Military - Beach Bride

Family and Kid-Friendly Destination Weddings: 7 Things to Know

By Kacey Bradley

Brides spend months and even years planning the perfect destination wedding. It’s romantic to imagine traveling to a new location to get married in front of everyone you love, especially if it’s a place unlike any you’ve ever experienced. While you might dream of spending your wedding day with a glass of champagne and all your friends, some of your guests will probably bring their kids with them.

It isn’t always possible for people to leave their kids with family or friends before traveling to a wedding. It’s smart to include kids in your wedding planning so the destination is perfect for everyone. The problem is figuring out which things are most important to provide for families, especially if they’re extended family you don’t know too well.

Make your wedding planning easier by checking out these seven things to know about family and kid-friendly destination weddings. With the right preparation, your wedding will be a blast for every person who comes, no matter their age.

1. Include Easy-Access Amenities

It’s easy for you to jump in the car and drive to brunch with your friends, but getting around is a bit more difficult for families. Parents have to get their kids ready and strap them into carseats to get where they want to go, which takes a lot of time and energy.

While you’re checking out different destinations and hotels, remember to include easy-access amenities for the families coming to your wedding. In-house buffet breakfasts, pools and even fun things like gift shops are much more enjoyable for families when they’re within walking distance.

2. Serve Finger Food

It’s tempting to serve local cuisine at your destination wedding, especially if you love the recipes native to that area. Still, kids won’t know how to eat lobster if you choose that as your main course. Pick the adult foods you want to serve your guests, then include finger food options for kids. Chicken nuggets will go over well with kids while the adults eat food that leans closer to fine-dining.

3. Create an Activities List

Once you’ve chosen your destination, you should research the area and create an activities list. Send it out to families after they RSVP, so they know what kind of entertainment is around your venue and what they can do with their kids while they’re there.

4. Provide Space to Roam

Sometimes families can feel cramped while they’re on vacation, which is why it’s nice to provide space to roam. Host a beach wedding so families can explore the sand and surf in a place like Ocean City, New Jersey. When they’re not having fun in town, everyone can spread out on the beach and have a great time.

5. Choose a Family Resort

Another option is to choose a family resort that will go the extra mile to take care of the families at your wedding. They will have daily and weekly activities for kids of all ages, so tired parents don’t need to drive out to town when their kids get bored or restless.

6. Check the Calendar

You should also check the calendar when you plan the date for your wedding. If most of your guests have kids, it’ll be easier for them to attend if the children aren’t in school on your big day. Choose a day during a school break so traveling is easy for everyone.

7. Send Save-the-Dates Early

The most important thing you can do for families is to send save-the-dates extra early so they have time to plan their trip. Families will need to check the school calendar and the dates of their kids’ after-school activities, plus budget for traveling. If they have extra time to plan, it’ll be easier for them to attend.

Keep Communication Open

While you plan your destination wedding, keep communication open. Let families ask questions so you can help them out with planning. If you work together, everyone will enjoy your destination wedding.

Together Forever in Atlantic Beach

By Junabelle

After several years of long distance dating, our couple for today finally tied the knot at Celebration Cottage in Atlantic Beach on a perfect summer day.hey had the sweetest ceremony with families and friends. The venue up to the bridal details were all beautifully coordinated and magically unfolded the couple’s love story. These wonderful photographs by Sidney Leigh Photography will tell us how romantic and lovely this wedding was!

Click image to enlarge

1 Like. Click to Vote

Picture 1 of 14

Vote

1 Vote

Vote

Extra Special Details

The bride’s mother made their wedding cake using her grandmother’s famous pound cake recipe. Her great grandmother wrapped the bouquet in a handmade seafoam green lace.

For the “something blue”, she sewed a USCG uniform name tag with her new last name into my dress, which was a surprise for her husband!

The officiant and his wife are their dear mentors and have seen them through some very difficult times.

The blast menu coming up with beautiful and delicious flavors! Their caterer served Maryland-style crab cakes, country ham & pimento cheese sweet potato biscuits, and snapper ceviche, to name a few.

