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Whether you're in the bridal party or a wedding guest, you should be prepared when it comes to attending a destination wedding. Depending on the location, the comforts and ease of going to a store or shop nearby might not be an option so it's important to pack accordingly. Here are three essentials you should bring with you to any destination wedding: 1) Sunscreen and Bug Spray: Not all sunscreens and bug repellent sprays are created equal. Bring what works for you and don't rely on buying these types of things at the destination location or resort you're staying at unless you're willing to fork up at least double what you'd normally pay. Plus nothing ruins a good trip more than a bad sunburn or being tattooed with insect bites! 2) Medication: This one is obvious but bringing your own personal prescriptions as well as any other "just in case," medications such as aspirin, allergy tablets, cold/cough medicine is an absolute must. I even make sure to bring cough drops and hydrocortisone because you never know what you'll need. Oh and don't forget a first aid kit! 3) Wedding Attire: It's hard to believe but people sometimes forget that the reason they're going on this trip is to attend a wedding. If you're headed to a beach destination, of course you don't want to forget your swimsuit and flip flops but while you're packing your bags, make sure the first thing you set aside is proper wedding attire. Check and see if the bride and groom have made any special requests on what to bring or wear -- some couples will ask their guests not to wear white or light colored tones and of course you'll also need to dress accordingly in terms of the overall mood -- casual, semi-casual, formal, etc. - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world.

Written by Jonathan Katz of Drums in Paradise A destination wedding is something out of the ordinary, it’s different and exciting. You’ve deliberately chosen to take yourself and your guests into a new experience so you want to make sure the entertainment you choose is also something you’re unlikely to find at a wedding back home. Luckily, there are tons of amazing, unique ways to entertain your wedding guests in the Cancun/Mayan Riviera. Here are 5 of my favorite unique ways to entertain your wedding guests: Fire Show: This is a destination weddings staple and with good reason. Fire is mesmerizing, it’s dangerous, it’s beautiful and you certainly can’t do it in a typical large city venue (especially in the middle of winter!) Water Drums: Another unique destination wedding idea available in Cancun & Mayan Riviera are water drums. These drums create an enormous WOW factor as colors fly up in the air every time a drum is hit. Warm weather and the fact that you’re in a hotel with towels and a change of clothes just steps away means that you and your guests can even get wet and wild and splash around on the drums yourselves (if the show you book allows it). Live Drummers: If you’re looking to make a grand entrance, or to party bigtime consider live drummers. For high impact you can go with a whole troupe of drummers and dancers that can turn your party tribal for 30 minutes, or a solo percussionist can play along and reinforce the groove of your DJ as you party into the night. Glow Show: It’s like a fire show for the 21st century. Instead of fire, this show uses juggling instruments with ultra bright, high-tech pixel LEDs to display patterns and figures. These can even be programmed to include a special message, logo or image in the air as the artists spin them around. Acrobats: Many of the best circus acts, acrobats and dancers in Mexico move to the Riviera Maya to work in the local hotels and resorts. With the addition of a permanent Cirque De Soleil show and theatre in 2014 many more are arriving all the time. From girls hanging from hula hoops serving champagne to stilt walkers leading your guests in a limbo, or anything in-between, acrobats can offer a unique twist on regular wedding events or perform a more traditional type show. You and your guests have come a long way and invested time and money to celebrate this milestone. So if you’re looking to give back to them by making your wedding something truly unforgettable, I wholeheartedly recommend some exciting, unique entertainment to knock their flip-flops off! For more information on Drums in Paradise services for your wedding or event in the Cancun-Mayan Riviera area, visit: www.drumsinparadise.com -- to see a video preview of the variety of entertainment Drums in Paradise offers, . - - - Drums In Paradise is Cancun and Mayan Riviera’s drums and percussion specialist, offering quality fire shows, water drums, Brazilian drummers, Indian dhol, light shows, unique interactive drumming experiences and more. With respective backgrounds in drums/entertainment and hotels/customer service MexiCanadian couple Jonathan and Alejandra started the company in 2009 and have since rocketed to over 500 shows per year in the Cancun/Mayan Riviera and counting!

