You've found your dream destination for your wedding, now all you need is the perfect dress. We headed over to Kleinfeld Bridal Salon in NYC, where we found three beautiful dresses that are ideal for a beach setting. Not only are they light and airy, but they will also go perfectly with bare feet. Watch today's special wedding edition of Currently Trending to see these gorgeous gowns. On Allison McNamara: Armani Exchange dress.
Most people have a love/hate relationship with destination weddings. While they automatically sound expensive, aside from the cost of getting there and staying there, they aren't necessarily budget killers. To see what I mean, check out the advice below given to someone who isn't sure she can swing her friend's wedding in Mexico. You can also submit your wedding-related finance questions in our Ask Savvy group.
Dear Savvy,
A friend from college is getting married this summer in Mexico. I was pleasantly surprised to be invited with my boyfriend and while a jaunt south of the border with him sounds lovely in spirit, I just don't know how feasible it is — money is tight right now. I'd love to see all my old friends and have the opportunity to introduce them to my boyfriend, but I'm still on the fence. What should I expect to pay for if we decide to go?
To see what a savvy bride has to say about this, keep reading after the jump.
It's a new year, which means more weddings to come! My friend was telling me the other day on her plans to save by having a destination wedding, which will help reduce the guest list. At the same time, she'll be saving on her honeymoon costs as well, because she's planning on combining it with her destination wedding.
If this is something you're keen on, perhaps you can even consider Skyping the wedding for friends and family who want to see it. What do you think — is this a savvy idea and something you would do? Do you have any more tips to reduce wedding costs?
California Gurl Katy Perry and Brit Russell Brand tied the knot this weekend in India. The couple embraced some of the country's wedding traditions, holding an Indian wedding procession, arriving on elephant, and sporting traditional dress.
If you get married abroad, you can incorporate the country's customs into your celebration. It also makes for a memorable backdrop. I had a friend who married in Paris last year, and she took photos on her wedding day at many of the city's charming monuments. Or maybe you'd like to skip town and have a relaxing beach wedding in Mexico.
Would you consider getting married in another country?
Are you saddled with an insanely long wedding guest list, but don't know how to tell people they're not invited? A co-worker yesterday told me about how someone she knew cut her guest list by moving the wedding further away. The bride made sure to hold the wedding near enough for close friends and family to make the trip. The couple live in Los Angeles but picked Vegas as their destination wedding spot. They figured it'll solve the problem of telling people like relatives of relatives they're not invited.
Do you think this is a savvy idea, or should the couple have been more aggressive?
Have you been considering a destination wedding? To help you make your decision, Alison Hotchkiss, the creative director of Alison Events and the author of Destination Wedding Planner, shares a quiz from her book. Find out if a destination wedding is the right type of wedding for you and your fiancé when you take this quiz!
Destination weddings can be spectacular. Getting out of your day-to-day, back to somewhere memorable or maybe somewhere exotic can be the perfect setting for an amazing wedding experience — whether you're the bride or a guest. Obviously, the more exotic the location, the trickier the travel arrangements for everyone involved, but if your heart is set on a wedding away, it can be totally worth it. I've had friends marry South of the Border and some who got hitched across the country, but I have yet to leave the continent for a wedding away — though Fiji might be nice. What about you? What's the farthest you've traveled for a wedding, be it your own or a friend's? And, tell me, was it worth the trip?
Thanks to a reader with an issue (sorry, reader!), we have an awkward scenario for you that she needs you to weigh in on.
"I have been invited to a destination wedding in Mexico. The bride has graciously invited me plus a guest. The problem is that I am not currently dating anyone and I am not really comfortable inviting any of my male friends. I may know some of the other guests, as I went to college with the bride, but I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't. While I'm not opposed to traveling alone, I feel the whole trip would be more enjoyable if I had someone with me. Can I bring a platonic girlfriend to the wedding or is that misusing the privilege of being invited with a guest? Is it appropriate to ask the bride?"
Alison Hotchkiss, the creative director of Alison Events and the author of Destination Wedding Planner, took some time out of her busy wedding planning schedule to offer CasaSugar readers some words of advice on planning their weddings. If you, or a couple you know, are planning a destination wedding, I highly recommend Alison's new book to help lend a guiding hand in your planning process.
CasaSugar: Congratulations on the book! I love the tone and the fun look of this planner.
Alison Hotchkiss: Oh thank you! I thought that the imagery and the lighthearted tone would encourage people to enjoy planning their weddings.
CasaSugar: What was your experience with working with Chronicle Books [the publisher of Alison’s book]?
Alison Hotchkiss: It was fun to work with Chronicle. They were really open to all of my suggestions and it felt like a very collaborative project. It felt really good, and they treated me like family. Chronicle is very supportive. They’re very cool people over there. I feel very happy to have them as my publishing company.
CasaSugar: How did you get started as a destination wedding planner?
Alison Hotchkiss: I’ve been an avid traveler since childhood, and my initial goal was to be a meeting planner, since my understanding was that they could travel all over the world. So a couple years after doing that I fell into the right situation helping with someone doing day-of event wedding planning. I realized there was a need for destination wedding planners; there were only a small number of us. The cover of my book shows the first wedding I planned. The bride on the cover is Emily Nathan, who got married in Kauai. I gave that wedding 150 percent of my energy, and I realized how much I loved it. That was seven years ago. So now, I’ll travel pretty much anywhere, but my specialty is tropical locations or mountainous locations. I love going somewhere new and learning about the place, the culture, and making new friends. It’s a blast.
To hear about some things a couple should consider when planning a destination wedding, read more
If you're an excited bride-to-be considering a destination wedding, you'd be well advised to pick up Destination Wedding Planner ($19.95). Written by wedding planner Alison Hotchkiss, creative director of Alison Events, this book is full of all the advice that a bride-to-be could possibly need for plotting the perfect far-flung wedding. I just received the book yesterday, and I haven't been able to tear myself away from its pages.
After pausing to take in the book's gorgeous cover (the photo was taken from a wedding on a Kauai beach), I admired its handsome, smart design. A ring binder spine makes it easy to flip through, and tabs labeling topics such as "Getting Started," "Location, Location," and "Pulling It Off" allow a harried bride-to-be to turn to the correct section at a moment's notice.
Each chapter begins with a collage of inspirational photos, printed on heavy cardstock. The cardstock page flips to reveal a hidden pocket, perfect for storing inspirational ideas, photographs, invitation samples, or lists. Throughout the book, Alison's tone is pitch-perfect. She conveys practical advice and inspired ideas in a welcoming tone that reminds me of my best girlfriends. The book is also really fun to read, with a combination of lists, highlighted tips, quizzes, and pages reserved for notes and contact information.
I definitely needed this book last year, when I was planning my destination wedding, but my loss is every other bride-to-be's gain. And for $20, this may be the smartest item you budget into your wedding!
