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Archive for July, 2009

Shelly and Ben’s Wedding – South Beach

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Shelly and Ben are such a lovely couple! They were so unbelievably cool about the fact that their destination wedding, which was to be held at the gorgeous Rosewood Mayakoba, was abruptly cancelled due to the swine flu epidemic. LUXE rushed to the “rescue” and we managed to move the entire 60 person group to The Setai, in South Beach…. in a matter of a few days! And they hardly showed any signs of stress throughout the ordeal. In the end, it was a dream come true for them. Down flew photographer extraordinnaire, Catherine Farquharson to document the nuptials, and voila – what a wedding!

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Here is Ben and Shelly getting ready. Ben seems pensive, getting his shave…

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Look at the gorgeous flowers and details around the chuppah. And it was all put together in less than a few days by the lovely Karla at Karla Events. (more…)

Berinda and Marc’s Wedding – Bora Bora

Bungalows over the water in Bora Bora are the ultimate romantic fantasy for many couples. Tahiti is a popular honeymoon destination because of it’s remoteness and cost (let’s face it – it’s not easy getting 100 people to Tahiti). Berinda and Marc decided that they wanted to get married here and took the plunge – just the two of them! Look at their fabulous pics…

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All photos are courtesy of Aaron Lang Photography.

Engagement Photos

bikeDSC_1936Engagement photos don’t have to be “typical” or taken months before your wedding. As destination weddings tend to throw the traditional aspects of weddings out the window, why not do what you want with your photos?

Schedule a fun shoot with your photographer before your wedding in a fabulous locale close to where you will be wed. Think Old Havana for some Cuban flavour, or historic Willemstad in Curacao for gorgeous stucco buildings as contrasting background shots. What about fun beach poses in a cute sundress or bikini (guys not in a dress or bikini, of course)? Or the Mayan Ruins in Mexico? One LUXE couple went into a hidden cenote to take some spectacular shots with their mirror reflections appearing in the green water. Just be as creative as possible.

You will always cherish having great photos of you that are not in wedding gear. I mean, how often do you get professional photos taken of you? Photos are always one of the most important aspects of the entire wedding and worth the investment. Savour this experience!

All of these photos were taken by Mimmo+Naz.

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State of Mind

Catherine Farquharson Photography

Catherine Farquharson Photography

A good attitude is the most important ingredient when planning your destination wedding. The saying that “nothing is perfect” stands true to any wedding, but you need to be even more open-minded and realistic when planning your destination wedding. Here are a few instances to keep in mind:

1) Government warnings. When the Swine Flu bug cancelled all flights to Mexico in May, many wedding groups were affected by this (as May is one of the most popular destination wedding months). Couples who stayed calm shined through as real stars, when they understood that things were going to change, no matter what. We ended up planning and rearranging some amazing weddings in a short time, like Shelly and Ben’s.

2) Hurricanes. One of Mother Nature’s storms that we at LUXE dread. But again, it’s out of everyone’s control. If you can, plan your wedding outside of hurricane season to avoid the risk. If that’s not possible, do what one of our clients did. Go with the flow—one entire group boated in from Isla Holbox in pre-hurricane winds and hosted an inland impromptu wedding at a small inn hosted by a local family! It was a beautiful and memorable story.

3) Flowers out of season. Let’s face it ladies, you might love a particular bloom, but sometimes they are out of season or too hard to ship to your exotic destination. Instead of throwing a tantrum, accept the fact that there are many other beautiful options and embrace those! Be flexible.

Destination Wedding Flowers

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Aperture Photographics

When thinking about your bouquet, stop and consider flowers local to your destination. Not only is this a very organic approach to your wedding—and these days everyone wants to be a little bit more environmentally conscious with their destination-wedding footprint—but also a great way of supporting the local economy and the natural beauty of your destination.

Discerning couples have scoffed at the suggestion of local flowers because they picture terribly traditional or dated posies. But if you use your imagination, there are gorgeous ways of arranging such flowers in a way that will give you local flair and a unique edge.

Here are a few quick suggestions:

  • Stick with only one or two types of blooms per bouquet so it doesn’t look too busy.
  • Use lots of greenery—there are so many unique tropical leaves and plants that will enhance a bouquet.
  • Consider bunching pink or red (or both) ginger lilies together with a few small orchids for an extremely modern, chic bouquet.