The Bride’s Advice

♥ Don’t get bogged down in all the “stuff” that comes with planning a wedding. Keep the big-picture in mind: you are having a wedding to celebrate the commitment you are making to each other! What will people remember 10 years from now? If the napkins matched the centerpiece which matched the bridesmaid dresses? Or if the laughter and love shared was genuine and heartfelt? We tried to let this guide our decision making process, which kept us very stress-free. We prioritized the areas that were most important to us and cut costs in others. This makes saying “no” easier too! We were incredibly blessed to be married at a naturally breathtaking venue and didn’t want to compete with the views of the ocean from the venue, which kept our decorations (and costs and stress) to an extreme minimum. Our guests loved the refreshing simplicity. Don’t be afraid to go outside the mold. It’s your wedding day- make it reflect your personal lifestyle, not what you think is expected of you. Your wedding day will be a blur of excitement- invest the extra money in hiring a videographer. You will not regret it!

Vendors

Photographer: Sidney Leigh Photography
Event Venue: Celebration Cottage

That Was So Them!

By Jenn

Kimberly ♥ George

With so many wedding themes, choosing one would be difficult. However, for Kimberly and George, it was the easiest part of planning. The couple met in San Diego and they thought it would only be fitting to marry there. Playing off their lifestyle and adding personal touches helped the couple represent themselves which was their ultimate goal. By choosing the beach and succulents, they achieved the right kind of vibe they wanted on their wedding day as guests were left thinking “that was so them!”

Click image to enlarge

2 Like. Click to Vote

Picture 1 of 21

1 Vote

Extra Special Wedding Details

For the love of the ocean. Because a big part of our lives is centered around the ocean and we were getting married on the beach, we decided to incorporate natural elements found on the beach such as sand, driftwood and shells, but were also inspired by other surroundings.

Succulents and more succulents. We used them our main floral component. Not only are they everywhere in San Diego, but they’re also really easy to take care of, and we felt this played into the natural and laid back vibe we were going for. Pulling dark blue from the deep water of the ocean and various shades of teal from the succulents helped establish the color palette for the wedding.

The DIY projects. We tapped into our own personal style to help shape the overall style of the wedding. We were able to incorporate some coastal décor from our home, we stained store bought lanterns to fit our style, and we (by we, I mean George) even personally built some of the wedding décor, such as the sign we used to welcome guests. Playing off our lifestyle and adding these personal touches helped represent us, which was important to us, and helped make the day extra special.

Tips From The Photographer

♥ For couples still going through the planning process, my advice would be if you think you’ve got plenty of time left, you don’t, get on it! If your wedding is months away, it will be here before you know it.

♥ Also, for those of you that are on top of it, have put a plan together and have identified tasks that need to get done each month, remember to add some “cushion” in there. Take into account that a big project at work might come along and require more of your time for a few weeks or that during the holidays may not be the best time to try and fit a lot in or you may get sick and need a few days to rest. You can plan and plan, but life happens too.

♥ Lastly, if possible, take some time for yourself before the wedding, even if it’s just for one night. Go out to dinner, grab a movie, whatever, but take a break from planning.

Money Matters

Wedding Budget: $5,000 – $10,000

VENDORS

Photographer: Christina Marie Photography
Cake Designer: Flour Power
Hair Stylist: Hair Ya Go
Makeup Artist: Lipstick & Luster
Lighting: SociaLights
Equipment Rentals:Abbey Party Rentals
DJ:JD Musik
Reception Venue: Kona Kai Resort Spa and Marina
Event Planner:Paige Jensen with Bliss Events
Floral Designer: Thistle Dew Floral
Officiant: Vows from the Heart

Aye, Aye, Captain!

By Lauren

Everything started with a private message from Ben. Ah, but thank God, Angela did not ignore the Army’s message or this day would never ever happen — their big day! Their wedding had a lot of dancing and merrymaking with the aid of the couple’s playlist (which are all ready for y’all to listen below 😉 ). The event was adorned with red, white, and blue. Red which is Angela’s color and the overall scheme was derived from the American flag that is a representation of Ben being in the army. So, that’s a win- win situation for the color scheme choice.I give them a hundred merits for such a beautiful wedding!! Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Riley!

Click image to enlarge

1 Like. Click to Vote

Picture 1 of 23

Vote

Our Story

Ben, being back from Afghanistan, and Angie, being in a new state, had both recently joined match.com in February 2012 when they first came across each other. On match.com, Angie received a message from a guy named Ben that said “hey, how are ya?” Angie is a sarcastic person and decided to respond to such a simple message because of its simplicity. Something about the message and of course picture, drew her in. From the moment they first started talking they never stopped. Ben went to Ft Benning, Georgia for a month before they even had a chance to meet for the first time. While Ben was away, their interest and attraction toward each other grew.

