On the romantic island of Bali, Dorothy and Stanley were wed in a celebration that was truly out of this world! The couple focused on making each detail reflect their unique personalities, including a carpet of pink rose petals down the aisle, the bride’s favorite, plus a cake topper that was a identical replica of the couple’s wedding ensemble complete with a miniature Vera Wang dress and a dashing navy blue suit. Their big day was as enchanting as it was unforgettable!
The Goals: Our most important goal for our wedding was to personalize everything.
The Design: We wanted every detail about the wedding to be about the two of us. For example, our invitation showed a bride and groom together on a tandem bicycle as Stanley loves bicycles and is also a bicycle design engineer. Our RSVP card, the design of which I thought was really clever, also featured a bicycle but with four seats the bride and groom were in the front two seats and in the back there were two empty seats reserved for our invited guests. As for me, I love Westies and sweets, so for our desserts table we had custom made Westie cupcakes and Westie and bicycle shaped cookies. I think the best personalized item at our wedding was our wedding cake topper, which featured a miniature bride in a Vera Wang dress custom made to be exactly as my wedding dress (the details of the dress were amazing!), a groom in a navy blue suit just like Stanley’s, along with a bicycle and a little Westie pup.
The Location: We held the wedding at Alila Villas Uluwatu. We loved the cabana and the view we had during the wedding ceremony. Our reception was held at the same venue next to the Cabana.
The Photography: We were looking for someone who had experience photographing in Bali, and who was very professional and had great artistic talent. Their pictures are so full of emotion and love, but best of all, they allowed us to be ourselves.
Beaming from ear to ear, Michelle and Paul tied the knot at the The Ringling Museum of Art followed by a fabulous celebration planned by Lisa Stoner of E-Events at The Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, Florida. In a stunning Monique Lhullier lace number, the bride walked down the aisle on her father’s arm and married the love of her life, and Abby Liga of Liga Photography was there to capture their perfect happily ever after!
The Goals:We wanted our wedding to be romantic, vintage and elegant.
The Design:As I said earlier with the three words: vintage romance with an elegant and classic feel. I have always loved all things vintage so I think that really came through in our wedding – the cocktail and dinner hour played 1920s-1940s music, my earrings were vintage and borrowed from a friend of the family’s grandmother, the tables were lined with cut crystal and mercury glass votives and vases, the table assignments were letterpressed number on blank white cotton cards tucked inside calligraphed envelopes, the guys in suspenders, the 1933 Packard limousine for my dad and I, vintage champagne flutes that were rose colored with a gold rim, the invitations were sent with a collection of six vintage garden themed stamps and trolleys to transport our guests. I also have a strong attention to detail so everything was well thought out and nothing was overlooked – personalized stir sticks and straws for the cocktail hour and the after party, welcome baskets for the guests at check in, tissues and a flavored water station for the guests as they arrived at the ceremony, a photo booth for the reception, personalized programs and menu cards, and custom door hangers for the hotel rooms. My husband and I are also a very fun and carefree couple – we served carnival food (my favorite!) cotton candy, funnel cake, candies apples, caramel popcorn, fried candy bars and soft pretzels with cheese and the groomsmen all wore bright colored polka-dot socks. During the last song (Shout!) we had twelve confetti guns with Co2 tanks that really made the room light up. We also had all sorts of glow favors for the after party (blinky foam sticks, light up sunglasses and glow necklaces).
The Location: I loved the ceremony venue, The Ringling Museum of Art. I feel like it was such a breathtaking place that it made the ceremony that much more intimate and beautiful.
The Moments: As I am sure every bride says, I will never forget walking down the aisle. I never took my eyes of the groom and while there was two hundred people watching, it was the most intimate and personal moment we shared all weekend.
