have smooth sailing.
9. A wedding website is now considered an essential communication tool to provide your tech-savvy guests all the information they need to make a decision, up-dates that will affect them, and details and tips that will help them plan to attend your destination wedding. Although brides and grooms can use a blog for any reason, we think it’s perfect for coordinating wedding planning with the wedding party. Put a parent in charge to communicate with your Luddite guests.

These 9 destination wedding etiquette and planning tips are only the beginning. You probably have questions about gifts and what happens if you have a legal ceremony at home. Stay tuned for our next post, “Another 9 Destination Wedding Planning Tips”.

Did we miss any destination wedding planning or etiquette tips? Do you have any lingering questions? Add them below for the benefit of others and we’ll do our best to answer.

Related posts:

1. Another 9 Destination Wedding Tips
2. Bridezilla, Be Gone! Wedding Planning Tips
3. 17 Tips for Stress-Free Holiday Travel By Air

Destination weddings have become very popular over the last few years. As the trend for weddings has shifted from traditional to contemporary, many brides and grooms-to-be dream of celebrating their wedding on the white sands of a beautiful beach resort or the backdrop of beautiful mountains.

A couples’ desire to have a beautiful, intimate setting for their wedding with a small group of their closest friends and family is an understandable one.

With keeping the excitement and dynamics of a destination wedding alive, good wisdom dictates that a couple should seriously consider getting legally married in their province or state and have a symbolic ceremony at the destination. Many couples are unaware of impending difficulties when they legally marry in a country different than they reside.

The following are some things to remember when considering a destination wedding:

Local Medical Tests Required

One of the most frustrating and intrusive aspects of getting married in another country is the mandate that some countries require couples to get blood work and other medical exams before the ceremony. For a variety of reasons, many destinations require local blood testing and medical exams of the bride and groom.

As these tests take a two or more days to process a couple cannot get married until after being in the country for a few days. There is also the uneasy sense that everyone has about getting a needle, the costs of these tests and that they all need to be translated into different languages.

Substantial Cost

Paying for the translation of documents into the mother language of that country, hiring the services of an overseas officiant whom you have never met, and the other unique fees associated with a legal ceremony in another country can add up to substantial amounts, often in the two to three thousand range.

Some countries also require more than two witnesses and other requirements when getting legally married in another country.

Legalities, Red Tape & Unreliable Governments

Probably the most critical area of concern about getting legally married in another country is in relation to the legal paperwork and marriage certificate.

The province of Ontario, for instance, requires couples to obtain a marriage certificate to show proof of marriage when dealing with things such as assuming the name of your spouse. When couples legally marry in another country, they trust the governmental administration of that foreign country to provide a valid marriage certificate.

The couple then uses the certificate in Ontario to change their last names. Almost always, a couple leaves their destination wedding hoping to receive their marriage certificate from the host country in the mail, and never get it.

I have personally experienced many brides and grooms get frustrated because they never receive their paperwork, and spend months trying to obtain it to no avail. Without a marriage certificate, there is no proof of a legal marriage and name changing is then next to impossible.

Good Wisdom for Destination Weddings

With the issues of blood work, significant cost and administration breakdown, couples exert great wisdom when they decide to get legally married in their province or state, and have a symbolic ceremony in the destination location of their choice.

The costs of legally marrying at home are minimal. For instance, the basic cost of obtaining a marriage license in Ontario is approximately $155; and hiring an officiant whose fees for a simple basic ceremony should range from $200-$300. Plus, the process of obtaining a marriage certificate is seamless, particularly if you hire an experienced and competent wedding officiant.

Getting married in Ontario is easy. All couples require is a license, two witnesses and a licensed officiant. Couples can get married anywhere, even in the airport before the fly off to their perfect destination resort!

About the Author

Mike Van Slingerland is a licensed Ontario Wedding Officiant who loves to help couples design their perfect wedding ceremony. He’s been performing weddings and funerals in the GTA since 1997. For more on Mike and his services, visit his website, www.enduringpromises.com.

Related posts:

1. Top 15 Destination Wedding Planning FAQs
2. General Destination Wedding Planning Process
3. Bridezilla, Be Gone! Wedding Planning Tips

January is around the corner and we have quite a few destination wedding groups heading to Mexico, Dominican Republic and Cuba. As destination wedding specialists, we are committed to assisting you and your guests in every possible way to help make your destination wedding a memorable event.