Going local also costs a lot less than importing flowers. Did you know that certain strains of dendrobium orchid grow wild and abundant in many Caribbean islands? Those are the same orchids that cost a fortune in your hometown! Um, did everyone hear that? Orchids are local and readily available!

Whatever you decide on flowers, have fun with it and be creative!

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Liz & Mitch’s Wedding – Key West, Florida

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Liz and Mitch got married at the beautiful Casa Marina Resort in Key West, Florida. What a beautiful setting for a wedding. As per the hotel, “since 1920, ‘the house by the sea’ has enchanted and inspired dignitaries, business tycoons, and artists. Partake in this auspicious tradition with an unforgettable Key West destination wedding.”



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All of Liz and Mitch’s photos were taken by Andy Contreras for Bella Pictures. Such a clean, modern style indeed.

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Quiz: Are you a Destination Wedding Bride?

Sungold Photography

Sungold Photography

1. Your idea of the “perfect” wedding can be described as:
a) A traditional ceremony in your house of worship followed by a banquet hall shindig.
b) Barefoot on the beach followed by a tiki-torch-lined BBQ.
c) A beautiful location surrounded by loved ones.

2. How many guests do you envision attending your ceremony?
a) 250++… your parents’ friends and even the dog groomer will make your invite list.
b) 2-50… your near and dear ones.
c) 50-150… loved ones and liked ones.

3. Think about your invite list. Where do your guests live?
a) Everyone lives in your hometown.
b) Your fiancé’s family is from the U.K. and Argentina, and your ex-college roommates live across the globe. Guests are going to travel no matter where your wedding is.
c) Guests are scattered across the country, but you still have a decent hometown contingent.

4. How will you react if some close family and friends cannot attend your wedding?
a) Burst into tears, get really offended and renounce them as friends.
b) Offer to help subsidize the cost for those who can’t afford it.
c) You will understand, but feel slightly disappointed.

5) How comfortable are you getting married at a place you’ve never seen before?
a) Comfortable? You’ll freak out if you cannot visit the venue at least five times in advance.
b) Photos and reviews are enough to ease your mind—it’s the beach after all!
c) You’re not thrilled, but with the help of a wedding consultant, you’ll trust that other brides have done it in the past.

6) You’ve dreamt about having rare Pigeon Orchids in your bouquet and serving your favourite Pinot Noir with dinner only to find out that the resort cannot accommodate either request. How do you react?
a) Cancel your destination wedding altogether because you must, must, must have every detail (which you’ve dreamed up since birth) become a reality at your wedding.
b) Compromise and choose a different flower and wine.
c) Throw a mini temper tantrum. Then once you’ve calmed down, you consider a compromise.

7) Are you able to relinquish some control when it comes to wedding planning?
a) No way! You’re actually comfortable identifying yourself as a bridezilla.
b) Absolutely. You trust the professionals and know that a destination wedding is not the same as a hometown gig.
c) Somewhat. You’re still a bit of a control freak, but know that a destination wedding will require some form of compromise on your part.

Are you a destination bride? If you answered:

Mostly As: Destination Nowhere: Although the destination wedding may seem like a great idea in theory, you’re probably best suited to having a wedding at home. Perhaps you can spice up a hometown wedding by choosing a unique venue. Remember that a destination wedding requires the ability to relinquish some control of the details…stick to your true style!

Mostly Bs: Destination Queen: Pack your bags, slip on your cute island flip-flops and get excited for what will be your ideal wedding. You’re the perfect type of person for a DW. Contact LUXE today for a free consultation. contact@luxedestinationevents.com

Mostly Cs: Destination Possibility: You’re not 100% sure if this is your wedding style but you are definitely considering it. You love the concept but perhaps you need to speak to a professional.

In Grooms We Love

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Aperture Photographics

Tim

Citlalli Rico

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delSol Photography

This blog touches on a personal favourite subject of us all at LUXE…the destination groom! Yes, that’s right, numero dos, or the other part of the wedding equation. Without grooms, weddings just wouldn’t be the same—well, technically speaking, they wouldn’t happen! And you may have noticed that I always address both bride and groom when talking about weddings because in this world, the lackadaisical, apathetic groom is a myth of the past…or maybe just a product of old-school, traditional hometown weddings. The days of your hubby-to-be cringing at the thought of attending wedding appointments are over. Destination grooms are a new breed of involved, smart and trend-setting gentlemen, who are genuinely interested in the details and take a leading role in planning many of the destination events.

