Romantic Destination Weddings for Eloping

Elopement is an honoured romantic tradition - running away together to get married. Historically, people eloped in order to avoid the objections of family to their marrying - which may still be true today for some, however there are more reasons now than there have been in the past. Avoiding the fuss of a big wedding, avoiding having a day that's more for your family than for yourself, many of those who are marrying for a second time have already had the big white wedding, and are looking for a smaller option.

Elopement is a great way to spend all of your wedding budget on yourselves, rather than on the big wedding and food and little details. You can run away to get married in a romantic spot, and then just stay there for your honeymoon too.

What's the first place you think of when someone mentions "eloping"?! LAS VEGAS! You can definitely hit up the strip to elope at any time, but there are many more options for you to choose from. If you plan well, you can elope to just about any destination.

The key is preparation: make sure you understand how to get a marriage licence where you're headed, and pre-arrange for an officiant to marry you in a palce of your choosing.

Here are just a few great ideas...

Hawaii
Don't go to Oahu if you're getting married; instead, opt for Maui or Kauai, both islands are much more lightly populared and enjoyable for newlyweds. There are incredible beaches, wonderful waterfalls, and lush green jungles to explore. You'll also find a large number of bed-and-breakfasts, so you're assured a relaxing, uncrowded honeymoon.

Carolina Coast
Increasingly popular as a wedding destination, it is also growing in popularity for elopements too. You may find marrying on the beach of one of the barrier islands, or in front of one of the antebellum homes in Charleston, is your ideal wedding. In addition, you'll find that prices are reasonable there, making for a very cost-efective yet romantic honeymoon!

Key West, Florida
As far south as you can get on the US mainland, Key West is absolutely stunning. The Caribbbean influences here have led to a very laid-back population, and your options include getting married on a boat, and then cruising around the keys for a while.


Cape Cod, Massachusetts
For those of us who watch the Bachelorette, this season showed a gorgeous beach even on a rainy day in Cape Cod! It's not tropical, but it has a charm of its own. With sail boats moving in and out, a choice of sandy or rock beach, and convenient access to cities, historial locations, and charming bed-and-breakfasts, you'll find that this haven makes for a remarkable runaway wedding.

Cabo, Baja California
Close to the US, this is a perfect elopement location. You'll find remarkable geography, great snorkeling and kayaking, and a friendly population who are used to working with tourists. If you elope to Cabo, you may want to get married on paper at your local courthouse and just have the ceremony in Mexico - really makes it simpler for legal reasons.

There are TONS of other great places to elope: Niagara Falls, New Orleans, Tahiti, Ireland, Greece - and many couples even choose to come here to Vancouver! What do the two of you love? Think about tha before choosing where to elope to.

Bouquet Styles for your Wedding Day Flowers

Your wedding decorations should not only reflect the tone and style of your event, but also of the couple being wed. Flowers are often a large part of adding romance, beauty, and a little attitude to the atmosphere.

Many couples aren't sure where to being when it comes to chooing floral designs, so understanding the different types of arrangements is a good start for selecting your style. Knowing this also helps the florist to create arrangements that are sure to please you - yet again, decreasing your stress level.

Contemporary

Best for those who prefer the minimalist, sleek, chic look. Sometimes referred to as an "architectural" flower style, this look is often made up of flowers with a strong structure, such as calla lilies, tulips, and orchids.

In a bouquet, this arrangement is usually paired with simple greens, such as bear or snake grass, with the stem of the bouquet hand-tied.

For decoration, architectural arrangements should be kept simple, with no more than a few floom of our type of flowers in each vase.

When working contemporary flowers into the budget it is important to know the cost of this style is often higher than a traditional bouquet. Tall vases, square vases, and unusual shapes are more costly to rent or buy than standard vases. As well, sturdy-stemmed flowers such as calla lilies can cost more than $5 per bloom.

Garden-style

Using flowers that are readily in season and prolific is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to create a fresh bouquet for your special day. In garden style wedding flowers, florists use a variety of flowers to create a look that appears as though they were just plucked from the soil that day.

Roses, poppies, hydrangeas, and daises are popular in garden wedding bouquets. They come in a variety of sizes and colours, making a visually interesting and appealing arrangment. Wrapped in ribbon or hand-tied with twine, garden-style wedding bouquets can be used in both formal and casual wedding events.

