Destination Wedding... or is it?

A post by my designer hero, Amy Atlas, made me suddenly think-- who needs a destination wedding? Why not a wedding destination?

OK, that didn't make the same kind of sense on paper, but you get what I'm saying. Why fly halfway across the world? Why spend the money? Why make your friends and family spend the money? (unless you're trying to pare down your guest list, in which case you can just skip this post)

Hear me out for a minute, and take a look at my Pinterest board (oh, hello new obsession!) to see what I mean...

For save-the-dates, or even invitations, you can make up some vintage-style Hawaiian postcards to send out to everyone. I loved these postcards when I visited and bought a handful for myself. I'm willing to bet you could find them online in bulk, or just do the image up on your own cardstock.

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Find a nice park or outside venue that doesn't mind you trucking in a little sand, or if they do then use some outdoor-approved seat cushions in a sand color to make the ground look a little more inviting!

A nice colorful cake (the surprise is key!), green tablecloths, blue accents, and plenty of fresh tropical fruit will tie the whole thing together. Toss some paper umbrellas (super cheap from places like Oriental Trading Company) down for drinks, mix up a few jugs of Mai Tais and everyone will be set to go!

Invite your guests to dress in tropical wear-- linens, sarongs, and tank tops and have ushers greet them all with leis (also cheap from OTC), and if kids are allowed you can pick up some beach balls and bubbles for them to play with during the reception. If you're lucky enough to have local musicians who can play some sweet luau music you're all set, and if not you can find plenty of CDs to set the mood.

My mind is racing, there's so much more you could do with this idea!! And the best part is that you could do this for ANY destination wedding setting!

Atlantic City Wedding!

So, you're thinking to yourself much like I was that Jersey ain't known for romance... lately, it's mostly known for Jersey Shore (which I have never watched and still know lots about-- that's how prevalent it is) and it seems to always be in the constant state of mockery for it's nickname, "The Garden State." In my previous life as an airline ASA/CSA I knew it for Newark, the least on time airport in the world and home to the people who hated to be forced to fly there.

Great way to start a blog entry on weddings, amirite?

It's because of all these things that places like Atlantic City have had to step up their game and reinvent themselves, though, and that's why my second "classic/cliche" (if you can find a way to combine those two words, I will pay you. In love.) wedding destination is Atlantic City, NJ-- the Vegas of the East Coast.

You can honestly tell a lot about a city by the website they put together-- my hometown's website, for example, is simple, cute, and functional which is very Decatur. Cities in the middle of nowhere mostly go for simple and functional with most attempts at attractive thrown out the window. Atlantic City has gone all out and created a subtly snazzy website with a lot of information, pictures, and links for the inquisitive tourist.

Much like Niagara Falls, Atlantic City has made tourism its bread and butter. They have spots on their site specifically for tour groups and meeting planners, so clearly they have this down. If you're looking to do a wedding that is well executed, you don't even need to hire someone like me. Dear God, Atlantic City, NJ just made me obsolete!

ANYWAY-- you're wondering how a casino town could be a great place for a wedding? I mean, sure, Vegas but Vegas is THE casino town, right? Apparently not-- I, for one, would be all about this view on my wedding day:

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I'm right, right? So anywhere that's smart enough to have views like this is bound to have good food, right? One Atlantic is where this shot was taken, and they feature a wide array of attractive attributes. You know, outside of the shiny shiny above. Not only do they cater, but they cater with attention to organic food and farm to table supply chains! They are a Two Star Certified Green Event Facility, which is fantastic and lends a little more credibility to that Garden State thing... 

Outside of the venue, Atlantic City provides plenty of fun in the sun (and shade) for the wedding party on the go. The website even has a section on "Free" and "low cost" options in the area, which is a catch! Like any good casino city, there are also some amazing restaurant options-- everything from sushi to burgers and boardwalk fare. Another fantastic point? The website (I know, quiet about the website already) says it's 72 degrees there! I'm not sure about where you are, but here it's 81 feels like 84 and that's a cool night this week! Add to list of summer wedding destinations? Yes.

So, I guess what I'm saying is that I've already sold myself on Atlantic City and I'd sworn previously I was never going to set foot in NJ... just goes to show you what a fantastic website will do for tourism. Oh, and a completely re-vamped public image... Well played, Atlantic City, second on my "classic/cliche" weddings list!

Niagara Falls!

Tip one for a Niagara Falls Wedding-- when you Google the phrase, don't spell "Niagara" "Niagra" because Google will think you're an idiot. Fail, Southern girl, fail. The good news? It patronized me and sent me on to find out more about weddings in Niagara Falls!


So, I could go in to the minutiae about a destination wedding, but that's boring (and redundant) and let's admit it-- the reason we all want to get married somewhere like NF is the absolutely amazing scenery that surrounds you! 

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I am all over the river boat at Stone Mountain, but this view? KILLER! Your guests will be in awe of the ceremony and will be in tears about the drama of the falls and the beauty of your marital bliss!


Another fantastic thing about NF or any other amazing outdoors space is that you can take advantage of the setting for your pictures! 

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From what I can tell, a lot of the venues at Niagara Falls definitely go whole hog in the exploitation game-- they love the panoramic views and big glass windows, or meadows by the shores at the bottom of the falls. If you're looking for a quaint town with great activities for your wedding party and good food to munch on, you're good to set sail in Niagara! (Also, stop in at Joe's Crab Shack and you might catch sight of my dear friend and groomsman extraordinaire-- Joe! Note: He does not own said Crab Shack.) Below is what Joe had to say, and to me nothing sounds better than a little bit of kitsch finished with fireworks and a party!

Joe's 2 Cents: Yes! There are some great restaurants. Most of the good stuff is either on the Canadian side or in Buffalo (20 mins south). It's kinda weird...the American side of the falls still sees a lot of tourism, but many of the shops are closed and buildings are abandoned. Kinda represents a cultural shift in the states, really. Some of the activity is kitschy. A lot of neat things go on though, like jazz concerts, musical events, fireworks at the falls, etc.

Destination Wedding!

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(See, it works both ways-- our destination is a wedding and our wedding is at a destination!)

I was talking to a friend this morning and she said she'd decided that when she gets married, she's going destination wedding all the way! Many people think that a destination wedding has to be a big, expensive blowout but that's not true! If you're open to Mexico over Hawaii, you can save thousands and find all-inclusive resorts that make it easier on your guests-- all they have to do is pick up a plane ticket and a room, everything else is taken care of! There are plenty of sites like DestinationWeddings.com who will set everything up for you, and isn't that what we all want? I don't know a lot about them, but they require a $50 deposit-- I would suggest putting it on your major credit card so you have a little protection in case something doesn't work once you get in to things. The testimonials page suggests the whole shebang for under $2k, which for a destination wedding (heck, any wedding!) is fantastic!

Where would you go for a destination wedding?