The Advice:Don’t forget about your groom. I feel it is so easy to get caught up in planning for the big day that a bride might easily forget about how to make it meaningful for the groom as well. Try to incorporate his style, too. I used music during the ceremony that I knew would be meaningful for him without letting him know. To his surprise, I walked down the aisle to his favorite song (Clair de Lune). It really made the day special for him and more intimate for the two of us. Make sure his personality and style is represented too.
Costa Rica wedding planner Barbara Broutin of FourNineteen Weddings specializes in creating destination weddings for couples from all around the world, and today she is revealing her top tips for planning a destination wedding. From the preparation to the execution, all of Barbara’s tips are crucial for a fun, relaxing destination wedding!
Do your own research before choosing a location for your wedding destination! Researching as much as you can about the place you are considering for your destination wedding is a great way to get some realistic information on the destination itself, even more so if it is a place where you’ve never been before. Even if you have been, it is a different thing travelling to a place on holiday than considering it for one of the most important events in your life. Research things such as marriage license requirements, weather, tourist season dates, flights, hotels, and of course, possible venues for the actual wedding. The more information you can gather before actually committing to a specific destination, the less possibility of surprises there will be in the planning process.
Once you have picked a destination for your wedding, the next step is to hire a local wedding planner. While it is possible to plan a destination wedding on your own, hiring a planner with local know-how and contacts is a great investment, and will greatly help your stress levels and sanity. A planner can give you additional advice on topics such as venues, dates, and local travel, and will put at your disposal a great list of local photographers, officiants, florists, and other wedding providers that are trustworthy and good at what they do. Your planner will handle all the on-site work, help you create a great experience for all your guests, and allow you to really enjoy your wedding day, without having to worry about a thing.
Just like back at home, venues, hotels and vendors book up quickly, particularly if you are having your wedding during high demand months, and booking services as soon as possible will be vital in getting the professionals you want. You should consider the fact that, if you are getting married in a small country, there may be a relatively limited amount of good professionals that book up quickly! Planning ahead also includes giving your guests advance notice of your wedding plans. My rule of thumb is, the farther the destination, the sooner you need to send out your save-the-dates. You have to consider that your guests will have to plan ahead to attend your wedding, and factor expenses such as air travel and lodging, and using vacation time or asking for time off from work. While some guests might only travel for the wedding, others may want to make a vacation out of it, and you want them to have enough time to work out the details. Also consider that it is quite possible that not everyone you invite will be able to attend, so giving advance notice will give you a good idea of how many people will be at your wedding, an important factor in finalizing budgeting and details.
Just like you would when planning an in-town wedding, make sure you set your priorities at the beginning of the planning process. However, you also have to consider your destination when you set your priorities, and understand, that many things that may be easy to come by at home, may not be so accessible in a faraway destination. Let your vendors know what you want, but be open to their suggestions, as they know what works best and what is available. Maybe you are set on having a peony bouquet, but it so happens that peonies are not available or are super expensive in your destination, but your planner or florist can recommend alternatives to achieve the same look. Be open to exploring other options and do not shut the doors to different possibilities that may just be what makes your wedding unique.
From vendors to food to flowers, keeping as many aspects of your wedding as local as possible is not only a great budget saver and an eco-friendly strategy, but it also allows you to experience the true beauty of the place you choose to get married in. Treat your guests to a yummy dinner showcasing local flavors, customize wedding favors to include local candies, hire a local musician – the possibilities are endless.
Friends and family who attend your destination wedding will possibly be making an extra expense to join you on your special day. Consider this when planning, and make sure you add the extra touches that show the appreciation you feel towards them. Give them an information packet with all the travel details and activities, and fun tips about the destination. Prepare welcome bags including fun local products. Plan (optional) group activities that your guests will enjoy. Most couples also choose to invite all their wedding guests to the rehearsal dinner. Be sure to thank everyone for coming to your faraway wedding and be sure to have fun and dance the night away!
Thank you Barbara for sharing your wonderful words of wisdom with us all! Be sure to check out FourNineteen Weddings if you’re thinking of a destination wedding in Costa Rica!
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