Help me help my sis?

applecider

So my little sister is thinking about doing a DW on January 1, 2011.The Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico... she's wide open.Probably 10-ish people?  $2000-$4000 for the wedding and the AHR.  Most of us live on the West Coast.Could you suggest some locations based on date/budget?Also, I don't suppose there's a photo packed book/magazine I could get her as a fun engagement gift?And how in the world does the photographer situation work?

applecider

Oh, and we'd be paying our own airfare/hotel.

LadyBird9

Well I am not any help with the budget department... but we were recently married in Maui... we used a photographer that was recommended to us by our hotel. Some girls fly out their own photographer - it is whatever you want. GL planning! And congrats to your sister!

stlucia_wife

when we got engaged we got the knot DW book and loved it!  it gave you snip bits of locations and from tehre we researched.  also, living on the west coast HI and mexico are get choices for price.  we live in LA and just booked a trip to Jamaica for not much.  $3500 for the both of us for 6 nights at a butler level room at sandals.  (we heart our TA)  we also got married in st. lucia, but the price was a little more cause of the flight since it is 12 hours to get there.  we also stayed in st. lucia.if you would like more info feel free to contact me.  i'm usually on the ND board on the nest.

autzen1024

Congrats on your sisters engagement. Our budget is just a bit more than you sisters, but we are going to Melia Cozumel, it's in Mexico and they have AWESOME wedding packages. The only catch-22 is there ceremonies are only symbolic, so they would have to go to the JOP back home the get their marriage license. We planned to do this anyways because the get a marriage license in MX takes a bit more work/worry than we wanted to deal with. I agree, get her the Knot's Guide to Destination Weddings. I am reading it right now and absolutely love all the ideas and suggestions. As for a photographer. Melia apparently charges if you were to bring your own photog with you. They do have a photog there and he has sent me some of his work. It's pretty good. But, I am lucky enough to have a mom who is an amazing photog so she will be taking all of our candid shots. Bringing a photog I think would eat their whole budget. I found someone I loved in my home town but for a DW he would charge 2500!!!!! HTHs. All the girls here are just the best resource!!!

FutureMrs.McC

I'm sure it can be done but the budget definitely concerns me.  How many is she expecting at the AHR and how formal an event does she want?  Does that budget include the bride and grooms trip costs?  I'll use myself as an example.  We're getting married in Jamaica with 30 guests.  Our trip, 10 days AI with airfare, is just under $3000.  Wedding package $1600 + $30 pp.  We're using the resort photographer included in the wedding package.  On top of that we added a private reception, cocktail hour and steel drum band for extra $.  Then you have the expenses of wedding attire, OOT bags, favors, bp gifts, centerpieces, etc.  Congrats to your sister and good luck with the planning.  Let me know if I can help answer any questions!

Aquarius25

We recently married at a resort in Negril, Jamaica and would do it all over again! Not sure how reasonable the airfare woud be for you all, we're on the East Coast. But look into resorts that offer complimentary weddings with so many nights booked as well as their upgraded packages that include photography, receptions, etc. We even had a wedding planner at no charge. Rolling our wedding and honeymoon into one was perfect for our budget. Then we had an AHR. As for photographers, myself and another bride I met there hired outside photographers from Negril but we also had to pay a fee to the resort to do so (ridiculous yes, but worth it in the end). So she can likely save by using the resort's photographer. Good luck to her!

AprilJT

We are getting married at a Beaches resort in Jamaica so luckily we get a free wedding package with our reservation.  We also did a group booking and had enough rooms booked that we got a free private rehersal dinner and reception.  We will be using the resorts photog but that will cost an additional $1200.  We are spending around $3000 for our flight/hotel expenses (we also have a child going with us).  So that budget on the wedding is do-able.  We aren't really having an AHR because we couldn't afford to add onto that cost.  So I have to agree with pp about how the budget would worry me.