Cruise Ship and Destination Weddings:
As Simple as 1, 2, 3!
by Bethany Jean Libby
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Published by Bethany Jean Libby at Smashwords.
Cruise Ship and Destination Weddings: As Simple as 1-2-3
Copyright © 2011 Bethany Jean Libby
Author permissions at bethanyjeanlibby@gmail.com
Disclaimer:
This book has been written to help the reader with planning their perfect cruise ship and/or destination wedding. We are not responsible for changes in offerings or prices made by the companies represented in this book. Be sure to get current quotes before making plans.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Destination Weddings—What ARE They?
Chapter 2: A Destination Wedding—Is it Right for You?
Chapter 3: Picking the Perfect Location
Chapter 4: Choosing the United States or Canada
Chapter 5: A Romantic Beach Venue
Chapter 6: All Aboard the Love Boat!
Chapter 7: All-inclusive Resorts and All-inclusive Weddings
Chapter 9: Organizing your Destination Wedding
Chapter 10: Choosing your Wedding Planner
Chapter 11: Important Travel Arrangements
Chapter 12: Before you Go and When you Arrive
Chapter 13: Your Ceremony and Reception
Chapter 14: Destination Wedding Etiquette
Chapter 15: Recording the Event
Chapter 16: What Could Go Wrong?
Chapter 1: Destination Weddings—What ARE They?
Perhaps, at one time, destination weddings were only possible for the rich and famous, but modern trends show a dramatic increase in both cruise ship and destination weddings. As counter-intuitive as it may sound, making your vows in a distant location can be both less expensive and less stressful than planning your wedding at home. A third advantage is that, planned correctly, you can combine your wedding and honeymoon package, saving additional flights and garnering additional discounts from the resort or hotel.
If you’ve ever been involved in planning a sizable wedding, you know how much stress is caused by the myriad of details and the hours of time spent interviewing suppliers, deciding on the menu, flowers, seating arrangements and photographers. Wedding planning sites on the internet offer five and six-page checklists filled with details for the bride and groom to take care of. No wonder, as a wedding date approaches, many couples start to dream of eloping.
Thankfully, today, there are more exciting, romantic, less-expensive and almost stress-free options for tying the knot.
According to statistics posted at about.com, 16% of weddings are destination weddings and the average cost of a destination wedding is 30% less than a traditional one. The number of cruise ship and destination weddings has increased by 400% in the last 15 years. The favorite destinations are: Las Vegas, Hawaii; Fiji; Mexico's Riviera Maya, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Jamaica, Bahamas, St. Lucia, Grand Caymans, and Virgin Islands. Other popular destinations include Disneyworld, a cruise ship, a villa in Tuscany, or a sunny Greek Island.
Many all-inclusive hotels and resorts maintain their own wedding coordinators as do many of the cruise lines. More and more hotels are recognizing the profitability of destination weddings and jumping on the band wagon.
Some people confuse destination weddings with elopement, but this is not true. Cruise ship and destination weddings are planned well in advance (at least 6-12 months) and guests, as well as the bridal party, are invited to share in the couple’s joy. Granted, many cannot afford either the time or the money to join the happy couple, but they can participate through webcam coverage as discussed in chapter 15.
Because both cruise ship and destination weddings involve travel, they typically last from a long weekend to a full week of activities. The significant growth in this industry can also be tied to the rapidly diminishing family nucleus. In other words, if Aunt Ethel and Uncle Jack need to fly from Minnesota to Kentucky where the couple lives, they might as well fly to Hawaii or Baja California to celebrate the happy day – and make it into a family vacation as well.
The extended length of time for both cruise ship and destination weddings also gives both the bride’s and groom’s families an opportunity to get to know each other. That usually isn’t possible in a traditional four or five-hour ceremony and reception.
The counterpoint to this is that the guests are expected to pay their own transportation, lodging and some of their meals. This can create a real hardship on family and friends who may not be able to afford the cost. Or, they simply may prefer to spend their vacation money and time hiking in the Sierras rather than lounging on a beach. Requests to attend your wedding may seem like “If you loved us enough, you’d spend that time and money attending our wedding.” This can sometimes create friction.
Some wedding consultants and planners have used the term “weddingmoon” to describe this new trend of combining the wedding and honeymoon together.
Destination weddings are unique adventures for the bride and groom and their guests. Over the multi-day period there are opportunities for many events which reflect the unique personalities of the couple to be. In May 2009, eight couples exchanged their vows on a roller coaster in Bloomington, Minnesota.
