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This is a continuation from one of my previous posts: Part I & Part II.

We got the digital photos! Just a couple of days ago, GT and I had our third wedding reception. It was held here in Taichung, Taiwan. Although it was just a small intimate lunch reception with just relatives, we still observed a few traditions. I changed into 4 different outfits, 3 of which were lent by Masa LiLi (included in our photo package).  They also included the dress for the flower girl and a little boy, who walked in with us during our grand entrance.

Scene 1

After our first entrance, GT’s eldest uncle made a speech. After the speech, changed into a different outfit, we made our grand entrance for the second time. This time, we danced in along to ‘Poker Face’ with four of GT’s cousins. It was so much fun! We then played a game which consisted of red envelopes, followed with more speeches from uncles and then grandma. We then went around to room to each table to thank the guests.

Scene 2

Scene 2

Before I knew it, I was in outfit number 3 (qi pao) standing behind two Chinese lion dancers making our grand entrance for the third time to Chinese New Year’s music. It is lucky to give the lions red envelopes. So of course, GT and I each gave one of the lions a red envelope. Afterward, GT’s dad gave a speech.

Scene 3

Finally, I was in my last outfit for the feast. The MC made an announcement that the reception is coming to an end. She directed people towards the back of the room. The room had a stage at the back which was beautifully decorated with floral, greens, and branches. (I’ll have to post photos when we get them from the photographer.) One after another, the guests took turns taking photos with GT and I, who stood there like wax museum figures.

Scene 4

After two and half hours, all the guests were gone. I was amazed even though the MC had advised beforehand, it would take no more than 2 1/2 hours for everything we had planned. It went by like a light breeze.

Scene 5

Scene 5

And now, we are finally able to go on our honeymoon! We are off to Bali!!

by Mel | posted in Destination Wedding, Engagement, General Planning, Reception | 2 Comments »

(This post is a continuation of the destination wedding planning series)

Source: St. John Weddings

Source: St. John Weddings

I asked professional wedding planners in St. John, “What advice would you give to a bride who is preparing for her destination wedding?”

Popular officiant, Anne-Marie Porter suggests:

  • Work with someone you trust whether it be a coordinator, planner, or friend
  • Leave expectations at home and focus on having fun
  • Look forward to a relaxed and stress-free time
  • Enjoy your honeymoon and expect a good honeymoon
  • Specifically for St. John, you need a permit for marrying on the beach
Source: St. John Weddings

Source: St. John Weddings

Well-known wedding planner, Stacey Mulcare suggests:

  • Invest in a travel steamer ($35-$40) and delegate someone to steam your dress. Test it out first to make sure resort’s water doesn’t stain the dress
  • Do dry-run of make-up and hair (charges apply) to understand how it will look and feel in the conditions (weather, lighting, wind, etc)
  • Choose head pieces that don’t cast dark shadows (veils, tiara, flower, hair off face) v. (hats, gazebo, archway)
  • Most brides don’t visit (around 15% do). Meet the chosen planner to get idea of ceremony and reception site.
  • Specifically for St. John, marriage applications must be in the courthouse 8 working days before the ceremony with $100 fee. If you’re divorced, bring a notarized certified copy of decree. Only the bride and groom can pickup the license, however, after the ceremony, anyone can drop-off the license with officiant’s signature back to the courthouse.
  • Specifically for St John, you can’t ensure total privacy for most beaches but it’s basically private before 9am and after 4:30pm. If you want total privacy, consider renting a villa (costs much more). Remember that sunset starts 6:00pm.

by Christine | posted in Destination Wedding | No Comments »

(This post is a continuation of the destination wedding planning series)

Honeymoon Bay is near Caneel Bay Resort

Honeymoon Bay in St. John

After you’re done with the beginning research of wedding planning and decided you want to do a destination wedding, what do you do next? Well, first off, read all our posts about destination weddings.  :P   Then, find a wedding planner to help. It will be very difficult to find vendors on your own so it is important to find someone you trust in your destination. I talked to several planners during our St. John/St. Thomas trip and found that everyone is super helpful. Although there are destination wedding companies that are based in places in the US that can help you, wedding planners/consultants like Stacey Mulcare will be much more helpful because they are local to the area. She is one of the first established destination wedding planners in St. John, in fact, she established herself 16 years ago before destination weddings became a popular idea. This is her only occupation versus being a wedding vendor who provides planning services. She has obtained national recognition by the knot and Travel Channel. There are other planners like Stacey that you can find off the islands’ official tourism site. Stacey also suggests checking message boards and forums about the planners but taking the advice with a grain of salt. Many of the planners work several weddings a day and there will be both happy and disgruntled customers. Keep in mind that wedding venues like resorts and cruise ships are subject to high turnover in their staff so if you hear about planners in these venues, there’s a good chance they may not be there anymore.

