[weelucy]

I need some advice, my fiance and I are trying to decide whether to have a wedding in the UK (traditional) or a destination wedding.

I always wanted a traditional, but have a problem with self confidence and don't like to be the centre of attention so therefore I think a traditional wedding is out of the question as I just don't think I can do it.

What happens with a wedding abroad? do you still have a reception when coming home? do you still do a gift list? do you still wear a dress?

I would really appreciate some help on this because I'm all confused?????

[Wedding Queen and MOG]

I think you and your fiance need to do some more discussing. What is it that you want to get out of the wedding experience? How will your family feel if you go off and get married without them present? How will you feel? Will you care? Do you like the idea of a big party or would you prefer a small, intimate gathering.

You can have a destination wedding and include close friends and family IF they are willing to travel and IF they can afford to make the trip. These are real considerations.

[Etiquette Now]

Absolutely, please consider all of what the Wedding Queen has suggested.

If you still want a destination wedding, you may have a reception at home. You may register because some may want to give you gifts--please do not include that information in your reception invitation. And, you may wear your wedding dress during the reception.

[weelucy]

Thank you both for your replies, any help is gratefully recieved.

We have over the last three months or so being discussing it with both of our families, and both of them are happy to come to a wedding that they need to travel for as long as we give them enough time to save for travel - Both my fiance and I want our closest friends and family there and have checked with every single one of them.

We both feel that perhaps if we get married in the UK, our relatively low bodget may run away with us as we may feel obliged to invite family that we have not seen for say 5 years or so and we feel that perhaps a destination wedding will be perfect for a smaller and more intimate wedding with a larger reception with a buffet and dancing when we return home.

Really the main thing that is important to us is that we cant to make the life long commitment and want to celebrate this with the people whom are closest to us.

[Etiquette Now]

Best wishes to you both.

[karen]

Hello weelucy,



I was in the same perdiciment as you not so long ago. I also have a problem with self confidence and could not imagine getting married in front of loads of people! So we choose a Destination wedding. We are getting married on 25th Feb 06 at Sandals in St Lucia. I cant wait!!!!

My H2Bs parents and my mum and her husband will definitly be there. My dad is possibly coming and a few friends have said they may come. It wa important that both parents were there, if they had not been able to come we may have reconsidered.

I already have my dress. I still went for a wedding dress. I did consider just getting a white dress from a high street shop but I did not want to be robbed of a wedding dress just because I was going abroad. Its light material and almost carribean looking. Im not sure what Chris is going to wear but I dont think it will be traditional as it will be too hot. I would love him to wear a white linen suit be he is not sure about that!!!!



As yet I have done no planning, but thats the best thig about going abroad there really isnt much to do. My sister is getting married next month for the second time, in a registry office and she is so stressed out with the planning. Thats what i didnt want. Her wedding has also cost her about £10,000 about the same as ours but were going aborad and have upgraded on everthing!! She is mad. I think a wedding abroad is actually a lot cheaper than doing it in the UK. When we get to Sandals we have a wedding co-ordinator who goes through everything with us, like where we want to get married, flowers, cake etc. I really dont have a lot to plan.

We will probably have some sort of part when we get back, just so I can put my dress on again!!!

I hope this helps. in the end there was no question that a destination wedding was for us. Let me know how you get on.



Karen

This post has been edited by karen: 08 March 2026 - 02:41 PM

[weelucy]

Karen,

What a fantastic reply, thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed one.

We have decided to marry abroad now, but we now have to decide where. We have a very low budget, but don't really want to risk going somewhere which isn't nice!

We are both really excited and both want to choose the right place, we have to save a lot of money up so it won't be until mid - late next year but it's going to be great.

We currently have about 50 brochures in our house and weare trying to work out the best deal for what is included in the wedding packages.

We did think of Sandals resorts, but unfortunately it is out of my parents' price range, so therefore have to go somewhere else.

