alexisinjamaica

Ack I know!! Getting there I think. Just need to finish up some things like OOT bags, order some more table linens and take care of the whole birth certificate thing so we can get married legally. But I'm still not in the sweet spot of 2 months and haven't started working with the WC yet to finalize my choices for the menu and whatever else. I did reach out to Tai Flora to discuss flowers so I have that done. Yay! Getting excited!!

The holidays are a big time for engagements, so in honor of many of you getting engaged over Christmas and New Year’s and with Valentine’s Day just around the corner we wanted to put together a quick guide on what to do next. Since you’re here, you have probably decided to have a destination wedding. Congratulations! Now that you’ve made that all-important first step, you may have a ton of questions, like “where do I start?” “How do I choose a resort?” “How can I plan a wedding in a place I’ve never been?” “How can I have a fabulous destination wedding for less than $10,000?” and more. You’ll quickly learn that the internet is going to be your best friend while planning, and to make things even easier, we’ve created a list of the top 5 online resources for planning your destination wedding. From advice to inspiration to budgets, we’ve got it all covered here! Just please don’t blame us if you don’t see your friends or family for a while because you’re having too much fun browsing these sites. 1. Best Destination Wedding. Well the good news is you’re already here, so kudos to you for being well on your way to planning the destination wedding of your dreams! This site is an amazing resource for all destination brides, particularly those who won’t be visiting their venue prior to the Big Day. BDW takes the guesswork and fear out of planning a wedding from thousands of miles away by enabling brides to get firsthand experience and advice from other brides. You can share tips, tricks, templates, do’s, don’ts and everything in between. We dare you not to spend hours on here each week. 2. Pinterest/Etsy. Confession time: some of us at BDW* started wedding inspiration boards on Pinterest several months before we were officially engaged. Sure, we were worried that our friends would think we were crazy and presumptuous, but that didn’t stop us. If you’re in the same boat, or even if you’re officially engaged, Pinterest is a mecca for wedding inspiration. If you’re willing to put in the time (and you will be, it’s addictive), you can create amazingly curated wedding inspiration boards and plan your wedding to the finest detail. We’re talking dress ideas, photography inspiration for your engagement and wedding photos, stationery ideas, food/menu suggestions, and décor ideas times a million. Plus, BDW has a piece of the Pinterest pie and is now pinning, so don’t forget to follow BDW on Pinterest. Let us now introduce you to Pinterest’s cousin, Etsy. If you see something on Pinterest, the odds are good there’s a vendor on Etsy who sells that particular item. If Pinterest is the inspiration, Etsy is the execution. Search for what you’re looking for or just get lost by starting in the weddings section and seeing where it takes you. 3. Wedding Chicks. If you’re planning a destination wedding, chances are you’re going to be DIYing at least some aspects, whether it’s stationery, bouquets or décor. Wedding Chicks offers inspiration and ideas for all of the above plus the usual wedding blog fare like sections on vendors and real weddings. But what we’re really swooning over are the amazing free downloads and printables. Choose from several patterns to create a coordinated suite of paper items including monograms, save the dates, invitations, escort cards, menus and more. Did we mention it’s FREE?! 4. Martha Stewart Weddings. You’re not a dummy. You’re probably already familiar with crafting and wedding queen Martha Stewart. Whether you’re getting married in your hometown or on a sandy tropical beach, Martha Stewart Weddings is a staple for brides, and with good reason. We love her ideas, free clip art and templates and just the general Martha-ness of it all, but what keeps us going back is her Destination Wedding section where you can view gorgeous pictures and information from other destination brides. You can even browse by geographical area, so if you’re still trying to choose a location, check out a few real weddings from different areas to help you make your choice! 5.The Budget Savvy Bride. Did you know the average wedding now costs over $25,000? With many brides turning to destination weddings as a cost-cutting measure (not having to invite everyone you know is just icing on the cake!), this blog can help you bring down your overall budget even further. They offer several great tips on how to save money through DIY (did you know you can design and engineer your own uplighting? Yeah, neither did we!), tips from former brides who’ve planned weddings on a budget (you can even browse by wedding budget if you have a strict maximum) as well as coupons, deals and discounts that you can use on things you’ll need for your wedding. There you have it—our top 5 picks for online resources to plan your destination wedding. We’d love to hear your input too! Did we forget a site that’s been key in your planning? Let us know! Also, if you have a holiday engagement story, don’t forget to share it in the forums! *OK it was me. And no, none of my friends/Pinterest followers believed that my “party” board was just for parties.

Thank you! I forgot to reply back on this thread but I saw the pics, and that helped. Thanks again for the tip!! Are you all booked at WO? Also, what is your date?

I actually didn't know there was a difference until now since the pics are all mostly the nice, modern WO rooms. I just found some on Trip Advisor that I think are St. James and that is totally sneaky of them!!!! I'm currently booked on the St. James side but since I prefer the modern look of the WO side I asked my TA to check into switching me and my guests to WO. Hopefully they still have space/the rates are similar. I wonder if switching sides affects where on the beach you get married? I will need to reach out the hotel WC once I hear back on the rates. Ugh. So glad you said something. I wouldn't have known! I haven't had to do this yet (I will next month) and I will try to remember what happens so I can update you!

You actually can! For $30 you can get instant access to downloads. I was too impatient to get to my 150 posts, so that's what I did, and it's awesome! Here's the info: http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/a/become-a-best-destination-wedding-supporter

I'm using Saab, and here is their website: http://www.saabweddings.com/ Not sure if you meant them or another photographer in Jamaica. There are a handful out there that other brides have used, try doing a search to see what pops up in the forums for photographers there. I know there are a few threads on the topic! The WB at Secrets isn't usually very fast about replying to me, but I'm not yet in the 2 month window so I get it. Hopefully when I get closer they'll be on top of it! Otherwise we will have issues. Haha. And yes, love Wright Travel!!

Hi there! Sorry, just saw this. I may be willing to split them up-- how many are you interested in?

Wright Travel Agency is owned by the owner/creator of Best Destination Weddings and is a fantastic resource! Check them out at http://www.wrighttravelagency.com/ I'm using TA Babs for my Jamaica wedding-- I believe Wendy is the Cancun expert. Just reach out to them and they'll point you in the right direction! Good luck!

My wedding hasn't happened yet, but the day pass fee for outside guests is $80 for wedding activities. If you have guests staying elsewhere who want to come on the property on a day when you're not having the wedding, like if they just want to hang out with you and the other guests, the cost is more but I can't remember what. So the $80 is a special reduced rate (probably because you already have to pay for their food/alcohol at the wedding.) I know some brides offer to pay this for their guests but I feel like I chose the resort for a reason and it's not my problem if someone decides to stay elsewhere! Yes. I'm bringing in a bunch of stuff. Contact information for who? Happy planning!!

Hooray! Thank you!!

These are really cute!! Great job! I also love that Etsy stamp and the white ink really pops on the craft paper. Do you remember which seller made the stamp? Would love to check out their store. Thanks!!

Thank you!!

Another BDW bride posted this awhile back and I liked it so I saved it!