Community Corner

'Tis the Season to be Married: 5 Reasons to Say "I Do" in Paradise

Here are five reasons to ditch the stress and say "I Do" in paradise, by local travel expert Precious White.

By Precious White

From "Will You?" to "I Do," there are hundreds of decisions to be made to make your wedding day dreams a reality. But, If you’ve started touring wedding venues and researching caterers, bakers and florists, you may be disappointed with what you've found so far.

The cost of a wedding can be outrageous. A ceremony and brief reception at a hotel or banquet hall can be well over $20,000. This is money today's couples would rather save. Many have started weighing their options and are deciding to get married away. Destination weddings are a great choice, but they’re nearly impossible to plan alone. While the convenience of the internet has made everyone a generalist travel agent who thinks they know more than a travel specialist, travel is a very intricate process often made more confusing by the endless clutter online.

Finding the perfect venue thousands of miles away can be stressful and overwhelming. Without proper guidance and expertise there are many loopholes and pitfalls. Who needs that stress during a very special event? Seek out a travel expert who will make sure your vision for your dream day becomes a reality.

Fall is a perfect time to begin dreaming of your perfect destination wedding. Want my advice? Get your dream gown at your local bridal boutique (please link to www.ctobridals.com) and meet the rest at your final destination. While getting married overseas isn't for everyone, here are 5 reasons to ditch the stress and say "I Do" in paradise. 

1. Less Stress
Planning a destination wedding is relatively stress-free compared to traditional weddings. Most Caribbean resorts have a separate and extensive wedding department designated to help the bride and groom plan their dream wedding. You can choose from a set of wedding packages or customize a package to fit your specific dreams. Whereas traditional weddings usually necessitate hiring separate wedding planners, filling out extensive paperwork and the booking of 
multiple venues, destination weddings include many more services and perks in the total cost of your wedding. Plus, a travel specialist can help you and your guests plan and book your trip, free of charge and with extra perks!

2. Neutral Spot
Oftentimes there is drama surrounding the location a traditional wedding will take place, especially if the bride and groom are from different towns. Having a destination wedding provides a neutral spot to which everyone travels for your joyous occasion. Furthermore, when planning a traditional wedding, you'll notice that everyone, from your future mother-in-law to your sister or best friend, is going to have "friendly advice," and that can get old quickly. If you have a destination wedding, you'll get to do it your way, with little stress from dealing with people who want to give their two cents on the matter.

3. More Groom InvolvementBrides get tired of hearing "just tell me when to show up" from their grooms. Grooms get more involved in destination wedding planning because they tend to enjoy organizing the smaller events such as group excursions and happy hour get-togethers with the wedding guests.

4. Save on Decor 
With a destination wedding in an exotic setting, your location of choice supplies the theme, from a tropical garden fairytale to a sea-inspired gathering. When you choose an amazing backdrop, all it needs is love to dress it up. 

5. Quality Time with Loved Ones
The standard wedding lasts for only four to five hours - and after all that work! In that short period, the bride and groom spend most of that time running from table to table, trying to say hello to everyone. A destination-do typically lasts a minimum of three days and the fun begins at lift-off. Now that you've narrowed your wedding guest list to only your nearest and dearest, you can actually spend quality time with them!

Editor's note: Precious White is a local Paulding resident and former educator in the Paulding County School System. She recently opened a travel agency and will be sharing tips and ideas with Patch on a weekly basis.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Dallas-Hiram