Are you recently engaged? However, are you opting out on the planning a big wedding and being stressed the entire time? Are you going with a more intimate wedding at a fabulous destination? A destination wedding is great if you're wanting a more intimate place, plus the fact that it's at a beautiful site is a plus. It serves as your destination wedding and honeymoon. However, what can you expect when planning a destination wedding? Well, Wedding and Party Network is here to provide you with a few tips and what you can expect when planning your destination wedding.

Research – First thing is first, research your location. Research out different locations in the area, resorts, all-inclusive resorts, wedding laws, costs, flights, hotels and everything in between. Along with planning a wedding in your area, there are certain pre-planning steps for your destination wedding. The best thing way is to research online or visit with a travel agency that specializes in destination weddings. They will help answer all your questions.

Choose According To You -There are so many places out there, that you must find a place that is suitable for you. The beach, mountains, lake or even your favorite amusement park; these are all locations for your dream wedding. Find the perfect location for what fits your dream wedding and personality.

Combine – You can save money by combining items together. Mainly, combine the wedding and honeymoon together. Normally, when you plan your destination wedding, you are planning at a tropical location or one of your favorite getaways, which makes it a great honeymoon too.

Weather - Don't forget to research the weather. Not everyone shares the same weather during your time of the year. It could be cold in your area, but warm in the area you plan on getting married or it could be warm in your area, but cold in your ceremony site. Make sure to do your research on temperatures, seasons, tornado or even hurricane seasons.

Wedding Laws -If you're planning a wedding out of country, don't forget to research their wedding law. You'll need to know what paperwork you need like, immunization, blood work, marriage license, residency requirements and witnesses. Different countries need different requirements.

Considerate of Guests – Of course, having an out-of-town wedding is more expensive for your guests. Be understanding if your guests aren't able to make it. However, if they are, make sure you go out of your way to provide in depth lodging and transportation. Even create out-of-town gift sets for them with personal necessities, candy and whatever else you may associate with your wedding.

Use A Consultant - If you're unsure about planning a destination wedding, hire a wedding consultant or visit your local travel agency. They'll be more knowledgeable in what you need and know the best vendors in the area.

Just Go With It - Of course with every wedding, nothing will go as planned. So, don't stress, relax and enjoy it!

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Blogs, Facebook, Twitter…many of us use these popular social media tools to keep up with friends, but did you know that social media is now a valuable wedding planning tool? Tips, special deals, and local vendors can all be found online through social media sites. And just as each site varies drastically from the other, the strategy for finding the best tips and deals on each site varies, too:

This edition will feature how to find a good wedding blog , what constitutes a "good" blog verses a bad blog, and how to use blogs to plan your wedding!

Blogs

Blogs are the most popular means of finding wedding information online. There is a blog for every type of bride and tips and deals to be found for every type of wedding. Budget-friendly, DIY, or extravagant, the best tips and vendors can be found online. However, not all blogs are created equal. Here are a few tips to make sure the content you come across is worthy of your time:

Frequent updates: Any blogger dedicated to a topic will update regularly with new information, photos, etc. A blog doesn't need to be updated daily (although many quality wedding blogs are), but regular updates are a sign of an author truly taking an interest in a topic, which leads to:

Archives: Most dedicated bloggers will post an archive of their work on their site. This isn't a must; however, a list of links off to the side organized by date or relevance shows that the writer has accumulated a breadth of useful information–always a good sign.

Originality: It's not uncommon for a blog to host a guest writer; however, the majority of the content on the site should be generated by a writer or team of writers who either own or are employed by the owners of the site. Why? Many sites, despite copyright law and general ethics, will copy posts written by someone else on another blog and claim it as their own. This is incredibly common and frustrating for sites who focus on providing consistent, up-to-date information to readers. Checking for archives is a great way to examine the content on a blog. If the site offers a list of previous posts, ask yourself: are they consistent? Is the site dedicated to one thought? Is the copy riddled with errors? A 'yes' answer to any of these could mean the site is questionable.

Google tip: Copy and paste the blog title or first few sentences of a blog post to see if it pops up elsewhere on the Web. If several sites show the same post, this is a sign of plagiarism. Click through to find the original blog and use that as your reference. Also, the URL should reflect the site's topic, such as weddingandpartynetwork.com, not a generic blog name, like goodblog.com

Design: The old saying, "Never judge a book by its cover," goes out the window when it comes to online content, particularly for wedding blogs, which often feature design tips, color schemes, and other visual topics. The site doesn't have to feature award-winning design, but it does need to show that some thought has gone into its appearance. A site's design should be cohesive and reflect the purpose or theme of its content. For example, many wedding blogs will feature pastel colors, photos of weddings, and illustrations that reflects its readers' interests. A consistent design throughout the site adds to its identity and credibility.

Linking: A good wedding blog will feature links to and from the site. A successful writer will establish herself as an authority and will have links to her blog, as well as links to other vital information that could assist readers.

Keeping It Local

Blogs are also a great way to discover local wedding vendors that can get lost in the shuffle as nation-wide companies compete for their customers. Local vendors offer unique items and services that often cannot be found with nation-wide vendors–and with better prices and with personalized service.

Local wedding vendors care about your wedding day as much as you do. The good news is that many high-quailty local vendors can be found online via social media alongside their impersonal competitors! It just takes a few clicks to find the best near your wedding location! Part 2 of the series will feature how to find your local vendors using Facebook!

On Facebook? Be sure to like our page at http://www.facebook.com/weddingandpartynetwork for the latest in wedding news, tips, and updates!

With summer right around the corner, it’s hard for me not to daydream about the romantic possibilities that the quixotic destination wedding holds. It almost seems as if a movie is taking place around your life; a movie that is embedded in your mind for the rest of your life. Destination weddings have become even more popular over the past few years. Which has in turn resulted in a demand for more destination wedding options from travel providers and wedding coordinators.

A popular option for destination weddings are Cruise Weddings. (And no, I don’t mean you have to get married on the cruise ship.) Many couples are taking the cruise opportunity as a means of transportation to their favorite island. While the boat is docked, they take this time to exchange vows and celebrate on the beach, or a venue on the island. When the day is done, everyone heads back to the boat to enjoy more all-inclusive meals and drinks. This is a great way to minimize costs to guests, keep things simple, and have a good time in the process.

With any destination wedding, legal documents can be a bit of a hassle. Make sure that if you are getting married out of country you have all of the correct paperwork and certificates required or you might not be legally wed when you return home. Most travel agencies or cruise lines can help you with this paper work if you let them know your plans. Travel agents are very useful in this type of situation also. If you have a travel agent helping you plan your destination wedding, they can help you get your marriage documents together to ensure a smooth process.

Be sure to look into making your destination wedding and honeymoon smooth sailin’ this summer with a destination wedding cruise. Whether just the bride and groom or the entire family, destination wedding cruises have something for all ages to enjoy. Your guests will be thrilled!

Destination weddings are very popular these days. After all, who wouldn’t want to tie the knot on a beach at sunset in Maui, Jamaica or Bermuda? There are many great destinations for your nuptials but, deciding which destination is only a small part of the wedding planning.  When considering a destination wedding you are faced with who to invite and who pays for what. Here are some destination wedding etiquette tips that should help planning your destination wedding easier.

Continue reading "Consideration Is Key When Planning a Destination Wedding" »