Wedding planner and popular officiant Anne-Marie Porter suggests, when looking for a planner:

  • Call the person and speak with them directly – speaking to someone once is better than 20 emails;
  • Ask for referrals and speak with them. You may learn that you don’t agree with someone’s style. It’s better to find that out early on than during your wedding.
  • Meet with them before ceremony once you get into St. John

Anne-Marie doesn’t earn commission off of referrals but she’s more than willing to help her brides find a vendor to create the wedding of her dreams.

Before contacting a wedding planner, make sure you have done your preliminary research and be prepared to share what you would like for your wedding.  You’ll want to give the planner enough information for them to help you.

Do you have any other helpful tips when finding a destination wedding planner?

by Christine | posted in Destination Wedding, Vendors | No Comments »

(This post is a continuation of a Destination Wedding Series using St. John and St. Thomas as an example)

It seems that customers in the wedding industry keep hearing the same message over and over: the price of weddings have gone down because people want less. Well, what if you still want the elaborate wedding on the beach and don’t want to cut out options due to budget? There are several resorts on both St. Thomas and St. John, but Caneel Bay really caught my eye. Resorts are ideal because they have a wedding coordinator and can help plan everything from the ceremony, reception, accommodations, and activities. Keep in mind that going with a resort is more hassle-free but at a bigger cost.

Big Fat Cake Co-Founder, Scott, is standing on a platform in one of several bays at Caneel Bay Resort

Big Fat Cake Co-Founder, Scott, is standing on a platform in one of several bays at Caneel Bay Resort

Caneel Bay grounds

Caneel Bay grounds

When you enter Caneel Bay, you actually enter a national park first. We took a taxi there and immediately saw deer and ferret-like dogs roaming on their grounds. We were told that there would be lots of donkeys but we didn’t see a single one. There are seven beaches on this resort and each one is absolutely beautiful and not crowded at all. The resort is an environmentally-focused hotel founded by Laurance Rockefeller and even has a bomb shelter for some of their important guests. Just to name a few, Al Gore and President Carter have stayed there (not together!).

The most popular times to get married at Caneel Bay is between April-May. FYI, most of Caneel Bay brides make their decisions over the phone and arrive several days before the wedding.

Ceremony at Turtle Bay at Caneel Bay Resort

The most common ceremony site is Turtle Bay for its privacy and breath-taking views. When you're standing at the point where the ceremony would occur, you can hear the water gently crashing up against the rocks.

This view is what you see when standing at the ceremony location.

This view is what you see when standing at the ceremony location. There are seven beaches at Caneel Bay.

The reception can happen at any of their restaurants, like Equator, and even at the Sugar Mill ruins. Reference the wedding photos on their site to see photos of a wedding setup. The Caneel Beach Terrace holds up to 250 guests but they can also accommodate smaller parties.

One of several reception location options that overlooks water and gardens

One of several reception location options that overlooks water and gardens

FYI, if you’re on Facebook, you can add yourself to the Caneel Bay fan page to automatically enter yourself into a chance to win a free four-night stay. This package valued at $4,150.50  includes a free four-night stay, complimentary Full American meal plan, and two ferry roundtrip transfers. A winner will be chosen on October 1st, 2009! Although I’d like to increase my chances by not telling anyone, I thought it would be an awesome story if one of our readers won the sweepstakes! :P

If you don’t do Caneel Bay but would like to have your ceremony at one of the other many beautiful beaches of St. John, you should consult with a non-resort wedding planner.