This includes overcoming language barriers!

Although most hotel employees speak either some English or are fluent in it, we’ve found in our travels that it makes a huge difference to your vacation experience when you know a bit of the native tongue. You can get around outside the hotel much easier, connect with the locals better and learn more about the destination from their perspective.

Since Megan speaks Spanish fluently (as well as French), she’s developed a list of over 100 useful Spanish phrases for you and your guests to learn before arriving at your destination. For your convenience, here is a printable pdf:

Megan’s Spanish Phrases

Please forward this post to your guests and remind them that there’s always time at the airport to learn some basic Spanish. Suggest they print it out and make a game of it with their fellow travellers. It’s a fun, engaging and informative way to pass the time!

We wish all the best to our destination wedding groups flying out in the next few months. Have a great time and we look forward to hearing all about it upon your return! (We’d love to see some pics, too!)

Are there any Spanish phrases you’d like to learn but can’t find on our list? Tell us in the comment section below and not only will we respond to you with a translation, we’ll be happy to add them to our list to share with others!

Related posts:

1. Over 100 Useful Spanish Phrases

Destination weddings are unique (this is why destination wedding specialists are more qualified to help you than others) because of the travel and accommodations for your wedding group. Group bookings are what really differentiates destination weddings from weddings at home and from regular travel.

When you’ve booked a hall, it’s ok if a few guests don’t show up because it’s the space you rented, not individual chairs. And when you’re going on vacation, it’s generally ok if you book last minute because there’s usually an available seat or two just waiting for you to fill. It’s different with destination weddings.

Groups get discounts and one of the reasons for this is because the tour operators like full hotels and airplanes. They want groups to book but they’re looking for some reassurance that those seats will be full (or at least fully or partially paid for) when the travel date arrives.

For destination wedding group bookings, you can “block” spots for you and your guests in 3 different ways, all of which carry their own sets of benefits and risks:

3 Group Deposit Types

1. Bride & Groom deposit only. Some tour operators are now offering  the couple to deposit for themselves only while blocking space for a group of 30 passengers. Your guests have up to 90 days before travel (varies with tour operators) to make a deposit or pay for their spots in full. While this might sound good, it makes it very difficult for the bride and groom to actually know who is going to join them for their big day. Ultimately, it holds up the wedding planning process because you don’t know how many people to budget for. Additionally, if the hotel sells out during this time, we are required to report all names and deposits immediately, which could put everyone in a difficult situation; failure to do so could result in your space being lost.
2. Bride & Groom deposit a larger portion of space and give guests 8-12 weeks to contact us. We try to negotiate booking 10 seats with deposit and hold an additional 10 seats without deposit (or 20 and 20, etc). Once this initial deposit is paid by you, your guests have 2 to 3 months after booking to commit to the reservations by making deposits on them. This is a little less risky and much easier to manage for the bride and groom. Not all tour operators do this for us, and not all hotels will allow this. This method must be negotiated on an individual group basis.
3. ENTIRE group deposits immediately. As destination wedding specialists, we always recommend to put a deposit down on the group space you want so you can guarantee the reservations. For a group of 30, that’s $6,000 whether you come up with the full amount or all your guests make their individual deposits from the onset of the booking. We recommend this as the best approach for a stress-free process. Not only will you know that your space is definitive and held for you, but you also can begin to plan and budget for your big day!

There’s a certain level of commitment when you’re travelling, as you may have found out if you’ve ever had to cancel a booked vacation last minute. As unfair as it may seem at times, there are consequences when you wait too long to change your mind. Hotels and air carriers protect their corporate assets by making certain their rooms and seats are full.

In the travel industry, it’s “first paid, first served.” If you show your commitment to your purchase with a deposit, they will hold your reservation. If you change your mind at the last minute, the consequence is the “non-refundable” deposit to avoid a total loss on the empty room/seat.

Although deposits are non-refundable, tour operators allow you to change names on the seats prior to final payment. So if one of your guests are unable to make it and another guest can, your deposit is safe. Otherwise, if a guest cancels last minute, you or they lose their payment to the tour operator.

We hope this post sheds some light on the subject of blocking space for your destination wedding group and non-refundable deposits.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below or contact us by email info [at] weddingsbyoceans [dot] com.

