Benefiting the Houston SPCA
Archive for June, 2009
Hotel ZaZa Poolside Pet Soiree :: June 18th 6-9 PM
Monday, June 15th, 2009Are you a Claire Pettibone bride?
Thursday, June 11th, 2009You never really pictured yourself in a big fluffy wedding gown…
You are some what non-traditional…
You are a bit of an anti-bride…
You are a destination bride…
You may be a Claire Pettibone bride! All beauty without the fluff.
Are you a Claire Pettibone bride??
[To your precious nuptial :: Cheers!]
Image Credits :: Claire Pettibone website
Luxury Travel Special :: June 10, 2009
Wednesday, June 10th, 2009
Fly Free to Luxury Honeymoon or Destination Wedding
Four Easy Steps to Thousands in Savings on Your Luxury Gourmet-Inclusive Vacation:
- Book a 4-night or longer getaway at our award-winning resorts on the Riviera Maya and get up to 2 free air tickets, valued up to $200 per ticket.
- Upgrade your room for only $40 as many times as you want.
- Receive hotel credits at no extra charge for private beach dining, premium wines or massages.
- Indulge in Gourmet services and cuisine, and be pampered by our staff
Book :: April 2, 2009 – December 22, 2009
Travel :: April 2, 2009 – December 22, 2009
Free Airfare from Minneapolis, Dallas, St.Louis, Denver, Cincinnati and Nashville is for travel until September 1, 2009.
Applies To:
More Details Contact :: DW [at] PreciousNuptials [dot] com
[To your precious nuptial :: Cheers!]
20 Elements of a Successful Destination Wedding :: Finale!
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
16 :: Bring In Service Providers You Can’t Live Without
Just because you’ve having a destination wedding doesn’t mean you have to forgo using local vendors that you’ve come the know, trust, and love! Other than the wedding planner, we think you should absolutely bring in your favorite photographer. Photography is such a beautiful art. Your destination wedding should be captured by an exceptional artist who’s craft meshes best with your style. Mark Eric, Brooke Schwab, Christine Tremoulet, and Clint Shuttlesworth are wonderful examples of remarkable photography. Each bring their own unique style of photography wrapped in beautiful packaging that’s yours to keep. It’s simply priceless! Review the dynamic photographers listed on Modern Photographers to seek your artistic genius. After all, when everything is said and done, your memories along with tangible images will be the only reference of your day. Bring along service providers that will make the best that much better.
17 :: Insurance, Insurance, and More Insurance
You invest in car insurance. You invest in homeowners insurance. You invest in personal property insurance. All of which are hefty investments. Your wedding should not be any different. We like to example that planning a wedding is the third biggest expense next to raising a family and purchasing a homestead. The difference is that you will endure the cost of the first two over a span of years. Contrary, your wedding will be paid for over the course of eighteen months or less. Why would you not invest in wedding insurance? Protect your destination wedding investment and don’t skimp when it comes to wedding event insurance (as discussed on this previous post) as well as travel insurance.
18 :: Confirmed Service Providers
Any good destination wedding planner and/or travel agent will offer this as part of their services. If by chance you are handling the planning yourself, confirming your vendors as well as your travel plans is certainly necessary. Your final payment will not serve as service confirmation. You will need to make personal contact to confirm the details of the services outlined on all agreements. Don’t forget to log all date, times, and names of each person you speak with. Success is all about being proactive instead of reactive.
19 :: Organization
Available at your fingertips, are 20 elements or tips towards planning your very own successful destination wedding. Believe me when I say, there are so many more. Stay on track by staying organized. It’s that simple. If you work best with hard copies, create a binder. There are many shelf copies marketed to brides, but the best planning binder will be the one developed by you with your needs in mind. You’ll be able to add as little or as much to stay on track with your destination wedding road map. If you prefer electronic organization, find a software you’re willing to marry or create your own electronic system. Terrica showcased this iPhone/iTouch iWedding application on Cocktails & Details last Friday. Find a system that will work for you and be sure to back up electronic data on a separate piece of hardware.
20 :: Graciously Thank Your Guests
We know it’s all about you, but it’s so thoughtful to show an abundance of appreciation to all that was able to participate and attend. Plan a farewell brunch before you escape to your honeymoon location. Once you return home, thank them again. Sacrifices were made by your guests because of the love and support they were determined to share as you begin a new chapter in your life!