Next, I’ll share about how to find a non-resort wedding planner in St. John and St. Thomas and advice that they would like to pass on to you!

by Christine | posted in Destination Wedding, Vendors | No Comments »

(This post is a continuation of the destination wedding series using St. John as an example)

View from Cabrita #3C

View from the bed & breakfast patio

Cabrita Point #3C (click on “condo” for #3C) is a lucky find for brides who want to have a picturesque wedding while on a budget. This bed & breakfast condo sits on the water in Red Hook and is located close to the ferry to St. John. The owner, Ms. J, is a great resource for planning your wedding. She’s a photographer with training from Australia, New Zealand, and the US. Her experience in the fashion industry  (hair, makeup, photography) is a great asset to have for your wedding. She is a lady with many years of wisdom, but don’t let her age fool you. She has more energy than a lady in her 20’s. While we were there, she was watching several pets while their owners were away while also working on her properties. She even recently paved roads! She’s fun to talk to and you’ll appreciate her hospitality with the condo. In my last destination wedding post,  I shared about how this condo will help you stay in budget. It’s not luxury like at fancy hotels, but I  found that this condo was a strategic location for two reasons:

Sunset between St. John and St. Thomas. We saw dolphins swim next to us!

Watching the sunset between St. John and St. Thomas while on the ferry. We saw dolphins swim next to us!

  1. You can experience both islands (ferry is only $10 per person for roundtrip) since it’s located very close to the ferry that takes you to St. John. A cab ride runs about $5 from the ferry to the condo, if needed.
  2. It saves you money in hotel costs because it is generally more expensive to stay on St. John.
Trunk Bay's Beach in St. John

Trunk Bay's Beach in St. John

It seems the general consensus is that the beaches are more beautiful in St. John, which is why I suggested to get married on one of their beaches. Their beaches were preserved as national parks so they are not allowed to be stripped for commercial stores. Cruise ships dock in St. Thomas, therefore there are more people and it’s more crowded, but they are not allowed to dock in St. John. Around 4:30 the beaches clear so that folks can get back on the ferry to St. Thomas and onto their ship. Also, cruise ship weddings in St. Thomas conduct their weddings in an assembly line on St. Thomas beaches so that brides are around other brides who are waiting for their turn on the beach. If you want more privacy, I would definitely suggest St. John beaches for the wedding ceremony. If you still want a St. Thomas beach wedding, Ms. J should be able to help you figure out the most optimal time.  FYI, she specializes in weddings of 8 people or less.

Next, I’ll share about a super awesome spot for the bride who does not have to worry as much about budget constraints.

by Christine | posted in Destination Wedding | No Comments »

(This post is a continuation of destination wedding series using St. John as an example)

As the Wedding Report states that the average cost of a wedding has declined again, the destination wedding world has also experienced cut backs. USA today reports that couples are refusing to pay less for their dream weddings and some couples are even trying out backyard weddings (Thanks, Mark & Tom for the links!)

Source: Matt May for USA Today

Source: Matt May for USA Today

So what do you do if you want the destination wedding but you’re budget doesn’t match that of those who got married several years ago? There are many ideas for stretching that destination wedding dollar, but here’s a wedding plan put together with a $10,000 budget in mind. You’ll be pleased to know that we came way under $10,000. I included the assumptions I had to make so you know what goes into these estimates.

Wedding Plan Profile:

  • Total people: 10
  • Time of Year: Early November
  • Total Days: 12

Wedding Plan Costs:

Because these costs vary so much depending on the bride, I made a ballpark  estimate of $4000 (more for elaborate weddings, less for simpler weddings):

  • Wedding dress
  • Wedding rings
  • Vacation activity for you and guests
  • Travel (Booking months in advance, I’ve seen $320/per person for round trip from Washington, D.C. to St. Thomas)
  • Ceremony Music

The following important stuff is estimated at $4050-$4770. What it includes:

  • 12 nights in a waterfront condo on St. Thomas (next to Ritz Carlton beach and the ferry to St. John) – $1920 (May-November) $1920 (December-April)
  • Pastor, marriage license, beach license – $400
  • Photography, Wedding CD, Hair & Makeup, Bridal Bouquet, Boutonnière – $960
  • Stationary from Michael’s or AC Moore (invitation set, programs, thank you’s, stamps)  – $90
  • For the reception, there are several options. For my reception estimate, I used Asolare, a restaurant we really enjoyed while we vacationed there. The restaurant owners didn’t get back to me about a specific reception menu, but I estimated $700 assuming 10 people in your party at $70 per person when you order off the menu. Well-known pastor, Anne Marie Porter also suggests Rhumb Lines or Zozo’s for a fun reception. If you do a rehearsal dinner, that would be another assumed $700.
Source: St. John Weddings

Source: St. John Weddings

What does the total look like? $8770. What does that get you? Accommodations at a condo in St. Thomas and fabulous intimate wedding for 10 people in St. John for 12 days!