Unlike his aloof hometown body double, the destination groom wants to make sure his guests are well looked after, considering the distance they are travelling to attend the wedding. Generally speaking, the destination groom plans golf or deep-sea fishing excursions for the boys; a night out partying as a last hurrah before the wedding; he organizes cigars and scotch for the wedding (maybe even bringing in a cigar roller); and he wants to make sure that the menu for your reception is worthy.

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Matt Adcock Photography

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Sol Tamargo Photography

Since a destination wedding is more than just the “day of” event, the groom will often step it up and take part in the planning. He might even be interested in things like the ceremony location (it’s important to know if he’s going to be barefoot or in flip-flops), and he’s definitely interested in the location. As travel is a major component of the DW, grooms are the 50% decision makers, as it affects their family and friends, too.

So ladies, sit down with your men and plan the events together. Don’t assume he’s not interested. I recommend putting together a checklist and then splitting up the planning tasks.

Here’s to the destination groom—my new knight in shining armour.

I welcome your suggestions and feedback.

Budget on the Brain

Charlie Thiel Photography

Charlie Thiel Photography

One of the leading issues on our minds (and for good reason) is the economy. It’s touched us all in differing ways and despite economists’ grim forecasting, it’s important to stay positive. For DW brides and grooms out there, how is it affecting you personally? Have your budgets been slimmed down?

I’ve specifically asked different LUXE couples now planning their weddings if the economy has affected their decision to have a DW – and five have agreed that it has played at least somewhat of a role!

Despite these economic times, I’m happy to report that destination weddings are still on the rise. As a general rule, marrying away can very well be a more affordable option. When so many couples are digging deeper into their pockets, why not have a wedding that feels comfortable, financially speaking! Of course this notion must be taken with a grain of salt, as there are also great ways to watch your spending at a home wedding, since DWs are not for everyone.

Further, it’s important that couples understand what it means when we say destination weddings are less expensive. I must quell the myth that destination weddings are ALWAYS the cheaper option. Of course, there are MANY ways to pull it off at a great price. But as the DW world becomes more sophisticated with each passing day, brides and grooms are finding that they are able to create their dreams … away. This means vendor pricing comparable to home, and more sophisticated options available. For instance, many high-end photographers have added DWs to their scope, as have hotels catering specifically to a discerning clientele. So those with sophisticated DW dreams, don’t be mislead in thinking it’s automatically going to cost less. My wedding planning mantra in this lifetime is always “you get what you pay for.”

That said (and I needed to interject with the above paragraph because it’s an important message to get across to all interested in DWs), even with a fancy destination affair, the savings aspect will come in the sheer numbers alone. Paying for a ceremony and reception of 40 guests rather than 250 is a huge difference in price. And if you draw from the aesthetic of sun, sand and local flora, then a simple decor route will offer you natural beauty, while keeping your budget in tow.

Your wedding is still going to be amazing if peonies in the right shade of pink aren’t the leading ladies of your bouquet, or if pouring a local brand of champagne instead of your favourite French import is what you’ll have to do to keep your costs at bay. We all need to do what it takes to stay within our means and be respectful to our pockets.

At the end of the day, the best advice I can give in these times is to be mindful of what you want to achieve from your wedding, to set realistic goals, and to be creative in your budgeting. Your wedding will be an amazing and memorable experience no matter what, as long as it’s created with love.

Nicole and Jim’s Wedding – Tulum, Mexico

Nicole and Jim’s wedding was planned by the very lovely Lisa Paddison at LUXE!

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Lisa’s modern design style is evident in all weddings she plans. Using simple, natural, but elegant concepts, this wedding was beautiful! And Lisa says that hands down they were the CUTEST couple to work with!

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Organic – This word describes not only the essence of the overall theme of the wedding, but it’a also a direct reflection of the calm and patient nature of the bride herself. The simplicity of the ceremony décor was complimented by the full and colorful bridal bouquet carried by Nicole and the modern taupe dress worn by her bridesmaid.

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Guests bonded over aromatic cigars and danced the night away over the infamous Eurostars Jacuzzis. It is obvious, both to those who were present, as well as by looking at the photos that the only focus for Nicole and Jim was each other and the beginning of a new and exciting adventure together.

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All of their photos were taken by the incredible photographic couple team known as delSol Photography (or Matt Adcock and Sol Tamargo)! They are a dynamic couple that shoots interesting weddings all over the Riviera Maya and abroad.

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