Tuesday, September 11, 2007
How to Plan Romantic Weddings Abroad
For many people romantic weddings abroad are a dream that they feel they could never bring to reality, while for others they are simply another option when they decide to get married. In fact, there is no need for such distinctions since weddings abroad are realistic options for any couple irrespective of their country of residence.
Many couples want to have a beach wedding and generally go to California or Florida. Others who want to be married abroad opt for the Caribbean where they have Jamaica, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia and over 100 other islands to choose from. However, if you prefer something really different for your beach wedding get married right on Copacabana Beach. There are lots of possibilities in romantic Rio and you can get married on the beach for around $1000 including flowers, cake and champagne, and less than $20 a guest for the reception dinner.
Caribbean Weddings
One of the major obstacles in the minds of many people considering being married abroad is the lack of direct control over the preparations, for the simple reason that you cannot check out the venues beforehand, and are unable to visually check that your wishes are being properly met. To many people this is more of an obstacle than price, since foreign weddings can often be significantly less expensive than those at home.
However, you can alleviate yourself of that problem by hiring a professional wedding organizer to tend to the arrangements in the country of your choice. He or she will not only be able to check out the venues and see to their hiring, but also keep you informed of the legal necessities such as the reading of the Marriage Banns and any local licensing and residency requirements. There is also the question of visas and passports. A professional organizer can ensure that you clear all statutory obstacles and iron out all the creases to make your dream wedding a reality.
You can also do this yourself, and many couples prefer to take this route for the satisfaction that it gives them. However, it is easy to miss something and it would be a bit annoying having your wedding stopped because you did not have local authority permission. If your heart is set on a beach wedding, they are not legal in many European countries. Also, if you want to be married in France, there is a residency period of 60 days and applications have to be made in person.
Had you arrived in Paris expecting to be married within a few days you would have been very disappointed to find that you would have to live there for two months first. So would your guests who had just arrived at the airport!
However, if you find out the rules and regulations beforehand, then all you need do now is to let your friends and relatives know where you intend to marry, and find out who are able to join you. It is your decision whether to send formal invitations or not, since most of your friends might find it difficult to attend a wedding in another country with the travel and accommodation costs involved, and the possibility of visas and even passport renewals.
Travelling Documents For Romantic Weddings Abroad
It is calculated that less than 20% of Americans possess passports, and most of these are due to business requirements. The reason is the size of the country, and the fact that the majority of Americans do not travel abroad for vacations. Your potential guests should be made aware of the fact that the average waiting time for a first passport is 25 to 30 days. You should give your guests plenty time to make a decision and then apply for the passport. If a visa is needed for your destination, then also keep in mind that a passport is needed before a visa can be applied for, and visas can take over a month to arrive.
All of this and we have not yet got past the passport and visa problem! However, get over that problem and you should be all set. You will likely be set on marrying in a well known foreign location that will be well used to handling weddings and will know what you will need. If it is a beach wedding you want then make sure that no specific permissions are required, since beach weddings are neither popular nor common in Europe, as they are in the USA. The same is true of Asia. You should also be aware of the prevailing weather conditions, and have indoor facilities such as a hall booked in case of rain, hail or snow!
Don’t let all that worry you though. You should not find it difficult to find a venue for your ceremony or your reception, though are probably advised to get these booked and then set your wedding date round that. It is difficult to book a reception first, or to send out invitations before doing so without knowing the available capacity, but this is true of any wedding. For a wedding abroad you are likely best to get the venues provisionally booked and then find out who will be able to make it. You can then confirm the numbers.
Caribbean Weddings
Once you have achieved all of that, then you can tidy up the details and enjoy your carefully planned romantic wedding abroad, secure in the knowledge that all will go well and without a single hitch.
Wedding Abroad Activities
As brides get more and more creative and excited in planning their wedding abroad activities, beach wedding funs are becoming more and more popular. Although this might result in a smaller guest list, it can also result in some fun opportunities for activities.
The trend with new brides is that they like to have their weddings at seaside, so they move the festivities to a beach locale, either on their local coast or somewhere more exotic like Barbados or the Bahamas. In any event, there are several activities that can be planned around this theme. If the wedding is also a weekend event where guests will be around for more than just the wedding, the bride can plan a sailing excursion. Charter a boat for a day and bring your guests out on the water to relax, rejuvenate, and perhaps enjoy a meal.