And for those guests who can afford the time and money to attend your destination wedding, it is usually a blast. In the course of their stay, they could be island hopping, snorkeling, sailing and playing a game of beach volleyball. Alternatively, if a beach wedding isn’t high on your list, consider ski resorts, Las Vegas casinos, cruise ships, European castles or in a gondola in Venice. After the ceremony, your guests can extend their stay while the newlyweds sneak away for some private time together.
Instead of one fleeting afternoon, this destination wedding can be turned into a mini-vacation affording quality time with your closest friends and family. Whether you live in snowy New England and yearn for a tropical get-away or you’ve always yearned to see Paris, a destination wedding is that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create special lifetime memories for the wedding party and your guests.
Chapter 2: A Destination Wedding – Is it Right for You?
Although cruise ship and destination weddings are becoming increasingly popular, they are not for everyone. In a word, it’s like inviting your friends and family on a mini-vacation at a beautiful locale to help you celebrate your wedding…or “weddingmoon” as some travel agents are now calling it. This might be especially attractive if your friends and family are scattered throughout the country or world and must travel a distance anyway to be with you. According to the Association of Bridal Consultants, at a regular home-based wedding 40% of the guests fly in…and, they'd probably prefer to fly in to Hawaii rather than Bradyville, Iowa!
Most of all, destination weddings are romantic, fun and very memorable.
Pros and Cons of a Destination Wedding
Pro #1: Reduced Stress
By using an on-site wedding coordinator (usually provided without cost by the resorts and cruise lines), a lot of stress from planning the myriad of details necessary for an at-home wedding is either eliminated or reduced. Most coordinators will take care of all the details of the ceremony and reception and many will help arrange for activities for your guests while they are there. Of course, this means, if you are a Type-A personality, you’ll need to give up some of the control. Can you do it?
Pro #2: Avoid or Reduce Difficult Family Situations
If there’s someone you don’t care to invite, don’t worry. Your friends and relatives will understand why you have chosen a select few to share your special day. Remember, with modern technology, you can either webcam your ceremony or send DVD’s to those unable to attend. It also means that friends with families might choose to leave the kids at home because of the expense.
Pro #3: Reduce the Cost of Your Wedding
The cost of a weekend wedding at a luxurious hotel or cruise in a spectacular location can cost considerably less than a sit-down dinner reception for 200 people. Destination wedding etiquette suggests that the wedding couple pay for lodging and meals for the wedding party and the guests pay their own airfare and lodging, so keeping the invitation list small will definitely decrease the costs. Hotels and resorts often provide the venue free of charge with a minimum number of rooms booked.
Pro #4: Combine your Honeymoon and Wedding
This may seem apparent but by combining both, you’ll be able to afford that dream honeymoon you’ve always wanted. And it may be a place that you would enjoy celebrating some of your important future anniversaries.
Pro #5: Enjoy a Memorable, Romantic Mini-Vacation
By inviting only those people who you truly would enjoy vacationing with, you can have a mini-vacation with friends and family, at the same time providing a relaxing opportunity for both families to get to know each other.
Con #1: Long Distance Planning can be Difficult
If you choose not to marry at a resort which has an in-house wedding coordinator, then you’ll have to handle all those details yourself unless you can hire a local coordinator whom you can trust with the details. Type A personalities who need control over all the details will find long-distance planning to be next to impossible. Be prepared to let the local coordinator choose the flatware and table décor.
Con #2: Some Friends and Family May not be able to Attend.
People live busy lives and taking a week or even a long weekend off might not work for them. Others may not be able to afford the airfare and yet others may be too elderly or have special needs that can’t be met at your destination of choice. Make sure you check with those important folks before booking your destination wedding if you REALLY want them there with you. You might check a travel agent to see if you can negotiate some group fares which would lower the cost. On the other hand, for those who do attend, you’ll have more quality time with them than you would at a traditional wedding ceremony.
Con #3: Too Much Time with Guests?
You might find, that before and after the ceremony and reception, you’ll want more time alone than you can get. Make sure to plan for this by arriving a few days early and, after the wedding, plan activities for your guests to participate in while the two of you enjoy your well deserved honeymoon. Or, alternatively, escape to a nearby island or resort that just the two of you know about.
Con #4: Specific Ceremony Requirements May not be Possible
If you need a certain type of religious service, be sure to discuss this with your wedding coordinator because all types may not be available at all venues.