Romantic

While flowers themselves are romantic, the most common and traditional romance flowers are roses. Romantic arrangements are most commonly based around the colour scheme of pink, cream, white and blush.

This style looks best when placed in more dramatic locations at the reception. Tall, silver urns or low glass bowls both make ideal containers for displaying romantic wedding flowers.

Beyond understanding what type of wedding flowers appeal to you and your partner, it is also important to consider the overall look and feel of the wedding. Contemporary wedding arrangements, for example, will look out of place at a casual backyard wedding. An experienced florist will help the couple find flowers that are not only beautiful, but representative of the entire event.

Mini Cakes - Even Better Than Cupcakes

Cupcakes have been the latest trend in wedding cakes and really changed the landscape of desserts. Even more elegant now is the mini cake!

A miniature version of a grand wedding cake, mini cakes can be created to look and taste just like the real deal, or they can be created in different flavours with different fillings and in an assortment of complementing colours to follow your wedding theme. Mini cakes also come in a variety of sizes each of which are able to hold their own as an individual wedding accesory.

As Favours
If using your mini cakes as wedding favours, you can do so in numerous ways...display the mini cakes alongside a full matching version for individuals to sample after dinner....place them each individually on guests' places...wrap them in a box or cellophane for guests to take home at the end of the evening.

If you're still looking to have a larger main cake, along with decorative minis, then consider slicing the cake and boxing it up as favours for your guests for sampling later on.

Maintaining Traditions
Some couples choose to skip the full-sized cake entirely in lieu of an assortment of mini cakes displayed on a tier cake stand similar to the trend seen with cupcakes. You can still do the ceremonial cutting of the cake using one of the smaller cakes, and still have one to take home for your 1st anniversary.

Cake Toppers
Don't worry, these can still work! The cake topper can be balanced on top of a circle of mini cakes, or resting to the side of a cake on one of the tier levels or cake stands.

As Centerpieces
Instead of flowers and decor, consider doing mini cakes for each table, it serves as a gorgeous centerpiece throughout the evening, and a great late-night snack. They look fabulous amongst smaller flowers or with candles. Remember to have cake knives on hand for each table to cut into their cake after dinner.


When used as decor, a centerpiece, a favour and your wedding cake, the mini wedding cakes are more than worth the added expense they may run. Depending on the number of tables and guests, this may even end up saving you money.

However you choose to use them, mini cakes are a great elegant alternative to the common cupcake that have taken over the wedding cake world.

Adding a splash of colour

It's official...colour is in! One of the hottest trends on bridal gowns is to include some colour. Whether your style is a hint of pink or an all red extravagant gown, it's all fair game.

When wearing a coloured wedding dress, you're creativity is also very useful as you need to plan the accessories, flowers and bridesmaids dresses that will best suit the colour splash.

Radiant Red

For an all-red gown, select accents that are also vivid and striking, such as using black feathers in the bridal bouquet. Natural-toned jewelry is a great finishing touch to a bold red dress. Be careful with the flowers, pairing red flowers on the red dress may result in them getting lost and blending in.

Blissful Blue

Matching blue flowers to a blue wedding dress is a little over-the-top, and it is often hard to find complimentary shades. Try classic white or ivory blossoms which are gorgeous and really pop against blue silk. If you prefer something a little more subdued try light yellow flowers.

Pretty in Pink

With a ballet pink wedding dress, use jewelry that combines white pearls with rose coloured crystals. Use constrasting shades of pink in your flowers, such as a deeper shade, or even mixing pink with green or purple.

Blushing Bridesmaids
Keep in mind when selecting a colourful wedding gown that you need to have a plan for the bridesmaids dresses as well. The dresses should not match your accent colour, so think about putting them into another tone in the same family. If you have a pale pink wedding dress, try the bridesmaids in a neutral colour like pewter, or raspberry-coloured dresses. Pull in some flowers for the bridesmaids' bouquets which complement your gown colouring to bring the whole look together.

Choosing a wedding gown with colour can be a great way to inject a personal flair into your bridal style. Whether you opt for a barely-there blush or a dramatic red, adding colour to your wedding gown is a sure way to make it stand out. Here are a few gorgeous dresses to show you how it's done in solids and highlights of colour...