We hope you found useful information and enjoyed this series as much as we enjoyed sharing it with you!
[To your precious nuptial :: Cheers!]
20 Elements of a Successful Destination Wedding :: Day 3
Monday, June 8th, 2009
11 :: Well Thought Out Wedding Week/Weekend Events
Give special thought when developing your wedding excursions and events activity list. Please do not start events too early in the morning. Your guest will appreciate sleeping in on their much needed vacation. Daytime is a great time for adventurous family filled fun. While evening time is ideal for adult friendly gatherings. Don’t forget to include a guest events itinerary in your bag or basket of greeting goodies.
12 :: Paid Guest Transfers to Wedding Events
Be kind and provide guests with transportation to and from all wedding events. Your guests will have made leaps and bounds to attend your wedding. Just as it’s not proper to require them to pay for wedding related events, they shouldn’t have to schedule and pay for on location wedding related transfers either. Not only is it courteous, but it’s simply the right thing to do. Don’t forget to list shuttle, taxi, or car pick up times on your guest itinerary.
13 :: Supply Guests With Frequent Updates
With small groups, it’s much easier to keep guest informed and excited about your up and coming destination nuptials. However, working with medium sized to larger groups may pose a greater challenge. We suggest bi-monthly updates to keep your guest excited and properly informed. Please stay within wedding etiquette when sending out any wedding related communications. Regardless of the level of formality, a flyer has no fit where weddings are concerned. We know you will send out save the date notices as well as a formal invitation. Use your wedding website for continued updates. Send email notices to visit your wedding website for updates or important need to know information from your dedicated wedding couple email address. Keeping the buzz going also creates a greater yes:no ratio of attendance.
14 :: Consider a Planning Trip
Don’t send us hate mail on this one, please! Everyone should access their need to make a planning trip. Even if you are a regular visitor of your destination, you should plan a face to face meeting with service providers as well as to outline the sheer logistics of the scheduled events. Element of change is something that’s around to stay. Staff members will changes, policies and procedures will change, venues appearances will change; Change is inevitable. Readiness and being prepared to overcome change is another story. The greater the attendee list, the greater the logistics, and the greater we urge you to budget for a planning trip. You definitely will want to consider taking your planner as well as any key decision makers.
15 :: Be In the Know on Legal Requirements
Having a planner or travel agent on hand will keep you abreast of legal necessities for marrying at your destination. Knowing what documents are needed for entry, residency requirements, translation requirements, blood test requirements, prior marriage requirements, notary requirements, religious requirements, et cetera, will make the processes that much simpler. Wouldn’t it be horrible to go through the planning and arrive at your destination only to find out that you can not be legally married for some odd reason?
Tomorrow :: 20 Elements of a Successful Destination Wedding, The Finale!
[To your precious nuptial :: Cheers!]
20 Elements of a Successful Destination Wedding :: Day 2
Friday, June 5th, 2009
6 :: Decide Your Guest List Early On
Yesterday, we used the world as a blank canvas to visualize location selection. You were able to paint your wedding at a specific location. Let’s take a look at this beautiful masterpiece! Do you see a handful of your closest family members? Maybe you envision something a bit larger, yet still intimate in size. You may even picture a fiesta of family, friends and loved ones. At any rate, the important fact is knowing early on and communicating this important piece of information to all parties involved. Doing so can avoid ill feelings.
7 :: Save The Date Notice
Other than your overly excited parents eagerly chatting about your upcoming nuptials, you will need to formally announce your wedding date. Destination wedding save the dates should be ordered and delivered as soon as you know your actual wedding date. Keep is short and sweet! Highlight your date and destination. There will be plenty of details to follow.
8 :: Offer More Than One Guest Rooming Option
It’s very common to have guest that may feel comfortable rooming at an alternative location other than the one hosting your event or your primary housing option. Sure, you will be offered upgrades and/or additional amenities by booking “X” amount of rooms into your group space. Doing so may not be the best choice for your guests. Family A may desire a bit more modest arrangement while Family B may be accustomed to a more luxurious experience. Be prepared for split decisions. We’re not saying that everyone will not book into your primary location. We’re simply advising that you should never make your guest feel obligated to book one specific location. Remember, they will be traveling to share in the joy of your union. Many of them will make great sacrifices. Be a gracious host every step of the way.
