How can I find a travel agent that specializes in destination weddings?
Do I need a passport?
Will we need a wedding consultant or coordinator?
What is the dress code for a beach wedding?
How do I get my wedding dress there safely?
What if we want our wedding on a cruise?
How can I find a travel agent that specializes in destination weddings?
Wright Travel Agency (www.wrighttravelagency.com) specializes in destination weddings and is happy to help you plan your event.
Do I need a passport?
Short answer: at this time, it is not legally required to have a passport to travel to Mexico, but you will need your original birth certificate that has an embossed stamp of authenticity. The laws will change the end of the year, requiring that you MUST have a passport or other acceptable document when flying into a foreign country.
- December 31, 2006 - Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
- December 31, 2007 - Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel.
Will we need a wedding consultant or coordinator?
That depends on YOU! How much time do you have to research the location, vendors, and all of the little details of your destination wedding? If you don't have the time (or feel qualified) to research the legal requirements that go along with a destination wedding you may want to consider hiring a local wedding coordinator to help hire the vendors in that area, officiant options. Some hotels, wedding chapels, bed & breakfasts, and "destination packages" provide this service for free, however. Some do not. Travel agents can also act as coordinators. Consultants may base their fee on a percentage scale-- and/or offer a flat rate. Some may provide "total service" packages, while others may offer their services à la carte.
What is the dress code for a beach wedding?
A beach wedding can be either formal or informal. The more formal the ceremony, the more intricate the planning usually is. Decide early in the process and plan accordingly.
How do I get my wedding dress there safely?
If you are flying, you can usually make arrangements with your airline in advance. First-class cabins have large "coat closets" that can be used for bridal gown storage. If they do not allow you to make these arrangements in advance, let the check-in attendant know you are carrying on your wedding dress and they can make special arrangements for you (like put your dress in the flight stewards closet).
If your plane does not have a first-class area (on airlines such as Southwest), it is highly recommended that you package the dress in a large box and ship it to your destination in advance, carefully packed in tissue to hold its shape. Regardless of the method you choose, look into having your gown pressed at a local cleaners upon your arrival. Your hotel's concierge and/or wedding coordinator can help with this.
What if we want our wedding on a cruise?
According to Cruise Lines International Association, cruise weddings have grown at a phenomenal rate the last few years. Five years ago, there were practically none, but this year there will be thousands. Carnival Cruise Lines alone estimates it will plan over 2000 weddings this year, and those weddings will also have a built-in honeymoon. This growth rate should not be surprising. You can have a wedding and then sail off on your honeymoon! No travel time wasted between the "I dos" and the fun. Most cruise weddings are on the major cruise lines. Wedding packages are available from American Hawaii, Cape Canaveral, Carnival, Celebrity, Costa, Holland America, Norwegian, Premier, Princess, Regal, and Royal Caribbean International.
Cruise weddings can take place onboard in a public room on the ship, or on a romantic shore such as a beach or a glacier.
The Grand Princess has its own wedding chapel, and the captain is authorized to marry you at sea. RCCI's Voyager of the Seas has a wedding chapel, but you will need to tie the knot while in port. Many couples get married while in a Caribbean port or before the cruise begins. That way the guests can come aboard, enjoy the service, and disembark before sailing. Alternatively, you could invite all your guests on the honeymoon!
The price range of a shipboard wedding is just like one ashore--from a few hundred dollars to thousands. You will need to consult with a cruise travel agent, an independent wedding planner, or the cruise line's wedding department to select the best package for you.