Many couples want to have a beach wedding and generally go to California or Florida. Others who want to be married abroad opt for the Caribbean where they have Jamaica, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia and over 100 other islands to choose from. However, if you prefer something really different for your beach wedding get married right on Copacabana Beach. There are lots of possibilities in romantic Rio and you can get married on the beach for around $1000 including flowers, cake and champagne, and less than $20 a guest for the reception dinner.
Caribbean Weddings
One of the major obstacles in the minds of many people considering being married abroad is the lack of direct control over the preparations, for the simple reason that you cannot check out the venues beforehand, and are unable to visually check that your wishes are being properly met. To many people this is more of an obstacle than price, since foreign weddings can often be significantly less expensive than those at home.
However, you can alleviate yourself of that problem by hiring a professional wedding organizer to tend to the arrangements in the country of your choice. He or she will not only be able to check out the venues and see to their hiring, but also keep you informed of the legal necessities such as the reading of the Marriage Banns and any local licensing and residency requirements. There is also the question of visas and passports. A professional organizer can ensure that you clear all statutory obstacles and iron out all the creases to make your dream wedding a reality.
You can also do this yourself, and many couples prefer to take this route for the satisfaction that it gives them. However, it is easy to miss something and it would be a bit annoying having your wedding stopped because you did not have local authority permission. If your heart is set on a beach wedding, they are not legal in many European countries. Also, if you want to be married in France, there is a residency period of 60 days and applications have to be made in person.
Had you arrived in Paris expecting to be married within a few days you would have been very disappointed to find that you would have to live there for two months first. So would your guests who had just arrived at the airport!
However, if you find out the rules and regulations beforehand, then all you need do now is to let your friends and relatives know where you intend to marry, and find out who are able to join you. It is your decision whether to send formal invitations or not, since most of your friends might find it difficult to attend a wedding in another country with the travel and accommodation costs involved, and the possibility of visas and even passport renewals.
Travelling Documents For Romantic Weddings Abroad
It is calculated that less than 20% of Americans possess passports, and most of these are due to business requirements. The reason is the size of the country, and the fact that the majority of Americans do not travel abroad for vacations. Your potential guests should be made aware of the fact that the average waiting time for a first passport is 25 to 30 days. You should give your guests plenty time to make a decision and then apply for the passport. If a visa is needed for your destination, then also keep in mind that a passport is needed before a visa can be applied for, and visas can take over a month to arrive.
All of this and we have not yet got past the passport and visa problem! However, get over that problem and you should be all set. You will likely be set on marrying in a well known foreign location that will be well used to handling weddings and will know what you will need. If it is a beach wedding you want then make sure that no specific permissions are required, since beach weddings are neither popular nor common in Europe, as they are in the USA. The same is true of Asia. You should also be aware of the prevailing weather conditions, and have indoor facilities such as a hall booked in case of rain, hail or snow!
Don’t let all that worry you though. You should not find it difficult to find a venue for your ceremony or your reception, though are probably advised to get these booked and then set your wedding date round that. It is difficult to book a reception first, or to send out invitations before doing so without knowing the available capacity, but this is true of any wedding. For a wedding abroad you are likely best to get the venues provisionally booked and then find out who will be able to make it. You can then confirm the numbers.
Caribbean Weddings
Once you have achieved all of that, then you can tidy up the details and enjoy your carefully planned romantic wedding abroad, secure in the knowledge that all will go well and without a single hitch.
Wedding Abroad Activities
As brides get more and more creative and excited in planning their wedding abroad activities, beach wedding funs are becoming more and more popular. Although this might result in a smaller guest list, it can also result in some fun opportunities for activities.
The trend with new brides is that they like to have their weddings at seaside, so they move the festivities to a beach locale, either on their local coast or somewhere more exotic like Barbados or the Bahamas. In any event, there are several activities that can be planned around this theme. If the wedding is also a weekend event where guests will be around for more than just the wedding, the bride can plan a sailing excursion. Charter a boat for a day and bring your guests out on the water to relax, rejuvenate, and perhaps enjoy a meal.
Labels: Destination wedding, Romantic Wedding Abroad, Romantic Weddings Abroad, Wedding Abroad Activities
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# posted by M. D @ 7:50 PM 
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