Related posts:

1. Book With Us & Save on Your Destination Wedding Group
2. Destination Wedding Group Process Unveiled
3. Benefits of Booking Your Destination Wedding Early

Trendy brides will definitely appreciate our list but even if you’re prone to trailblazing, you might be in the throes of planning for your fall destination wedding and need some ideas in a pinch. Or, you may find value in the following just to get a leg up on your spring 2011 destination wedding (colours may change but other trends can last for several years).

Sam & Filipe

1. Wedding Colours. Pastels ruled last year but for 2010, we’re into the bold and bright colours. Most of our sources say that deep red, teal, violet, mocha and sage are “in”. Here are the fall 2010 colours that Pantone (the leading colour authority in the design industry) released back in the spring.
2. Wedding Gowns. Besides the budget-friendly dresses, fashion experts suggest to add complementary piping, sash or embroidery to offset a classic white dress or trendier colour, like lipstick red, and match it to your destination wedding colour theme and/or your bridesmaids’ dresses. As for gown styles, strapless won again, along with dropped waists and natural waistlines with textural skirts and lots of movement. Some of our favourite styles for destination weddings included: mermaid style wedding gowns and Grecian Goddess wedding dresses (weddinggowntown.com), as well as the shorter length Sexy Siren bridal style (theknot.com). As for wedding veils, the bird cage veil leads the pack.
3. Re-wearable Bridesmaid Dresses. If you’re like most bridesmaids, you dropped a pile of money on your dress and wore it for less than a day. Thankfully, more brides are giving their bridesmaids a colour and tone (casual, semi-casual, black-tie, etc.) to run with and the freedom to choose a dress more suitable to their bodies and tastes so they can happily wear the dress again.
4. Tuxedo-less Weddings. Black is so dull – especially in a destination wedding! This year fashion experts say for men, “Light khaki suits have an earthy feel that’s still appropriate in the fall. If it’s warm enough, skip the jackets and go for a casual-but-polished look with crisp button-down shirts and khaki slacks.” More men are opting to purchase high-quality suits they can wear for a lifetime. Some of the other colours men are choosing include: deep brown, beige, tan and grey.
5. 3D Save the Dates. If you’re having a destination wedding, it’s practically license to have a little fun! We’ve suggested passport-themed save-the-date cards in the past (Catsy creations offers professionally produced cards) and this year, people are sending out 3-dimensional versions, like an umbrella, which adds even more character, humour and relevance. (Source: getmarried.com)

   

   Tony & Danielle

6. 60 Minute or less Cocktail Hour. Many weddings tend to have cocktail hours, keeping the guests occupied with appetizers, cocktails and music. For a destination wedding where you and your guests will have a chance to schmooze all week long, keeping the cocktail hour to a minimum and the dinner in the spotlight is especially important. (Source: stylishweddingideas.com). FYI: Weddings By Oceans is currently offering a complimentary 1 hour cocktail reception for your destination wedding group of 20+ at any Karisma property to meet with the hotel managers upon your arrival – something that is usually not done but may become a trend in the future!
7. Fun & Lively Photographs. Bridesmaids in fake mustaches sound a bit off the cuff but apparently more couples are choosing to grab photos with a touch of humour. (stylishweddingideas.com). Also, `Trash the Dress’ photography is still smoldering hot. These accompanying photos are our very own Weddings By Oceans’ brides who helped lead this wedding photography trend.
8. Techie Gadget Gifts. More brides and grooms are looking for matching his-and-her PDA cases and adding high-tech gadgets to their gift registry. Some of these are also suitable thank-you gifts for the wedding party. (Source: getmarried.com)
9. Online Weddings. Wedding websites have been increasing in popularity over the last few years and now blogs are all the rage! Brides and grooms can create their own wedding website (here are 2 good resources) and blog for free, and for various purposes. Bride bloggers love to share (and get a few ideas from their readers) about their wedding planning experience and the website is great to keep wedding guests, both those who can make it and those who can’t, up to speed about the wedding. (Source: stylishweddingideas.com)
10. Social Network Weddings. There’s a huge trend towards sharing your wedding with your online networks. You can broadcast the wedding live by uploading photos on Facebook and Tweeting about the event for all those interested.

There you have it, the top 10 fall 2010 destination wedding trends.

Did you notice any that should be included here?

Related posts:

1. Why Consider a Fall Destination Wedding?
2. Budget-Friendly Wedding Gowns Are `In’
3. Will We See You at Toronto’s Fall 2010 Wedding Shows?