9 :: Negotiate Group Rates
When creating room blocks, you will have the opportunity to negotiate your group rate. I don’t recommend calling up a hotel or resort and saying, “Let’s make a deal.” No! This is not the 1970’s game show with Monty Hall waiting to show you what’s behind curtain number one. Instead, leave this task for your wedding planner or travel agent to handle (see day one : no. 4). Depending on who you’ve retained, they may be able to land additional amenities for you and your guests as well as the standard offerings of a blocked space.
10 :: Create a Wedding Website
A good wedding website should be your main resource for keeping your guests in the know. Take the time time necessary to introduce yourselves and your destination wedding details. Having a good resource of information will habit your guests to visit your website verses constant telephone calls. We recommend WeddingWindow. It’s reasonably priced, and comes with powerful features. The designs are visually appealing and easy to customize. The features are too lengthy to list here. We know you’ll appreciate the password feature. Undoubtedly, your family will share your wedding website with others. Password protection is a great way to protect attending specifics for your guests access only. Test drive WeddingWindow’s free trial offer.
Day 3 :: Series resumes on Monday!
[To your precious nuptial :: Cheers!]
20 Elements of a Successful Destination Wedding :: Day 1
Thursday, June 4th, 2009
1 :: Destination Wedding Road Map
Just as traditional weddings are planned and charted through a checklist system, destination weddings are no different. All of our destination events are supplied with a Destination Wedding Road Map. This road map contains a checklist of items that are covered from the beginning of the planning process until completion. Not only does it simplify the process, but it also reduces the risk for unknown factors along the way.
2 :: Advanced Location Research
The world is a blank canvas! Where do you see your wedding painted? Do you envision a tropical garden? Then you may want to consider St. Lucia. How about a chateau abroad? Begin researching European destinations. Maybe you are the popular beach bride. Which ever the case, it’s important to begin research the minute you begin thinking about planning a destination wedding.
3 :: Compatibility
No, we’re not speaking in terms of couple compatibility. Although that to is an element to consider 
. We’re speaking couple to destination wedding compatibility. Think about it. Do you handle change well? How do you see yourself on your wedding day? How important is it for your favorite Aunt Bessie to attend? Are you a tense traveler? Do you simply roll with the punches, because ultimately it’s the two of you that matters? These are just a few things to consider. We promise to release a compatibility quiz especially for you. In the meantime, we suggest sitting down with all important parties to access your compatibility. After all, destination weddings are not a fit for everyone.
4 :: Enlist Help of a Qualified Professional
An ideal resource would be a specialized destination wedding planner. He or she will be familiar with both logistical aspects of the process (planning an event unique to you and maintaining the tedious travel arrangements for all parties involved). When going route, one company can do the job of both. If you can’t find a destination wedding planner that specializes in travel, enlist the help of both a travel agent and a destination wedding planner. A good travel agent will steer you clear of road bumps along the way and assist you with the many details of getting everyone on location. The destination wedding planner will be your go to person that will work closely with all parties involved. He/she can be someone that you work closely with from your home town, or local to your destination. A local planner adds the advantage of having the opportunity to make a personal connection. This is invaluable when producing an event on foreign ground.
5 :: Early Booking
Generally, couples that plan a destination wedding tend to live by the moment. Given that fact, they may not begin the planning process a year in advance. I beg to differ! Take the time to research, but also be prepared to book early on. Travel, hotels, resorts and vendors begin booking events 330 days in advance. What does this mean? If you’re that beach bride we talked about earlier, you may be marrying at high noon on sizzling hot sand instead of the sunset romance you had in mind. Prime time slots book quickly.
Tomorrow :: Day 2
[To your precious nuptial :: Cheers!]
Elements of a Successful Destination Wedding :: 4 Day Series
Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009
You’ve made the decision to plan a destination wedding gala. You must be so excited to get started! We agree that excitement is warranted. How do you carry this level of excitement on throughout the process? Our staff Destination Wedding Specialist will share with you tips on creating a successful destination wedding experience. Join us as we embark upon presenting this four part series to you beginning on tomorrow.
[To your precious nuptial :: Cheers!]