They talked to each other every day without fail, throughout the day over texts and at night on the phone. Ben and Angie would talk for hours each night on the phone trying to know everything about one another. The day had finally come for Ben to come back to Colorado Springs, March 29th to be exact, and the first place he went to was Angie’s place. When Ben got to Angie’s place it was a “love at first sight” meeting and Ben picked Angie up in his arms to give her a “finally” first kiss. Angie and Ben hung out that night with Shelly and her boyfriend, Eric. Once Ben walked into Angie’s apartment that first night, he never left from that day on. Since the moment Angela and Bennett first met, they have never left each other’s side.

We Are A Perfect Match

We are a perfect match due to our similarities in our need for adventure, traveling, adaptability, big hearts, and compassion for the things that matter most to us, but most importantly how we want to make one another happy every day. We understand it isn’t always about the big romantic gestures and like to do the small things for one another to keep each other happy so the other knows they’re truly loved.

The Proposal

While Ben was in who knows where California for NTC (pre-deployment training), we decided to book a trip to Aspen, Colorado for the weekend after he was back home. We arrived in Aspen on Friday, November 22, 2013 and the first thing I saw while walking into the condo was a beautiful bouquet of red roses, champagne, and chocolate covered strawberries (my favorite). We toasted to a wonderful weekend to come and looked forward to spending time together after being apart for a month.

The next day, we went skiing and snowboarding at Aspen Mountain all day. Then we went to dinner at a restaurant called Jimmy’s and shared a lovely meal together in a romantic atmosphere. Ben suggested we pick up a bottle of wine after dinner to share by the fire pit at our condo and that sounded just perfect to me. We walked home in the snow hand in hand. When we got back to the condo we had to get Makena baby out of the room to let her run around a little while we sat by the fire outside.

As some of you may know, Makena is just full of energy and a spaz so she was just everywhere, but nothing could ruin our romantic night out by the fire. Ben thought it would be funny if he tied a reindeer bell to Makena’s collar, but what I didn’t know is that there was a ring attached to the bell and now Makena’s collar. Makena was just going nuts trying to get the bell off her collar so Ben made me go get it off her collar. Fortunately, and not planned, the whole collar came off of Makena’s neck so there dangling before me was a beautiful ring and Ben down on one knee. He again simply, but sweetly asked me “will you marry me Angie?” I said “yes, you know I will” and that was that.

The Planning Process

We got engaged in November 2013 and we had the wedding in July 2014. In 8 months I feel like I got everything I ever dreamed of planned. Too much time just makes me indecisive or change my mind. I really only cared about the location and venue so once that was done in December 2013, everything else was just easy.

The Best Advice We Received

I honestly didn’t receive any advice because I didn’t really ask for any. My wedding planner at the Four Seasons gave me advice here and there on what vendors to use and her suggestions ended up being great.

Tips & Tricks For Future Brides

The tool I really liked using for our wedding is any website that allows guests to RSVP via online because they do all the counting and keeping track for you. We used weddingwire, but I know there are plenty of other sites out there. Also having a wedding planner helped a lot in making the entire planning process and wedding less stressful and run more smoothly.

The Challenges We Faced

I had zero challenges while planning my wedding, so I can’t really answer this question.

Wedding Decor Inspiration

My favorite color is red so I felt I had to include red somehow. I liked how light blue looks with red, how it makes red pop so that is what I went with the color scheme. Also Ben is in the army so I did like the red, white, and blue theme. The wedding decor was honestly not as great as it could’ve been because I didn’t spend most of my time worrying about it. I chose basic things to make it look nice and worried about other things due to a destination wedding.

Wedding Outfit Inspiration

Ben wore his formal army uniform “blues” to represent his accomplishments.

Our Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Projects

We had cut out hearts for people to write messages on or to sign that worked as a guest book so we could make something with te hearts to frame and keep. Other than that there were no DIY projects.

Money Matters

We did not have an exact wedding budget and we spent most on hotel accommodations and expenses, the wedding party and immediate family were paid for by choice to stay at the Four Seasons since we had a destination wedding.

The Guest List

There were 150 people invited to the wedding and 65 people attended. We didn’t narrow down our list, having a destination wedding pretty much took care of that for us.

The Songs

Processional songs

Jack Johnson – I Got You

Jack Johnson – Never Fade

Jack Johnson – Better Together

Parachute – She Is Love

Plain White T’s – Rhythm Of Love

Sara Bareilles – I Choose You

Brides entrance

Jack Johnson – Angel

The Honeymoon

Ambergris Caye in Belize

The Next Step

We are most excited for the future traveling plans we have and having a family together. We are most excited to keep building memories together.

