Budget Friendly Honeymoon Destinations for 2011

A dream honeymoon doesn't always have to mean big $$$.  For many brides and grooms planning their dream wedding on a budget, the honeymoon can often get left behind.  I hate to think of any bride and groom sacrificing their dream honeymoon simply because of money.  To make sure you get the honeymoon of your dreams without emptying your wallet, I have put together this year's top budget friendly honeymoon destination spots from tropical sandy beaches to mountainous terrains.

#1) Mexico's Caribbean Coast  - Still one of the most popular destination spots among newlyweds, Mexico is a honeymooners dream.  Whether you love the beach, want to explore the culture, or simply get some R&R, Cancun and the Riviera Maya is the place for you.  Home to beautiful ruins and beaches, Mexico's Caribbean Coast offers attractive all-inclusive packages to meet any honeymooner's budget.

#2) Bermuda - Bermuda is home to pink sandy beaches, turquoise water, and warm hospitality.  Whether cruising or flying direct, expect more deals to a country recently voted 'Best Island in the Caribbean and Atlantic' by Conde Nast Traveler readers.

#3) Central California - For those who love a good glass of vino, go ahead and trade pricey Napa Valley for the California's Central Coast.  In recent years, this region has blossomed with family-run wineries and charming B&Bs at affordable prices.  So go on, sit back, sip, and savor in your savings.

Looking for something unique?  If you and your fiance are the kind of people who enjoy a more offbeat, adventurous type atmosphere, than these last honeymoon spots are a must see.

#4) Montana - Look no further for something off-the-beaten path than the beautiful wonders of Montana.  If you love breathtaking mountains, landscapes that paint a picture, and wildlife, Montana is the perfect destination.  Montana boasts an adventure around every corner featuring dude ranches, 16 ski areas and 2 national parks. Home to Yellowstone Country, head on over to see one of the greatest natural wonders during your stay.

#5) New England States - New England is the region in the northeastern corner of the US that includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.  Perfect for couples who love lazy drives and beautiful landscape, New England is known for their covered bridges, antiques, and colonial architecture.  Whether you're looking for adventure or relaxation, New England has it all.  Visit New Hampshire's White Mountains for hiking, zip lining, and more or take a drive cross state lines during the fall to see the all beauty that New England has to offer.

To get started on great deals and honeymoon packages, check out Travel Leaders current Travel Specials.

Happy Planning!

Sources: Riviera Maya, Bermuda, California Central Coast, Montana, New England States, Travel Leaders

How Much for How Many? Helpful Tips for Planning Your Wedding Reception

Planning your wedding reception can be a difficult task. How many guests will you have? How much food and drinks should be served? How many napkins should you order? So many questions to be answered as you plan this oh so important aspect of your wedding. Here you'll find some helpful tips and guidelines on quantities for napkins, drinks, appetizers, cake and more. Hopefully these recommendations will help your planning run a little smoother!

Napkins Whether personalized or plain, linen or 3 ply, wedding napkins are an important part of your wedding reception. It is recommended that there be 2-3 cocktail napkins per guest for the bar area. Cocktail sized napkins are also appropriate for the cake table. Here it is acceptable to have 1 napkin per guest since most will only eat one piece of cake. So a total of  3-4 cocktail napkins are needed. If you aren't using cloth napkins at your meal tables, plan for 1.5 dinner or luncheon napkins per person. So if you have 100 guests, plan for 150 dinner napkins.

Drinks A good rule of thumb to plan for drinks and alcohol at your reception is to plan for 1 drink per person per hour. This may take some calculations and it is also important to take into account if your guests are a heavy drinking crowd or not for this will affect the quantities of the following drink estimations. Here are a few average drink amounts per guest during a wedding reception.

Beer: 3-4 per person

Champagne: 2 glasses per person (mostly for the toasts)

Wine: 3/4 of a bottle per person (1 bottle of wine or champagne holds around 6-7 glasses)

Lemonade/Pop: (non-alcoholic drinks) 3-4 servings (a 2 liter bottle holds 7-9 drink servings)  

When ordering your alcohol for your reception it is good to order more than you think you will use, some recommendations suggest ordering 1/3 more than you think. Before ordering, check with your distributer, some will allow you to return unopened bottles after your event.