Of course costs can go up and down. The biggest factors (you statistic geeks can perform a sensitivity analysis and agree with me) are the costs in the first list above, number of guests, and the reception dinner.  Therefore, if you want to bring the price down, invite fewer guests and go to an inexpensive restaurant.

Next, I’ll share about our stay at Cabrita Point and why I thought it was a good idea for this wedding plan.

Did you do a destination wedding that you could share about? If so, leave a comment or contact us!

FYI, we cannot guarantee the quoted prices by third party vendors. These quotes are subject to change without notice. However, they are good estimates. :O)

by Christine | posted in Destination Wedding, Vendors | 6 Comments »

Elyse & Brad’s Wedding

August 2nd, 2009

Elyse & Brad's Wedding

Elyse & Brad's Wedding

It’s all about destination weddings this year. In June it was San Francisco, then there was Honolulu! The thought of just going to Hawaii was a dream. Now having a wedding in Hawaii, this was heaven. The wedding was held at a beautiful hotel by the beach in Waikiki called Halekulani Hotel.

The ceremony was in the center courtyard of the hotel.  The bride wore a gorgeous flowing dress designed by the maid of honor, Jeny Lee.  The bridesmaids and she were also wearing a dress she designed.    It was a beautiful turquoise dress that had accompanied the bride’s dress very well.

I loved how the couple incorporated their different cultures during the reception.  Brad is Chinese and to celebrate his culture, there was a lion dance in the beginning of the party.  It is usually performed as a ceremony to summon luck and fortune. Spectators can hand feed “lucky money” in red envelopes into the lion’s mouth to provide the giver with luck. To get the lions started, each table had a dozen or so balloons, which the guests popped with toothpicks to imitate firecrackers.  The lion dance was one of my favorite highlights of the wedding.  I absolutely loved it!

Near, the end of the reception, they celebrated Elyse’s Korean culture with a tea ceremony.  Along with a series of events, tea was offered to both Elyse and Brad’s parents.  After all the formal gestures, Brad picked up Elyse on his back and carried her out! That was so much fun to watch.

Have you been to a wedding where they incorporated different cultures of the bride and groom? Have you ever been to a wedding in Hawaii? Tell me about it.

by Mel | posted in Culture, Destination Wedding, Wedding Watching | 1 Comment »

(This post is a continuation of destination wedding series)

View from Asolare's Patio Seating

View from Asolare's Patio Seating

View of Sunset from Asolare's Patio Seating

View of Sunset from Asolare's Patio Seating

My Yummy Dinner at Paradiso (it was dim lighting)

My Yummy Dinner at Paradiso (it was dim lighting)

Want a destination wedding but strapped for cash? Don’t let the economy bring down your dreams! You can still have a fabulous wedding while spending less. In order to stay within budget, brides are planning their destination weddings with fewer options. If you’re wondering how to have a destination wedding with your reduced budget, here are some ideas:

  1. Choose a location that doesn’t require long travel. It will make it cheaper for everyone. If you really want a beach, try a local beach within driving distance. The more remote the location, the more expensive it will be.
  2. Choose flowers that are in season for that location.
  3. Go to your location of choice during their off-season. The Caribbean’s high tourism season is during the East Coast’s coldest months (end of November to April). The best deals are May-July and November (but before Thanksgiving), which luckily coincides with the U.S.’s busiest wedding season months. Note: some resorts close September and October because of Hurricane Season.
  4. Lose the expensive wedding dress and tuxedos. They don’t do well in the hot weather anyways and you can use inexpensive options, such as dresses with lighter material for the ladies and white linen shirts and beige shorts for men.
  5. Reduce the number of guests and make it a smaller affair. The less people you have, the more flexible your plans will be when you get there.
  6. Don’t rent out a banquet hall or restaurant. Instead, bring your small wedding party to a classy restaurant like having a nice dinner. We really liked Asolare and Paradiso (check out the pictures above) . If you eat at Asolere first, your receipt can be used for a discount when eating at Paradiso, but not vice versa.
  7. Look beyond weddings on a cruise or resort, try one of the trusted wedding planners from the location’s Department of Tourism. They list wedding planners who are respected in the area.
  8. If you want to be on a resort, look for options that provide free vendor services. Some resorts are happy enough that you’re bringing business to their resort and will provide offers, such as free weddings.
  9. If you’re having a larger party, restrict the alcohol options to beer & wine only. Stay away from a cash bar since your guests have made a lot of effort to be at your wedding.
  10. Ditch the costly details and keep things simple. If you’re getting married on a beach, you’ve got enough scenery and decorations from Mother Nature.
  11. Airfare is the most volatile cost factor. Use fare alerts to get the best deals. We like to use Kayak’s alerts (requires account) so when tickets get under my willingness to pay, Kayak will email me to let me know.