Con #5: Legal Snafus Can Create Problems
Remember that different countries, as well as different states, have legal requirements that differ. Make sure you do your homework. You don’t want to arrive in France and find out it is illegal for foreigners to get married there, or find out one week before your wedding that you need to be in residence for 30 days before a wedding license can be issued. Be sure to check with the tourist office at your planned destination to find out about marriage license rules and paperwork required.
What kind of folks are YOU?
Still not sure if a destination wedding is right for you? Take the following test. If you checked more of the italics statements, then continue reading; if you checked more of the bold statements, then perhaps you should seriously rethink a destination wedding.
The only important thing is that the two of us are together on our wedding day
We’re too busy to get involved in the myriad of wedding details
We’re simple folks; not interested in a grandiose affair
We have some sensitive issues with some friends and/or family
We’re not type A folks and aren’t perfectionists.
Our friends and family are scattered over the country or the globe
We’ve got a year or more to plan our wedding
This is our second or third wedding and we don’t want all the fuss of the first one
Since we were little, we’ve dreamed of a grandiose wedding.
We have very definite ideas about most of the wedding details
We’re planning to get married in less than six months
We want to include all of our family and friends in our wedding
We’re both very traditional and want a traditional wedding
Because of the business we’re in, we need to invite many business associates and customers.
If you’re vacillating between a traditional and destination wedding because you really want that big reception and all those wedding presents, then you can video your destination wedding ceremony and have your reception at home showing the video on a large screen TV.
Chapter 3: Picking the Perfect Location
Which came first—the chicken or the egg? And what’s that got to do with cruise ship and estimation weddings? If money is very tight, you should start first with the budget – skip to Chapter 8; but, if the location of your destination wedding and honeymoon will determine the budget, then this is the right chapter to start with. Your wedding day and honeymoon are two of the most important days of your life and you want them to be a reflection of who you are, stress free and memorable in the best possible sense of the word.
This may be one of the easiest or one of the most difficult decisions you’ll have to make as you plan your special day. You may have met on a cruise ship three years ago and that’s exactly where you want to tie the knot. One of you might be a second generation Irish person and Dublin calls out to you. Perhaps you’ve always dreamed of a honeymoon on the island of Santorini in Greece. Decision made.
Most couples will have a bit more difficulty in coming to decision. The major factors which go into selecting the perfect location are climate, season, the needs of your guests, budget and activities. Hopefully you can both agree on the destination or you’ll have an opportunity to see how well you can compromise. In traditional weddings, most decisions are left to the bride, but not so in destination weddings. This will be a wedding/honeymoon choice and you’ll be spending several days with your guests, so it should be a place you both want to be, with activities that reflect your personal style and interests.
What kind of atmosphere would you choose? Would you prefer a tropical setting, a mountaintop, a palace in Europe, a Disneyland fantasy? If you’re planning a winter wedding, perhaps you’ll be skiing? A fall wedding in New England may appeal or perhaps you’d enjoy a summer wedding in a Mexican Hacienda? How close is the destination? The further away, normally the greater the travel costs are.
To help you get you started, here are the 10 favorite places according to ask.com for destination weddings and the top 10 ranked by most affordable:
Favorite Locations:
Costa Rica
Maui, Hawaii
Belize
Aruba
Virgin Islands
Nassau, Bahamas
Punta Cana, Mexico
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Tuscany, Italy
Florida Keys, U.S.
Most Affordable Locations:
Mexico
Las Vegas
Florida
Jamaica
Dominican Republic
Bahamas
California
Hawaii
Canada
Poconos, PA
If you spend enough time on the Internet, you can find a myriad of lists of top destination places. Here are a few more I’ve researched—just to make your decision a bit more complicated!
Greece
Fiji
Disneyland and Disney World
Turks and Caicos
St. Lucia
Take this Simple Test
To either simplify or further complicate your decision, sit down together and rank the following attributes from one to five, five being the highest. Make a column for each of you and when you are both finished, you can highlight all the items that you both marked with a five. With different color markers, each of you select the two to three that are the most important to you. This should help you move one step closer from your dreams to reality. Have fun!
What kind of location do you want?
Hot Weather
Mild Weather
Cold Weather
Dry Climate
Moist Climate
Sand and Beaches
Lakes/Ponds
Wilderness/Wooded Area
Mountains
Fields
City Streets
Small Local Town
Large Metropolitan Area
Popular Tourist Destination
Visiting Among the Locals
Nighttime Weather Conducive to Outdoor Activities
Nighttime Weather Conducive to Indoor Activities
Modern Resources and Services Available
Roughing it on Your Own
Customs and Cultures you are Familiar With
New Cultures you would like to Learn About
How about accommodations?