Appetizers If you are having cocktails and hor d'oeurves served before your reception meal it is suggested that this time be 1 hour or 1 1/2 hours long at the most. For this time is is suggested to serve 3 hor d'oeurves per person per hour. Or roughly 5 per person for the entire time. If you are planning an Hor d'oeurves and cocktail only reception with no dinner to follow, it is recommended to serve 12 pieces per guest with a variety of hot and cold appetizers.

Wedding Cake or desserts are certainly one of the highlights to your reception. If you are serving desserts other than cake, it is suggested to plan for 1-2 servings per guest. Regarding your wedding cake, all you need to do is tell your baker how many guests will be attending and they can recommend to you what size cake you will need. It is good to estimate more servings than guests invited for you may have some last minute guests or some may want seconds!

The above tips and estimations are only recommendations. Your caterer or event hall will also be able to help you with quantities and accurate guidelines as well. Another great rule of thumb for your reception is that it is always better to have too much than not enough! Nobody likes a hungry reception guest!

Image Credits: Reception tables from Meeting House Grand Ballroom

Keep the Celebration Rockin' with a Reception After Party!

Your wedding day is cause for a huge celebration. The best way to celebrate means something a little different to each couple, but more and more couples are forgoing the grand exit to enjoy a wedding reception after party. Theses informal gatherings can consist of anything from just a few guests hitting the bars to a planned party on the reception site or the bar or restaurant of the hotel your guests are staying in. For those who love the idea of partying until the wee hours of the morning, here are a few tips on how to pull it off.




Photography by Katie Day Photo via labellebride.com



A lot of couples question who to invite to a wedding reception after-party. If the event will be at all organized, it is important that you invite everyone on the guest list. In this case you can simply add it to your invitations or in your wedding programs. A simple "join us after the reception" will suffice. One couple even had business card sized invites printed up for the ushers to hand out as they sat guests. This is a cute way to let guests know about the after party if you planned it after the formal invitations were sent out. If your after party consists of the bridal party heading out to the bars in a party bus or limo, it is still a good idea to let guests know where they can meet up with you by word of mouth. The more the merrier, after all!

Another common question is how to fund an after party. On a tight budget, a couple and all who want to keep the party going can hit the bars. It is usually understood in these situations that any food or beverage desired is paid for by the guests. However, if you are hosting an after party in the hotel or on your reception site an open bar is never inappropriate. This may be a good compromise for the couple who can't decide whether or not to serve alcohol at their reception. A dry reception keeps the evening family-friendly while still providing adults a chance to enjoy their beer and cocktails at the after party. I especially love the idea of hosting a casual bonfire at the beach or a campsite for rural wedding or having a night out on the town in a bigger city.

There are a few more things you may want to consider. Does your honeymoon flight leave early the next morning? If so, you may want to keep your celebration short. You will also want to have a wardrobe change for your after party, especially if you are leaving the reception site. What girl doesn't love a reason to buy a new outfit? Lastly, make sure that all guests will have a safe way to return home. Collect keys if you must. You can get a party bus, call for cabs, or even ask a few non-drinking guests if they mind being a DD. With all your bases covered, you will have a night that is wonderfully memorable for all the right reasons!

Have Fun!

Choosing Bridal Jewelry to Compliment Your Wedding Style

The bridal jewelry you choose for your wedding day will help tie your entire look together. Since much of your wedding day photos will be close-ups of your beautiful face, your jewelry will help to frame your face and complete your look.  When choosing bridal jewelry, be sure to consider the look you are going for and/or the personality of the girl you are buying for to showcase your individual style.

Traditional? - Your gown is a simple, strapless A-line and you are styling a classic updo. Simple pearl bridal jewelry like drop earrings and pearl strands are ideal for your style.  For more elaborate gowns, crystal and rhinestone jewelry will also look elegant and will compliment your traditional style.