What did you do to save on destination wedding costs?

Next, I’ll share how you can get married in the Caribbean while spending less than $10K. If you do my wedding plan, you’ll have to let me know how it goes!

by Christine | posted in Budget, Destination Wedding | 1 Comment »

Anyone who has planned a wedding knows that researching takes a big toll on a person’s free time; therefore it is important to be efficient with your time. I gathered some good information after talking to several St. John wedding planners about what brides can think about before they call a destination wedding planner.

Trunk Bay at Ground Zero

Beach at Trunk Bay

Before calling resorts and vendors of the destination location, take some time to ask yourself these key questions:

  1. Will you be restricted by passports? Make sure you’re not excluding someone you really want there because they are not able to fly out of the country.
  2. How many people do you want there? Typical sizes range from just the couple to fifty guests. The fewer guests you have, the easier it will be to plan.
  3. What time of the year do you want to marry? How does your wedding date coincide with the location’s weather patterns? For instance, in the Caribbean, you’ll want to avoid the strongest part of hurricane season: September and October. Tourism is the highest between Thanksgiving and April so rates are highest as well.
  4. Is it important to marry on a weekend? Weekday options are usually cheaper.
  5. What is the budget and who’s contributing? The bride’s family used to pay for everything but now there is no etiquette to follow. One idea is to set up an arrangement where the guests pay for their airfare, the bride’s family pays for hotel, and the groom’s family pays for the remainder.
  6. Can your guests afford to go? Keep in mind that if you ask guests to pay for their own accommodation and airfare, there may be some guests that you’ll need to subsidize, if you really want them there.
  7. How far away do you want to go? The further out, the less likely guests will be able to make it due to time and cost. If you’re on the East coast, then the Caribbean is a good option but if you’re on the West Coast, Hawaii or Napa Valley would be better.
  8. Can you comply with the legal requirements? Lookup the required legal forms, such as marriage licenses, for getting married through the location’s Department of Tourism. For instance, the US Virgin Islands’ Department of Tourism site states that the wedding couple must submit their application at least eight days before the wedding. Can you take that much vacation time?

After answering these questions, you will be better prepared to talk to resorts and wedding planners for your destination wedding. It’s possible that after you get more details, you may decide that a destination wedding is not right for you. But when you get around to talking to a resort or wedding consultant, be sure to ask many questions. It’s better to ask all your questions up front than to spend countless hours planning your wedding based on assumptions that you’ve made.

What did you learn from your destination wedding planning?

Next, I’ll share about how destination brides are responding to the recession and how they can still have the destination wedding of their dreams.

by Christine | posted in Destination Wedding | No Comments »

Destination Wedding 101

July 7th, 2009

Overlook of a bay in St. John

Overlook of Trunk Bay in St. John

While vacationing this week in St. Thomas and St. John, we came across the most beautiful sites and wanted to take the opportunity to capture insight into planning a destination wedding in the Caribbean. I had previously searched for a Caribbean destination wedding for my sister and found it difficult to plan remotely. If I found an established resort, the prices were ridiculously expensive, I didn’t know to whom I was talking to, and many Caribbean wedding planning websites that I came across were substandard so I didn’t know if I could trust them. Here was our opportunity to do research onsite! I asked locals who were the most well-known and respected wedding planners and vendors and got the opportunity to speak with them. It’s a lot for one post so I’m going to share my experience in St. Thomas and St. John through several posts and share lots of pictures. More to come!

by Christine | posted in Destination Wedding | 2 Comments »

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