Written by Promedsa -- a top fireworks and special effects company in Cancun/Riviera Maya. You’ve all heard of those stories about, well…. slightly dull weddings, so we have written this article to ensure these words are nowhere near associated with your special day. Instead we want your wedding guests to have a great time celebrating your Big Day and we believe Promedsa Weddings can help you with this ... In addition to a beautiful venue, great food and of course great company, we suggest adding some truly unique effects into your day to really dazzle your guests. Here are our top 5 ideas on how to deliver that WOW factor -- all of which Promedsa would love to assist you with. Firework Display (This can be created to the rhythm of your special song) A firework display is our absolute top pick when it comes too illuminating your day. What better way than a firework display? We can work with you to create either a simple and inexpensive show or an elaborate and synchronized show. Do you have a song that is special to you and your sweetheart? If so, tell us and we will build your firework show around this tune. Fountains Fountains are very popular in Cancun-Riviera Maya weddings. They may not be as elaborate as a firework display but they are very pretty and make for great photo moments! It is completely up to you how you would like the fountains set up and when you would like them fired. We suggest doing this at either your first kiss, or first dance but really the options are limitless. Pyro Letters We’ve all seen the perfect proposals take place on the romcom films and wished nothing more than it to happen to us. Well now it can! Promedsa specializes in creating unique and customized Pyro letters for the couples they work with. Be it ‘Will You Marry Me?’ or even your initials, we can make whatever your heart desires and set this alight when the sun goes down to reveal your message. Sparklers Who doesn’t love sparklers? We stock a wide range of sparklers for the couples to choose from (we even have hearts and letters!) Sparklers not only make for great wedding favors for your guests but also are the perfect picture opportunity. Just remember to always tell your wedding photographer if you would like some sparkler pictures or sparklers send off so they can prepare their equipment for this sort of shot. Last But Certainly Not Least – The Party Packages Here at Promedsa Weddings, we love to encourage a party! In order to do so, we have selected a number of different effects to help boost a party and add extra atmosphere to your event. You may opt for fire balls (which look great either side of the DJ) or you may decide on silver or golden confetti (we have hundred of colors and styles) or even CO2 jets to feel in a lively nightclub, we have everything you need to spice up the party! f you have any questions when it comes to having fireworks or special effects at your wedding, please do not hesitate to contact our team. We have more than 20 years experience in this field and it would be our pleasure to work with you and help you along the way to your dream day! For more information on Promedsa's services, visit their website at: www.promedsa.com.mx Promedsa is one of the top fireworks and special effects companies in Cancun/Riviera Maya. They work with clients from all over the world to add the 'WOW' factor that they are looking for into their events. Weddings is an area Promedsa is particularly experienced in and they take great pleasure in making every couple's dreams come true.

Perhaps the idea of a destination wedding appeals to you, but having to celebrate your wedding vows at a hotel or resort does not. Though most couples opt to have their wedding at a resort, if you're willing to do a little more research -- you can still have that posh and luxurious wedding resort feel with a whole lot more privacy by having your wedding at a private villa. And yep, you don't need to be a millionaire to make it happen! ' Hosting a wedding at a private villa has a lot of perks, besides of course giving you and your wedding guests ultimate privacy. Here are a few reasons why choosing a villa wedding might be the way to go when it comes to planning the wedding of your dreams: 1) The villa can also serve as your home for the week. Most villa properties that allow guests to host weddings on the property will also require that you stay at the villa for a minimum number of nights. This not only gives you a great place to stay at your destination, you'll also be able to prepare for the Big Day even easier since everything is truly "on site." Things to consider: you'll need to decide who will be staying on the property with you and make sure there are other accommodations nearby for the rest of your family members and wedding guests. Make sure to also ask if there is an extra fee you'll have to pay to host the wedding or any other events on the property grounds. And whether there is a time limit on how long your event(s) can last. 2) Besides the wedding, you can host other wedding events at your villa -- like a Welcome Dinner, a Meet and Greet or fun pool day to welcome all your guests to your destination wedding. The luxury of staying at a villa is that you can make and create your surroundings as you like and use it as the centerpoint for all your guests throughout the duration of your destination vacation. It really serves as a wonderful place for you and your guests to laugh and enjoy, and of course celebrate! 3) It can be quite affordable when split between different parties. While the base price for renting a villa can seem steep at times, if you have enough space to invite other family members or close friends to stay there as well, splitting the costs between the different parties can make your luxury stay quite affordable. The perks of staying at a private estate also make the money you spend worthwhile -- for instance, open access to the amenities (pool, spa, pool tables, lounge furniture), you get one-of-a-kind homestyle comfort and a spacious living areas you simply don't get in a resort room or suite. You will live like royalty for your entire destination experience and it'll be an experience unlike any other vacation you've ever taken! 4) Staying at a villa gives you total privacy. I've often heard of couples being totally appalled when they see other resort-goers in their bathing suits standing closeby and taking photos during what they hoped would be a romantic beach ceremony. Some former brides and grooms can attest to the running joke that there always seems to be at least one big-bellied man in a speedo hovering over the ceremony location and basically gawking. Well when you're staying at a villa there is one thing you'll be guaranteed and that is, privacy for your entire celebration. 5) Your Wedding Day is done on YOUR timeline. You don't ever have to compete with any other couple for the best time to host your beachside sunset ceremony or worry about whether your party will run too long. When you're staying at a villa and hosting your wedding on the property, you create your own timeline according to your needs and wants. 6) You typically don't have to worry about an outside vendor fee. At a private villa, you often have the freedom to use the vendors of your choice without penalty. Many resorts on the other hand, will require that you use their preferred vendors, but if you decide to use someone who's not on "the list," then you may have to pay an outside vendor fee and those can be upwards of $500 -- a hefty price to pay if you're trying to create a dream wedding team. When booking a resort, hotel or villa as your wedding venue, always make sure to ask whether there are outside vendor fees ahead of time to ensure that you can use your dream vendor. 7) There is often an option to add-on a butler or chef for the duration of your stay. Yes, not only can you live like kings, if you'd like you often also have the option to be treated like one too. At many villas, there is often the option or inclusion of a butler to help accommodate your every need as well as a chef to ensure you're well fed throughout your stay. Butlers often serve as your personal concierge, making sure that you are enjoying every minute of your stay while also fixing any problems or issues that need to be handled. To find out more about villa options at your ideal destination location, contact one of the Best Destination Wedding travel agents who specialize in destination wedding and honeymoon travel. You can contact them HERE! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger.

