Searching for the perfect wedding destination
Gerri and Paul Carr in Negril, Jamaica. The low-stress, low cost and romantic aspect of holding a wedding in an exotic locale continues to fuel the popularity of so-called "destination" weddings. Reuters |
Last month, Carr, 41, marked the milestone of a second marriage under a breezy blue Jamaican sky, surrounded by two dozen friends and family members, soft white sand and the pulse of ocean waves.
The island wedding "provided a more intimate experience" according to Carr, who spent several days in Negril celebrating with her new husband, his children and other family and friends.
"It's a nice way to lay the groundwork and the attitude for the rest of our lives," said Carr, who lives in Philadelphia.
Indeed, the low-stress, low cost a week-long jaunt to the Caribbean complete with wedding and reception can cost less than half of a conventional wedding and romantic aspect of holding a wedding in an exotic locale continues to fuel the popularity of so-called "destination" weddings.
A simpler wedding typically translates to a significantly lower cost, according to wedding planners. While a typical church wedding might be followed by a reception with a sit-down dinner for 100 people or more, a dance, and the requisite flowers, photos and limousines, an island wedding is usually short and simple, held outdoors with only a couple of dozen guests, and followed by a casual poolside barbecue.
Moreover, the married couple then has several days to spend celebrating with the few close friends and/or family members who have joined them on the trip.
Puerto Rico is a current hot spot. New more stringent US passport requirements that include Bermuda and many Caribbean locations but not US territories like Puerto Rico, have helped boost its popularity.
Other consistent favorites include Hawaii; Cabo San Lucas and Cancun, Mexico; Hayman Island, Australia, according to industry experts.
On Turtle Island, Fiji, in the South Pacific, a bride can dress in traditional Fijian wedding attire made from tree bark and arrive at the ceremony aboard a wedding raft amid the trumpeting of conch shells.
A British Virgin Islands resort caters to romance-seekers with sunset cruises and a private beach dedicated to honeymooners.
For the Carrs from Philadelphia, their Jamaican wedding was the perfect celebration. "We sat on a beach with our closest friends and a Jamaican sunset," said the 56-year-old groom Paul Carr. "It's what a wedding should be."
Agencies
(China Daily 04/06/2007 page19)