Vintage? - Your gown is made of the most intricate lace detailing and your coif has unique pin curls and waves. Antiqued rhinestone jewelry or pearls are the perfect choice.  Bridal brooches and pins are also a great way to get that vintage look you've been searching for.  Add a rhinestone brooch to your wedding dress sash, attach to a silk headband to add sparkle, or simply pin to the strap of your halter dress for a period look.

Modern? - Your dress is straight off the runway and your hairdo could only be described as a work of art. Unique pear-shaped stones and eye-catching bridal jewelry sets with colored gemstones will complement your one-of-a-kind look.  Large chunky jewelry is also very popular right now and is a great way to showcase your inner fashionista on your wedding day.

To learn more about how to style your wedding day look, check out our selection of bridal jewelry for other great tips and ideas.

Happy Planning!

'Weddiquette 101' Your Top 5 Wedding Etiquette Questions Answered

When it comes to wedding etiquette there sometimes isn't an easy yes or no answer. Making socially acceptable decisions when it comes to your wedding and pleasing everyone can be tough. So just remember it is your fiancé and yours big day, so you have the final say! Here are some of the top wedding etiquette questions I have come across according to our Facebook fans. Read on, chances are you have these questions too!

1. What is the etiquette for a second marriage wedding? Is it appropriate to wear a white dress? Should I have a gift registry?

Second marriage weddings are very prominent this day in age and there are no set rules on how to celebrate your special day. It is totally appropriate to wear a white wedding gown to your second wedding ceremony. The 'etiquette' on wearing white has relaxed over the years. As the bride, you should wear whatever you are comfortable in and feel beautiful wearing, including white!

A lot of couples who are embarking on a second marriage have already established a home with all the supplies and items newlyweds usually receive, so often they do not have a gift registry. It is acceptable to state on your invitations that you wish not to receive gifts. Or couples sometimes suggest that their guests make a donation to a favorite charity instead of gifts. But saying that, it is still very acceptable for you and your fiancé to register for gifts because your loved ones will want to get you something. Tailor your registry to your interests or hobbies. Consider DVDs, camping equipment or gift cards to your favorite restaurants.

2. How can I honor a loved one who has recently passed away during my wedding ceremony?

Many couples wish to honor an important loved one who has passed away during their wedding without creating a sad mood or making the ceremony feel like a memorial. A special way to honor these loved ones is with a memorial candle or vase engraved with their name or names. You may also consider having a short prepared remembrance read during your ceremony. Some couples also denote a missing parent or loved one with an empty seat in the front row with a rose placed on it.

3. Who is responsible for paying for the bridal party's attire?

It is usually the responsibility of the bridesmaids and groomsmen to purchase their own dresses and rent tuxes. That's why it is important for you to consider the cost of the dress you choose for your girls to wear. Some couples who are able will cover the cost of the ensembles but usually it is up to the bridal party themselves.

4. How do you politely tell your guests that you do not want children at the wedding reception?

Many couples wish to just enjoy some 'adult time' at their wedding and some reception sites don't allow children. It is perfectly acceptable to state that on your invitations. Consider using the following phrase, 'We kindly request adults only please' or list your reception as an 'Adult Only Reception'. Another option is to specifically address the invites to those invited (i.e. Mr. and Mrs. So and So). When you don't list the children's names or '& Family' your guests should get the point.

5. When should I send out my wedding invitations? What about Save the Dates? 

Wedding invitations should be sent out 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding. This gives your guests plenty of time to clear their calendars, make travel arrangements and it is close enough to the wedding that it keeps the date fresh in their minds. This also allows for you to request that your guests RSVP at least 3-4 weeks before the wedding, giving plenty or time for a final head count for seating charts and the caterer.

Save the dates are appropriate to send out when having a destination wedding or if you have many out of town guests who will need to make significant travel arrangements. Send out save the date cards or magnets 4 to 6 months before the wedding.

Keep sending your wedding etiquette questions our way!

    




Image Credits: Bride and groom wedding invitations from www.funnyweddingmedia.com, Camping equipment, Gift cards, Bridesmaids, Messy Baby from Istock, Letterpress invitations from Paper Chez