Lurker needs some recommendations :)

thereluctantdomestic

I've lurked here for... probably a year... I bet you feel like fish in a bowl At any rate, we ended up postponing our wedding due to pregnancy, but would like to get married soon. I'm having a lot of trouble picking a destination. We know we'd like to get married on a beach. We'll either "elope" or have under 10 people with us. I figured most of you had probably looked at tons of places before deciding on your destinations. Where do you get the most bang for your buck? We don't really have a budget, per se, but if we end up paying for 10-12 people to travel/eat/stay somewhere, obviously, I would like to get a good deal and even if it's just us, I'd rather spend money on things to do rather than astronomical airfare. We would be going in November/December. I know we want to get married on a beach. It just seems like the more I look, the more gorgeous destinations I find... then I get more overwhelmed and less decisive. Just kind of looking for suggestions. Or maybe even. .. if you had just eloped, where would you have gone? I realize resorts are probably more conducive to larger DWs, so didn't know if that swayed you. Okay, I'm blathering. Sorry Thanks in advance!

CNN in 2010

Hi there! Congrats and welcome to the board.  I'm having a Mexican Riviera destination cruise wedding .  I can't speak for the other ladies but I just new I wanted to get married in Puerto Vallarta Mexico.  Fi and I had been talking about going on a cruise to Mexico even before we got engaged and when we did get engaged there was no doubt we knew where we wanted to go :O) For me, I think we've gotten more bang for our buck by doing a cruise.  The food and entertainment is all inclusive for 7 days.  We get to see 3 different cities in Mexico and spend 7 days of quality time with our friends and family.  If you're looking for more of a resort type wedding there are a lot of ladies on this board that can give you info. on their wedding plans. Good luck!

honeybee72

First off, you said you were a lurker, so you likely are aware of this, but do keep in mind that you aren't obligated to pay for anyone to come. It's a very generous offer, though, and hopefully would be appreciated.I would say the location you shoose depends on the type of trip you and your guests would enjoy. We chose St. John, USVI because it's 2/3 national park so less developed than some other locations. This was important to us, but may not be for everyone. There are a couple resort style places on the island, but many people choose villas for their accommodations. The resorts are quite expensive (in my mind anyway).Many girls have gotten help from a travel agent who helped them sort through their requirements and interests to find a location and resort that worked for them.

DanielleB1978

Hi there!  We are doing a "planned elopement"!  I knew we wanted to go with an all inclusive.  The first thing I did in my search for a resort was visit a travel agency in person and got a booklet of resorts in Mexico and the Carribean.  I then looked up the resorts that caught my eye online, especially looking at their wedding packages.  Since it is just the two of us, there was no reason for us to pay for a $1000++ wedding package, so I looked for resorts that offered complimentary packages.  The resorts/companies I found that seemed to have great complimentary packages are the Palace Resorts in Mexico and the Dreams & Secrets resorts in Mexico and the Donimican Republic.  They all offer nice "free" packages and have "extras" that you can add on.  This may also be a good option for you if you decide to have a small number of guests come with you.Good luck and happy planning!

ajameson

I second Palace Resorts.  I was married at the Moon Palace in cancun. It can work for just the two of you up to a few hundred pp.  Plus they have free excursions.

thereluctantdomestic

I know we aren't obligated to pay, which is why we're considering an elopement. However, we're the only ones who could afford something like this. So, even if we called it a DW, if we don't pay, we'll be on our own.

thereluctantdomestic

I think maybe a trip to a travel agent would be beneficial then. I guess I assume since everything is online these days, things like that aren't as necessary, but it's probably a good move. The planned elopement is definitely more my speed. If we do elope, I want it as far from cheesy Vegas drive thru as I can get I just really hate being the center of attention and I have really no reason to get married locally other than to do it so other people will be happy. Which, I know sounds SUPER selfish, but I want gorgeous wedding pictures on the beach.... not plan a wedding around what everyone else wants. Gosh, did that sound bridezilla? I hope not. But I'd probably have a full blown panic attack at a "normal" wedding, which in our family is at least 150 people. My fiance has *always* wanted a beach wedding. Even when we met he told me that. The only other place we'd ever even consider marrying is Niagara Falls, and that's because that was our first trip together. Which, not so lovely in the fall/winter We also looked at Gatlinburg because I truly love the mountains, but getting married there seems very Vegas-esque given everything I've seen. But Gatlinburg ... everyone we know could come.... I feel guilty

captainleela

Hi and welcome! Glad to see you came out to play instead of continuing to lurk I'm getting married on the beach in Key West. FI didn't want to leave the country, and most of our families live on the East coast, so it was a good compromise for us. It has the added bonus that guests can either fly, drive, or boat there depending on their financial situation and preference.

JessLovesTravel

I think you and your future husband should check out Dreams Huatulco for your wedding. It is located on the Pacific Coast in Southern Mexico on one of the largest bays in Mexico. This resort offers unlimited luxury -- everything is included. The staff truly goes out of their way to make sure your guests are having the most luxurious vacation possible and that you are having the best wedding possible. The food is also amazing at any of the restaurants, you will not be disappointed. If you are interested in having your wedding here, there are three wedding packages to choose from. Each package includes the use of the wedding gazebo, the bride’s bouquet, the groom’s boutonniere, wedding cake and sparkling wine, service of judge or minister and much more. The package also allows preferential location of the room in the category reserved. Good luck!

DanielleB1978

Hmmm...is "JessLovesTravel" a vendor?