Shopbop Launches Bridal Boutique!

Shopbop is a great source for cutting edge designer fashions at a discount. It is an easy to use website full of great finds. So how excited was I earlier this week when they launched a Bridal Boutique! Love it! 

The Shopbop Bridal Boutique showcases a great collection of wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses your wedding party will be happy to invest in because they can be worn again and again, and also a fun and sexy collection of honeymoon attire. All perfect for a Caribbean Destination Wedding.

Chic & sexy from Catherine Deane - starting at $1310:

I love this dress from Leila Hafzi but wish it came it in a brighter white -starts at $2009:

Same with this sweet one from Thakoon - starting at $990:

What a sweet bridesmaid dress by Shoshanna - starting at $350:

Another cute bridesmaid dress from Alice + Olivia - starting at $330:

Visit Shopbop's bridal boutique here. 

Enjoy,

Trinidad Wedding Planner

Trinidad is often off the radar for Caribbean vacationers unless it is Carnival Time. But the island shouldn't be crossed off immediately for Destination Wedding considerations. It is a lovely spirited island with a little sister island {Tobago) that is truly a gem.

I've heard of a great wedding planner located on the island and found here Isle Do.

These beautiful photos are from Isle Do too... just lovely, aren't they?

So add Trinidad to your list for a truly unique location! 

Enjoy,

Our Aruba Wedding

I recently stumbled across this fantastic blog - Our Aruba Wedding - where brides planning  weddings in Aruba can contribute and give advice to other brides. I love the concept and the simply, easy style. 

Be sure and check my favorite post about Jeff & Jing's wedding: (Photographed by Hayne Photographers.)

And don't miss "A Friendly Reminder" - one of the smartest ideas I've seen in a while. 

Enjoy,

Dear Readers, I need your VOTE!

This little blog, The Caribbean Destination Wedding Blog, has been nominated as one of the WeddingChannel.com's top wedding blogs! This blog is a labor of love so it feels fantastic to be recognized!

I can't win without your votes. I'm honored by the nomination and would be thrilled to win. Please take a minute and cast your vote for The Caribbean Destination Wedding Blog right here!

Thank you for your support! Happy Wedding Planning!

Cheers,

The Bride's Guide - by Martha Stewart Weddings

I love Martha Stewart, and even more so now that she has partnered with Sandals Resorts. The Bride's Guide is a treasure chest of resources operated by the experts from Martha Stewart Weddings.

One of my favorites is the in-depth listing of Bridal Events, including such cool dates as the opening of J. Crew's first bridal boutique and trunk show listings for small independent designers. Check for an event near you!

This week, The Bride's Guide team has been busy planning a wedding at Sandals Emerald Bay in the Exumas.... read all about the process right here.

Enjoy!

Once Wed

Brides, are their wedding sites you absolutely L.O.V.E and find it difficult to tear yourself away from their buetiful photos and real fairy tales? If so, I want to know which ones! For me, my current crush is Once Wed - I could stay on the home page for over an hour just enjoying the layout, colors, etc. Their collection of real weddings is my favorite...they all seem to take place in dreamy fields or fog laden cliffs, but there is no reason you can't take inspiration from some of these charming events and use for your caribbean destination wedding...

Wedding photo above from this wedding. Enjoy!

Wedding Statistics

Did you know the average diamond engagement ring costs $6,348? Or that 16% of all marriages are now Destination Weddings? If you want to read more wedding statistics, check out this post over at About.com. I found it interesting that more weddings take place in the US Virgin Islands than Jamaica... and that the average number of guests at a Destination Wedding is 48. Who knew?

DESTINATION WEDDING STATISTICS:
16 percent of marriages are destination weddings.
The destination wedding market accounts for $16 billion in annual spending.
Average budget for a destination wedding is $20,600.
60% of destination couples pay for the wedding themselves.
The average age of a destination bride today is 33, compared to the U.S. average of 28.
70% have graduated college and the average household income is $110,000.
Average number of guests at a destination wedding: 48.
Guests at a destination wedding spend an average of $400 to attend.
9 out of 10 couples say weather is a key factor in selecting a destination.
The leading destinations for out-of-town weddings are: (Figures in parentheses indicate number of weddings performed annually.)
Las Vegas (125,000)
Hawaii (20,000)
U.S. Virgin Islands (5,100)
Jamaica (5,000)
Bahamas (4,000)
Mexico and Florida are also important locations for destination weddings
Destination couples spend $8,200 on average on their honeymoon. That's more than one-third more than traditional wedding couples.