Part of a Larger Resort Community
A Stand-alone Building
Lodging Amongst Other Tourists
Lodging With Couples Only
Lodging with Other Newlyweds
Lodging Amongst the Locals
Large Room or Suite
Plush, Gorgeous Surroundings
Modest Décor
Balcony
Private Jacuzzi
Room Service
Laundry Facilities
Public Swimming Pool
Beauty Salon
Gym
Sauna
Spa
Poolside Bar Service
Gift Shop on Premises
Casual Dining
Formal Dining
Prepared by Executive Chefs
Prepared by Yourself
Variety of Local Restaurants
Traditional “American” Cuisine
Picnic Opportunities
Exotic Menus
Entertainment While Dining
Planned Meal Times
Flexible Meal Times
Fast Food Restaurants
Delicatessens
Vegetarian or Special Meals
Which activities?
Sun Bathing
Swimming
Diving
Snorkeling
Jet Skiing
Water Skiing
Fishing
Sailing
Snow Skiing
Snow Boarding
Hiking
Gambling
Rock Climbing
Tennis
Golf
Aerobics
Sight-Seeing
Guided Tours
Historic Tours
Art Museums
Cultural Activities
Theater
Dancing
Bars and Pubs
Camping
Be sure to take into consideration any guests with special needs. Beach weddings are very difficult for people in wheelchairs, for instance. Others may not be comfortable in high-altitude locales. And, if you’re tied into a specific month for your wedding, make sure your choice will not put you in the middle of a hurricane or rainy season.
Considering Europe?
Planning a wedding in Europe is exciting and, at the same time, could be a daunting experience. Expect to start your planning at least nine months in advance and a year is even better. If you’re considering Europe, probably it’s because either you or your fiancé has roots and/or family there. Or perhaps you’ve just always dreamed of visiting Paris or Athens.
Be aware, however, that countries such as England, Spain, Portugal and France as well as other countries have a 21 to 40-day residency requirement which you must meet in order to obtain a marriage license for a ceremony which is considered legal in other countries. In most European countries, only a civil ceremony is considered legal. It is important to check online and then confirm with a consulate exactly what paperwork you will need to bring with you.
Other countries, such as Italy, Greece, Gibraltar, Switzerland and Ireland have no residency requirements. Here’s a good place to start your research: Requirements for Getting Married.
Remember, in addition to the dollar being weak against the euro and pound, you will probably have to deal with a different language, customs and currency when planning a wedding in Europe.
Take into consideration when planning a European wedding that hotel rooms or B&B’s are often more expensive and smaller than their U.S. counterparts, especially in larger cities like Paris and London. It can sometimes be difficult to find a large block of rooms at one location. In most of Europe, you won’t find the selection of all-inclusive resorts that you do in more tropical settings. We highly recommend, therefore, that you use an experienced wedding planner to handle booking the rooms and flights as well as the wedding and reception details.
Because of the diverse European residency requirements in the following chapters, we will focus on the more popular “weddingmoons” in locales which have no such requirements.
In researching your destination wedding, make sure to find out:
Will your home country recognize your wedding as legal in your destination country?
What are the residency requirements?
What paperwork will you need from your home church if you’re planning a religious ceremony and will it need to be translated into the local language?
What documentation will you need to provide to prove that you are divorced or widowed?
Will you need blood tests and will they need to be performed locally?
Will there be English-speaking staff to communicate with?
What are all the costs and fees involved?
What will the weather be like during your wedding month?
Are there special lodging rates for your wedding party?
What previous experience does the venue have in planning weddings and receptions?
Next, we’ll take a more in-depth look at weddings in the U.S. and Canada, the tropics, cruises and all-inclusive resorts. When you’re finished with the next four chapters, you should have at least a short list to get you started. With that list, you can talk with your friends and family to see which places they would most enjoy going to and you can factor that into your decision.
Chapter 4: Choosing the United States or Canada
When you think about destination weddings, you probably imagine white sandy beaches with palm trees swaying in the breeze, ancient castles in Europe or even snow-covered mountain tops. But along with these locales, come hefty price tags for travelling, unknown legal requirements and possibly difficulties in dealing with foreign languages and cultures. The truth of the matter is that 33% of destination weddings take place in the United States. There are literally hundreds of thousands of opportunities in the U.S. for destination weddings.
