Newb!

[MandM2013]

Hello fellow brides!

 

My name is Meghan and my fiance Michael and I got engaged June 2011 after 4 years of dating. We are planning our wedding for 2013 and just 100% decided yesterday we are doing a destination wedding. I have always dreamed about a destination wedding but was trying to find a venue close to home to accommodate our guest list. Unfortunately the whole planning process, especially the cost of a home wedding was causing too much stress and anxiety. I finally got the "go with what your heart tells you" speech from my mum last night which was the green light to go with destination! I'm feeling so much better and excited but a little apprehensive that I have to start from scratch for planning again! haha.

 

A few questions I'd love feedback/opinions on!

 

We're thinking of trying for end of August to October for a wedding, we're looking at Jamaica, Dominican Republic or St. Lucia. Anyone know of a good website to check what the weather is like during those months in those destinations as I know hurricane season starts around August to November!

 

Does anyone have experience attending a wedding or having their wedding at any of the above destinations? Any feedback on what resort and how the wedding was would be appreciated!

 

Did you or are you planning the wedding with the help of a travel agent or consolidator or doing it on your own? Someone I know who did it on their own said they did it because doing it through a professional was more expensive? Does anyone find that?

 

Thanks!

[principessa]

Welcome!  I wish I could help you out with some of your questions but I haven't had my wedding yet, nor have I actually been to a wedding in either location.  We have a wedding coordinator as part of our wedding package - I personally like the idea of having help.  I would probably be a little too stressed out trying to do everything from here!

[MandM2013]

That's what I'm thinking, It'll be too stressful dealing with coordinating family members etc on their "trip" for our wedding. I think I'd prefer someone else deal with that aspect of it. haha.

[MissHailey]

Welcome! I'm a newbie also! Our wedding date is set for october of this year We want to have a destination wedding as well, maybe cabo or somewhere along that lines but its hard! We might have to just go to vegas lol

[MandM2013]

Yikes, maybe post pone the wedding by a year and that way you have more time to plan a destination wedding? Gives your guests more time to save too! When did you get engaged?

[finleya]

Congrats! In my opinion, my TA has been my saving grace! She has been fantastic about answering all my questions and taking care of all my guests' questions/arrangements so that I don't have to worry about it! I would definitely recommend getting one. I am using Teresa from Wright Travel. You should at least talk to one and see if it is something that you would like to do...

[JayKay]

Welcome!!  Congrats on deciding on a destination wedding.

There are lots of brides that get married between August and October, which is hurricane season.  The one thing I suggest if going this time is to get insurance incase of a hurricane.  That way you wont loose out on all your money.  And also remember that August will be much hotter then October. 

 

I was married in Jamaica and really loved it.  We basically considered most carribean destinations but chose Jamaica for a few reasons.  First, you only need to be there 2 days to legally get married there (which we wanted to do, rather then get married at home first) and also because its an English speaking country we didnt have to pay to have our documents translated into Spanish (like we would have had to for Mexico or Dominican).  We really wanted to get married in St, Lucia but it was out of our price range and needed something a bit more affordable for our guests.  We really enjoyed Jamaica and will definetly go back sometime soon.

 

We were married at the Gran Bahia Principe in Jamaica.  We loved the resort (its huge!!) and had an amazing wedding.  We chose this resort partly because they offered a free wedding package and have a beautiful gazebo by the ocean.

 

We did use a travel agent to help with the planning.  I was in contact with the wedding coordinators at the resort planning the wedding portion and the travel agent was there to deal with all the travel things.  I don't know if going through a professional is more expensive or not, but its definetly worth it so you dont have to try to do all that travel planning on top of wedding planning.

 

Good luck with your wedding planning!!

 

[MandM2013]

Thank you for all your feedback! So greatly appreciated!

[Chris N C Photo]

Hi Meghan!

 

Congratulations on your engagement!

Good call on the destination wedding. I think it's totally the way to go. It's what my fiancee and I are going to do, that's for sure. I always recommend hiring an expert to coordinate things. I have spent so many hours of my life trying to connect and coordinate with various people in tropical places and, man, I think life just goes at a different speed or something. (I personally think Hawaii is actually in a different dimension!) I'd gladly pay someone to do that for me. Especially when it's your wedding, and you want everything to be perfect, easy and fun.

 

Good luck!

 

Chris

[MandM2013]

Thank you Chris! And congrats to you and your fiance! Where are you planning to get married?