Caribbean Destination Wedding Expo

The Caribbean Destination Weddings Expo is coming to a city near you! Dates are scheduled for Philadelphia - Oct. 31, Baltimore - Nov. 1, and Atlanta, Miami, & New York in January/Feburary. Bookmark their website and check back for other cities and dates!

Be sure and look for my booth, Caribbean Journey, at the Atlanta show!

Beautiful Inspiration Boards & Monograms

I am in love with these beautiful inspiration boards & monograms from Lucky Me!

Back to School inspiration...
Mojito Inspiration...

Be Inspired!

Join me on Facebook!

Caribbean Weddings now has a dedicated page on Facebook! Photographers & Event Planners, I invite you to upload photos and feature any Caribbean Destination Weddings you have covered. Brides, come and post questions in our forum! I look forward to hearing from you!

Caribbean Bride Magazine

Caribbean Bride Magazine should be a tool utilized by every bride considering the Caribbean for their Destination Wedding! Check out their interactive website and subscribe today!

Beach Inspired Centerpieces

Look at these lovely beach inspired centerpieces I found over at coco + kelly. They are so lovely, I would use them in my home for summer decor.

This was coco + kelly's original insipiration board for the event:

Meet MyWedding.com!

I was recently introduced to MyWedding.com. I love this site! It has a great look and is easy to navigate. In fact, it is perfect in every way except perhaps lacking in the Destination Wedding department. Destination Brides could use the site for a free wedding homepage - some of the neatest designs I've seen - and to source photographers willing to travel to their Destination Wedding locale. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Great "Real Wedding" photos and ideas:

Beachy Destination Wedding themed wedding websites:

Project Wedding

Have you been to Project Wedding lately? If not, waste no time and go there now! You'll find great photo journals of real weddings. Be sure and visit my Project Wedding profile!

This photo is from this Destination Wedding in Jamaica.

Style Me Pretty... please?

Perhaps the greatest little wedding blog ever! Style Me Pretty... is just that - pretty, pretty, pretty and full of pretty little things and pretty little ideas. The photography alone is worth a visit. The site showcases layouts for dozens of different table settings, many of which could be recreated in the Caribbean. After an hour browsing, I am left thinking that pink is making a huge comeback and what a perfect color for a Caribbean Destination Wedding as it contrasts with the native blues and green perfectly. The Real Weddings section gives us a peek at how others did it with vintage chic, contemporary, and whimsical style. The best part about Style Me Pretty is that is not plastered with ads and there are no pop-ups. It truly is a very pretty site.

Getting Married in the Dominican Republic?

The Dominican Republic has always been a popular spot for vacations. Punta Cana is often regarded as one of the best values for all-inclusive resort stays on pristine white sand beaches. On the North Coast, Cabarete and the surrounding villages are home to the some of the island's, if not region's, finest real estate. Included in this pocket of luxury are many wonderful rental villas - perfect for family gatherings and even better for smaller, more intimate Destination Weddings. If you are getting married at a hotel, you have likely been put in touch with the onsite wedding coordinator who is assisting you in everything from picking out your flowers to completing the necessary paperwork. If you are getting married at a villa, it is a different story. You can hire a local wedding planner, starting at $1500+, or go the voyage alone. Many of my clients prefer to bring their own photographers, and don't mind sourcing their own decor - either locally or having everything sent ahead of time, thanks to FedEx. I am also seeing a rise in clients bringing their own Ministers or Rabbis along. So, they often do not want to pay the $1500+ simply to have paperwork completed. A solution? Of course! A site, rightly titled We Do, offers all the required legal information for your Dominican Republic Destination Wedding. Contact them and let them know I sent you!

Barbados Launches Wedding Website!

The Barbados Tourism Authority has recently launched www.IDoBarbados.com as a one-stop information shop or anyone considering getting married in Barbados. The sites features all the necessary information such as wedding license requirements and contacts to local wedding planners. The site also features a "10 Top 10" list detailing not-to-be-missed locations in Barbados and many reasons why Barbados is the perfect choice for any wedding!