I think I will go for a wedding dress too, but a lighter material. Definately white. My fiance wants to wear a linen white suit with shorts!!!! Which I find rather amusing as I would like to see him and our close friends/family wearing the same thing.

Once again, thank you and I am sure I may be in contact again for more advice shoudl I need it....

Thanks!

[karen]

It was my pleasure. its nice to speak to someone who is going through the same motions. Its very stressfull getting married and it really shouldnt be.
Again I was in the same positon, I decided I wanted to go abroad but where?????!!!. Would love to say its easy but this is really the most stressful part of a wedding aborad, where?????? Dont get me wrong we have spent alot of money with Sandels but we have upgranded on flights, room and wedding package so its a lot more expensive than it needs to be, if you know what I mean! And from your reply it seems your parents are paying, you lucky thing. We are paying for it all!!
If your parents are paying then why not suggest you pay the extra should their buget not allow what you want? I say that but couldnt do that myself hence the reason we are paying ourselves!!
Good Luck and keep me upto date.
Where are your from, UK?

Happy Planning!!!

Karen

[Wedding Queen and MOG]

Have either of you seen this promotion Sandals has going now?

http://www.qksrv.net/image-752997-10363584[/url]

Find out more. http://www.qksrv.net...752997-10362958

[weelucy]

Hi Karen,

I am trying to do a kind of little study on where to go, like prices/what's included in packages etc.

I am in the UK, are you?

It's really good to be in a similar situation to other people and nice to be able to discuss it. You've been a great help!



Lucy

This post has been edited by TWQadmin: 10 March 2026 - 02:14 PM

[karen]

Hi there Lucy,

Just a quick one. Please forgive me asking if you were in the UK!!! Of course you are in the UK, thats why you wanted to know Traditional or Destination!!!!! I must have been having a blonde moment!![crazy]
I live in Milton Keynes, What about you?

Have a good Weekend.

Karen

[karen]

Hello,

I have already booked my wedding but whats deals are Sandals doing? or where can I find details of the deals?
Do you know much about Sandals Weddings? From experience are they worth the money?

Thank You

Karen

[weelucy]

Hi Karen,

Thanks for the reply - didn't see it until today. I'm in Reading and was thinking of getting married in Maidenhead before we started thinking of going abroad.

The problem is - for our budget, we are hearing mixed stories about the places that we have looked at.

We would love to go to St. Lucia as I have heard it is beautiful, but itis way above our budget and although we may be able to afford to go, my parents are not able to afford it. I really want them there and can't afford to pay for them.

This is all so difficult, because on one hand I know I am not able to have loads of people staring at me if we do it over here and on the other hand we don't know if we can afford to go somewhere lovely where you are pretty much guaranteed to have a good time.

Now I am starting to stress out a little!

Lucy

[northenbride]

Hi,

My name is Holly and I was reading the posts here and thought I would share,

me and my fiance have been racking our brains for a year we have had some major finacial problems we thought we were never going to be able to get married.

My parents were talking about a cruise they were planing on taking and asked if we would like to come along. we figured it would be fun for us and the child so we said ok.

we took some time and concidered it and came up with a idea that might suit everyone even our budget. we sat down crunched the numbers and figured it was ok. we got together with my family and was on the phone with his ( his parents live quite aways away)and we annouced that we were planning on a cruise wedding.

Everyone was fine with that as long as they got pictures. And to top it of we are going to have a small party at my parents house for family out of common curtesy.
We called up the Royal Carriben cruise line asked a few questions and we are on our way.

We think it was a great idea it will cost us a little over 4 grand (us dollar) and thats includes flights 3 day stay @ a hotel before the trip 3 days @universal studios for my son the cruise a wedding planner flowers (includes bouquet?) photos a toast with the captian of the boat marriage certificate and I think i am missing a few things but you get the idea. and its great for my parents we are getting married in a chapel and its great for us because we get to pay it over a years time.It wont streach us as thin.

Well I hope this gives you some ideas