Written by Sakurako Yakushiji the COO and Master Florist & Decor Expert of LATIN ASIA One of the most challenging parts of the wedding planning process is selecting your decor, not only because you may not not have a clear idea of what you want, but also because you may come across “surprises” when it comes to setting aside a decor budget. These days there are so many inspiration photos on Pinterest, Flickr, and Facebook, that brides fall in love with so many ideas, however, your budget may be overwhelmed if you're not well prepared or have the right advice. Therefore, having a professional decor and styling team to assist you through this planning process is a great idea. Here some important factors to keep in mind when it comes in setting your decor budget for your destination wedding in Cancun or the Riviera Maya. Make sure to take some notes! - Natural flowers in tropical weather As we all know Cancun and the Riviera Maya have warm weather most of the year, which is the reason why just a few flowers are cultivated and grown in this region. Therefore the decoration companies have no other choice but to buy the flowers from a wholesaler and they transport the flowers from other cities with more suitable weather, so it can be costly. Having said that, flowers like roses, alstroemerias, lisianthus, daisies, carnations, are affordable and available all year. On the other hand, there is another group of “deluxe” flowers, like for example: dendrobium or phaleanopsis orchids, peonies, Davis Austin roses, Calla lilies, hydrangeas, etc. These could be way more expensive because they are imported, plus they have unsteady availability and are only available on specific months of the year. You may find these flowers in your country accessible and affordable but not in Cancun-Riviera Maya, so don’t be surprised by the costs and availability if you request these type of flowers. - Banquet room or beach wedding? Location and decor go hand in hand. The truth is that the majority of the banquet rooms at the resorts in Cancun and Riviera Maya are very plain, and decorations are a must. But couples are often surprised they see these banquet rooms in person. First of all, most of them have carpet, and lot of brides don’t find the carpet appealing, since they have an old look that doesn’t fit their décor concept and style. Another issue with the banquet rooms is their walls and ceiling, again, they can be considered plain and boring. The real problem comes when you want to decorate the walls, ceiling and floor -- draping is not cheap and is a deluxe decoration that will for sure be the most expensive in your decoration purchase order. Because of the quantity of fabrics you need, the staff to set up and the effort, hours and work that it takes will require a sizeable budget. Now let’s talk about the outdoors venues; a lot of brides love to have their reception on the beach, because they are on the Caribbean! But, they also want to be safe of the rain and wind. If this is the case, then you may want to consider a tent, which can be middle range expensive. If you want tall centerpieces on your beach reception or terrace, you should consider size. If the wind around here is really strong, it can pull over taller flower arrangements -- these are better for a banquet room, and they look more elegant. Another item that you need to consider for an outdoor venue is the ambiance illumination; the hotel normally can provide you with big lights for the area, however, these lights are not for any décor purposes, therefore, you will need hanging lights or lanterns. For an outdoor venue, lighting can be the WOW factor you need for your guests. - Fees for delivery, set-up and transportation Big companies that offer décor for a living and have experience in the market, will often have a warehouse outside the resort to store their inventory. Having said that, all the décor companies have delivery and set-up fees that are applied according to location, size of your wedding and amount of labor charged per trip, since they are not based inside the hotel. Even if the hotel introduces this company, they will charge you. - Outside vendor fees And last but not least, vendors who are not preferred vendors or "in-house" vendors at your resort, may have to pay an outside vendor fee to provide their services at your resort. So when you contact a decoration company be sure to ask them if they are in-house at your resort, and if they don’t then you must determine the outside vendor fee with the hotel. Without paying this fee, your vendor won’t be able to get into your resort and this can really be a mess, so be sure to ask both parties -- your vendor and your hotel -- about this detail. Now you have some tips for setting your decoration budget, look for your concept and style and start to have fun planning your décor! For more information on LATIN ASIA's services, visit their website at: www.weddingcancun.mx or contact the team directly at [email protected] - - - Sakurako Yakushiji, COO, Master Florist & Decor Expert of LATIN ASIA, has impeccable logistics knowledge, extraordinary floral design skills with a Masters degree and international license in Japanese floral art. Having her own Hindu wedding ceremony at Agra India, she and her team understand the deep meaning of what it takes to create a dream Destination Indian wedding regardless being Hindu, Sikh or Ismaili Muslim. Saku has trained people from scratch not only to execute great performances, but to make every member of LATIN ASIA a better person creating new opportunities every day.