A big to-do isn’t for everyone. Maybe it’s a second marriage, or maybe you’d just rather run down to the nearest Town Hall and then set out for a quiet picnic in the woods. Maybe you’d rather spend your budget on your honeymoon and get married in the nearest City Hall at your destination. Every couple has their own reasons and they are all awesome options.
Planning a City Hall wedding is relatively easy if you know what kind of experience you’re hoping to have. And most Brides do. If you’re hoping for something a little quieter, you probably already know who’s on your invite list. Maybe it’s just the two of you. Whatever your experience, here are three steps to ensure a successful “I do”.
One: Book the Date in Advance
You will need to have a valid marriage license before you can get married. If you’re travelling to the States or overseas, it’s important to research if there are waiting periods, if you need a reservation, the operating hours, what the fees are, how many people can accompany you, what I.D. you need to have with you, etc. Find out everything you need to know ahead of time so there are no surprises or disappointments.
Two: Book a Photographer & Figure out Flowers
Just because you’re going to City Hall doesn’t make you don’t want the whole thing documented. Bring a skilled Photographer with you to your destination, or do some research and find one in advance. You can still have a bridal bouquet, flowers in your hair and a boutonniere for your groom. Figure out what you want and then find a florist in the area to ensure they are super fresh.
Three: Find Something to Wear
If you still want the princess gown, go for it. A City Hall wedding means anything goes. From traditional gowns, pantsuits, short gowns, to Comic-Con Fanfare… City Hall let’s you be you.
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Planning a wedding away from home is attractive to different couples for different reasons. Maybe you met backpacking through Europe, or maybe you’ve just always imagined an idyllic backdrop for when you say your “I do’s”. Choosing a location can be a great deal of research and planning, but it can also be a lot of fun. To get you inspired, we’ve found a few wedding photos with some seriously scenic backdrops to add to your dream destination list.
Bandung, Indonesia
Wanaka, New Zealand
Waterton Lakes, Canada
North Conway, New Hampshire
Lake Louise, Canada
– Catherine Thorpe
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For some people, a tropical destination wedding is the pinnacle of dream weddings: amazing weather, hot temperatures, beautiful local plant and animal life, and a general sense of the strange and the exotic. It’s a vacation and a wedding rolled into one. Who doesn’t like the idea of that? For those of you planning for such a venue, here are some ideas to inspire you and help you along the way.
Breathtaking Locales and Backdrops
Tropical locations are often known for their gorgeous, natural landscapes. Untouched forests and jungles, sparkling waterfalls, crystal clear streams, strikingly blue oceans, and white sand beaches as far as the eye can see. All of these can provide magical places for your ceremony, party, and photo ops. Take advantage of your chosen location’s natural beauty!
Explosively Coloured Centrepieces
Photo courtesy of The Youngrens
Tropical flowers often come in exquisite arrays of colour and shape. Pick some local varieties to add some exotic flavour to your centrepieces. Don’t be afraid to play with colour, either. The tropics are all about bright, summery colour! Every centrepiece will be unique if you handpick the flowers yourself, but you can always arrange for these to be professionally done as well.
Amazing Tropical Fruit Displays
Photo courtesy of Shelley Lange Photography
Anyone who’s been on holiday to a tropical area knows that the fruit displays tend to be incredibly creative. From carving intricate designs into melon rinds to carving small animals from whole fruits, the results are nothing less than spectacular. Another plus is that, because your venue is taking place where exotic fruits tend to thrive, you’ll have many gorgeous, delicious, and novel delicacies to choose from when setting up your display.
– Samantha Muraca
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When you are planning a destination wedding, there are a few things you have to take into account when it comes to your bridal attire. Will your gown be comfortable in the heat? Does the dress work for a beach setting? If you are getting married right on the beach, will you be able to walk in the sand in your dress? We’ve tried to make the choosing process a little easier by choosing three dress styles that will work perfectly for a destination wedding.
(more…)
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[Photo courtesy of the Civil Beat]
Monday, December 2, 2013, marked Hawaii’s first day of legalized same sex marriage. Hurrah! Did you know that it’s only the 15th state to do so? After decades of activism petitioning for the right to same sex marriage, Hawaii has wed its first same sex couples. As soon as the clock struck midnight on Monday, six same-sex couples began to exchange their vows at a historic celebration on the 30th floor of the Sheraton Waikiki.
[Image courtesy of Cedar Tree Wedding]
The first couples to be married in Hawaii were Donna Gedge and Monica Montgomery (together for 35 years); Paul Perry and Gary Bradley (together for 11 years); Saralyn and Isajah Morales (together for 4 years); Shaun Campbell and Tony Singh (together for 5 years); Richard J. Rosehill and Shawna P. Okami (together for 32 years); and Keola Akana and Ethan Wung (together for 6 years).
The first couple, Gedge and Montgomery, released a statement saying, “We have lived our lives as first-class citizens who are law-abiding, taxpaying, and contributing members of the community…Yet we are legally recognized as second-class citizens as we do not have Federal rights. Getting married means that we will have the first-class legal status as well as the rights and benefits that only marriage will afford us.”
The legalization of same sex marriage in Hawaii will likely open the market for same sex destination wedding in the popular vacation spot. Wedding planner Keane Akao has launched Perfectly Planned Hawaii, a destination wedding planning company for same sex marriages. So far, he’s received more than two dozen confirmations since the bill passed last month. He says. “People now can look at Hawaii as a destination to have their marriage done legally and for it to be recognized by the federal government, no matter what state they may live in.”
Lauren Chan is the Editor of the Bridal Guide.
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There’s a rumor going around that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will finally tie the knot on a private cruise ship surrounded by their 50 closest friends and family. It seems like a great idea and we’re sure that their iconic nuptials will inspire other couples to do the same.
Here’s what you should know about Brangelina’s rumored wedding and all the information you will need to start planning your own cruise ship wedding.
Brad and Angelina’s Wedding Plan
Photo courtesy of Us Weekly
The idea for a cruise ship wedding came from Maddox, the couple’s 11-year-old son, reports The Sun. Maddox chose the gorgeous Hebridean Princess cruise ship, which sales around Scotland when he looked back at old family vacation photos.
The family has cruised with the ship before and they also loved their stay at the Carnell Estate in Ayrshire, Scotland, so the ship seems like a perfect fit. Even the Queen of England took a ride on the 50-year-old luxury cruise ship.
Privacy is more of an issue for the A-list couple than money, so they plan to pay over $400,000 to rent out the cruise ship.
Is a cruise wedding right for you?
You may not have the means to rent out an entire luxury cruise, but you can host your wedding either on the ship or on the beach when the ship docks. Either way, a cruise ship can be the perfect setting for your wedding, especially if you were already planning a destination wedding.
One of the benefits of getting married at sea is that the pressures of getting a license are lessened. In many cases it’s easier to get married in the water around a foreign country than it is to get married on land. Anything that makes your special day less stressful is worth considering.
Destination weddings in general are less stressful because your wedding is a package deal—you don’t have to worry about dinging a caterer, getting flowers, hiring a DJ, and getting a cake all from different vendors. Overall, it seems like a great option, as long as you don’t get sea sick.
Brad and Angelina have already picked their cruise line and destination, so if you’re just starting your cruise ship wedding planning that’s a good place to start.
Jillian Zacchia is a contributing writer for The Bridal Guide.
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