Solids:

Highlights:

Having Kids at Your Wedding?

Having children at your wedding can be an uncertain idea for many brides and grooms, but ultimately the decision is up to you. If you are having children attend, here are some ideas for how to have it work best at the reception. Kids are unpredictable, which is delightful at times, but can also be a hesitation of having them involved at important events.

1. Provide activities - whether a wedding theme colouring book and activity is created, or you provide crayons, paper, and maybe papermats for the children. This will help them during the dinner entertainment, and especially during the toasts, this will help capture their interest.

2. Hire babysitters - try to get an additional room at your venue, and have a few babysitters on hand to care for the little ones. This way parents can go check in on the kids whenever they wish, but didn't have to get their own babysitters or leave the children behind. The kids don't have to be hidden away in this room all night, however having the space available allows parents to enjoy the more serious parts of the event without trying to entertain their little one.

3. Have a tea party - designate a few tables for kids only and set up a tea party for them. They will most likely already be dressed for the part, so provide juice and cookies/snacks, and you'd be surprised how long they will keep eachother entertained!

4. Kid's dance - have all of the members of your family and bridal party go find a kid to dance with for at least 1 song. This makes for great photo opps, and keeps the kids involved and excited.

5. Teddy bear toss - along with your bouquet and garter throwing, have a teddy bear toss for the little ones to enjoy. This can be done by the couple, or by your ring bearer or flower girl. They will greatly enjoy the opportunity to jump around and be involved.

6. Goody bags - giving children a bag when they are at the reception will help to keep them entertained and happy. This can include some entertainment factors along as treats.


Involving children is always a chance but also an opportunity to build memories with the little ones and get some absolutely adorable pictures.

Setting your Photography Budget

Ensuring your special day gets captured as best it can, and at a reasonable rate is a tough dilemma for any couple. How much does professional photography cost? Here's a guide to setting a realistic budget...

The Going Rate
Keep in mind that you get what you pay for, and should expect to spend at least $1,000 on having a professional wedding photographer there to document your wedding (not including any prints or extras). Rates vary of course depending on the skill level and experience of the photographer. The size of your wedding may also affect the photography cost, as additional guests may increase the amount of time that the photographer must spend at your event. For 100 or less guests, the photographer will generally need 4 to 6 hours. For more than 300 guests, they will most likely need 8 to 10 hours on the job.

Comparing Rates
Most photographers will give a general price estimate over the phone or on their website to give you a general idea. In comparing photography costs, look at the different packages offered, the initial rates can be misleading. Some rates will only include the photographer's time, while others may include a set of proofs and limited number of prints. Determine what services and options you want first, then compare photographers' rates for providing those specific options to determine which will work in your budget.

Creative Ways to Save
If you are set on a certain photographer who has a higher rate than the budget will allow, consider these ways to save on your photography budget:

1. Buy a more basic wedding photography package with less prints and albums
2. Negotiate and switch out an engagement portrait for an additional small album (such as a parent's album)
3. Try to get the proofs and save on the printing costs for now. This way you can print at your own leisure any of your photos at a later date. Sure, get a few now to put around the house, but this way you can save up a little more money before getting too many.

Questions to Ask
When you're reviewing your photography contract, be sure to have all your bases covered, and consider these questions:

1. Do you need a deposit? If so, when?
2. What is the cancellation policy? Will you get anything back?
3. Is any travel time considered an extra or included in the bill?
4. Are you entitled to final prints only, or can you obtain all of the proofs?

Final Thoughts
Be critical - be sure you know what's the in package, and what's extra.

Be creative - maybe get 2 photographers to attend and shoot your wedding if the budget allows this. A more experienced photographer for a few hours, and a new photographer who is less expensive to be there for a longer period of time. This allows for different styles of photos, as well as ensures that if someone has car troubles, there are still pictures taken to commemorate your day.

Be classy - while the fun photos are great for memories, don't forget to get that special picture for grandma's wall either. Make a list of key people you want photos with and be sure to share this with the photographer and/or wedding planner beforehand to be sure you don't miss out on anyone in all the craziness.