Consider the United States
Think not only of beach resorts, but mountain lodges, riverboats, gardens, ski lodges and kayaks. Some couples have even said their “I do’s” underwater in scuba diving suits. Be creative. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a traditional church or synagogue wedding in a hustling, bustling city or in a rural village. Your selection of destination should represent your own interests. After all, this will be your special day.
From Alaska to Hawaii, from Maine to Florida and across the country, you can find beautiful, exotic venues for your destination wedding with no passport required. If you have in mind a specific site, just Google “Destination Wedding (state).” Be sure, while you’re there, to look up any special requirements for obtaining your marriage license.
Here are some of the more popular places within the U.S.:
Las Vegas
Most of us probably think of Las Vegas as the capital of elopements (quickie weddings and quickie divorces) and much of that is true. It’s easy and fast to get hitched in the city of glitz and gambling. You don’t need a blood test, nor is there a waiting period for your license. You can spend a measly $45.00 on a drive-through wedding. But wait! There’s more. You can also plan lavish events at the Bellagio and Venetian hotels. You can have Elvis marry you or choose a traditional church wedding. The choices are almost endless.
Disney World and Disneyland
Even if there are not many children in the wedding party or on the guest list, Disney provides two wonderful venues for those young at heart. At Disneyland in California, a “fairy god planner” will assist you with all the details. You can arrive at your ceremony in Cinderella’s magical horse-drawn coach, have Mickey and Minnie mouse greet your guests at the reception or have a traditional elegant ceremony in one of the many hotels or resorts. At Disney World you can marry in one of the many Epcot country venues and the various wedding packages offered here will fit almost any budget.
Florida
Besides the Disney venues, if you’re in search of that tropical beach wedding, Florida offers many good choices. You can choose between the east and west coasts or tie the knot in the Florida Keys where many wedding consultants and planners are available to help you create the perfect wedding.
Alaska
Probably the antithesis to tropical wedded bliss, Alaska offers incredible beauty and promises a memorable wedding. Weather wise, the best months in Alaska are from May to September. If you’d like, you can get married in a helicopter above a beautiful glacier, on one of the many cruise ships or under the trees of Alaska’s beautiful rainforest. You and your guests can explore the old mining towns, be treated to outdoor hiking adventures or a dogsled experience. There’s plenty to do in Alaska.
California
California’s diversity offers wedding venues ranging from the beauty of San Juan Capistrano to the wine country in Napa and Sonoma counties to the charm of cable cars and Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco to the sand dunes, beaches and famous golf courses in Carmel. Or, think about the old town in San Diego, where a south-of-the-border wedding theme is common.
Hawaii
One of the advantages Hawaii has over other tropical islands is that it is part of the United States; U.S. citizens will not need passports and will be able to speak the same language. Maui is considered by many to be the most beautiful island in the world. You can choose from Oahu, Maui, Kauai or the Big Island to plan your big event. Imagine the breeze in your hair, sand between your toes and the sheer dramatic beauty of the islands’ appeal.
North to Canada
Canada is a grand country of dazzling beauty and variety. Your first consideration should be weather. Make sure if you choose one of the lovely Canadian provinces as your nuptial preference, that you take the weather into consideration before setting a date for your destination wedding. Also, each province has unique requirements for marriage licenses. You can check here to research them. Here are a few of the favorite spots:
Victoria, British Columbia
Located on the southeastern shore of Vancouver Island, on the western border of Canada, Victoria is picture postcard perfect and a romantic place to say “I do.” With its beautiful harbor, parliament buildings and the famous Empress Hotel, Victoria is considered the California of Canada. For couples who want an intimate, luxurious setting, try the lounge at the Empress Hotel or, for larger weddings, the hotel can arrange a ceremony in the Crystal Ballroom.
Niagara Falls, Niagara
Niagara Falls has long been known as the honeymoon capital of North America and is rapidly gaining fame as the wedding capital. The falls are considered one of the wonders of the world. Just outside the bustling activity which surrounds the falls are a wine region and a delightful town called Niagara-on-the-lake. Whether you want an upscale wedding at the Embassy Suites Hotel, where you can recite your vows 40 stories above the falls, or you prefer a more intimate venue in the Carriage House at the Vineland Estates among acres of rolling hills covered with vineyards, Niagara Falls may be calling to you.