Planning Advice For Couples

Don’t make it stressful, it really doesn’t have to be perfect. Remember the reason you’re planning a wedding in the first place.

The Album Story

Two people found each other in what seemed like a hopeless place, but ended up being the right place to find the person they were meant to be with. To celebrate our love for one another our story was best told in paradise with those who matter most to us. We wanted the most intimate, romantic location, but also just wanted to have a good time in a relaxed and one of a kind atmosphere.

Highlights from the Ceremony and the Reception

The highlights were laughing at our flower girl not being able to walk all the way down the aisle since she was shy. Another memorable moment was the bride walking with her father down the aisle since that’ll never happen again and now it feels like a dream. The ceremony was filled with highlights that all had to deal with dancing and talking with close friends and family.

Favorite Part of the Day

Saying our wedding vows to one another in front of the people we care about most.

A Memorable Moment

The atmosphere/scenery was a memorable thing for the ceremony. For us a memorable part of the ceremony was Ben’s uncle marrying us and getting to say our own vows. The reception was memorable for many reasons. Dancing, laughing, and talking with our guests was intimate since the reception was outside and by the beach.

Our Wedding Video

VENDORS

Photographer: Majesty Photo
Shoes: Antonio Melani
Event Designer: Carolyn Conway
Floral Designer: Country Bouquets Maui
Officiant: Dan Riley
Dress Store: David’s Bridal
Caterer: DUO Restaurant
Event Venue: Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
Ring Designer: Imperial Jewelry Co.
Cinema and Video: Ohana Films
Hair Stylist: Orchids Salon
Ceremony Location: Plumeria Gardens
Dress Designer: Vera Wang

Nautical and Chic

By Chie

Click image to enlarge

Like. Click to Vote

Picture 1 of 22

Vote

Stratton_Kotowitz_Kristin_Jordan_Photography_779_low

Bride

We both have always loved the beach and Cape Cod and really wanted this to show through to our guests on our wedding day. One of the most important things when planning our wedding was choosing the perfect location that to us was the essence of Cape Cod. We found this inspiration at the Chatham Bars Inn in Chatham, MA. After finding the location, we were able to plan everything else around this breathtaking back drop. My thoughts behind the decorations and theme were simple and classic. Since Greg is a pilot in the Coast Guard and he and his military groomsmen would be wearing their military whiles, we also wanted this to play a central role in the image of the wedding. My Maggie Sotero dress was specifically chosen to be pure white to match his military uniform. The detail of one strap over the shoulder was adder afterwards to accentuate the simple sweetheart neckline of the dress and make it stand out next to Greg in his military whites.

Our save the dates, invitations, menus and all other printing were done with the help of an amazing design team: Serendipity Beyond Design. The ladies there helped us right from the start with a vintage postcard themed save the date with a map of Cape Cod on the front, up to our table name cards, each a different town on Cape Cod. They even created an original piece of design, at our request, for our invitations, which was two adirondack chairs overlooking the water. These two adirondack chairs were also on top of our cake!

The colors we chose were a beautiful mix of nautical and military. The bridesmaids wore navy blue with gold accents and carried simple bouquets of coral roses. The silk dupioni dresses varied in style and were chose from the J. Crew line of bridesmaid dresses. The coral and gold accents carried through the rest of the wedding, from the invitations to the flowers, the groomsmen bow ties and pocket squares.

I did not want lavish centerpieces or floral decorations. Our scenery at the ceremony and reception location was so beautiful that I felt little was needed in terms of other decorations as it would draw away from what we already had. Each table was name after a town on Cape Cod, our table being named Nantucket, the location we got engaged at a year earlier. Our florist, Abigail Swanson of Designer’s Touch Florist( Brewster, MA) helped us come up with with a perfect ira for simple centerpieces that would also help us reuse the bouquets from the ceremony. Half of our guest tables had floating candles in different size vases with shades of blue sea glass. The other half of the table centerpieces were made by reusing the bridesmaid bouquets. This was one of my favorite touches to the wedding. It was so simple but looked so elegant in the setting for the reception.

Another important aspect for our wedding was having a live band for the reception. Jeff Ross and the Atlantics were an amazing find! Jeff and his band played the music for our ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. They played to the crowd and really were influential in creating a wonderful atmosphere and keeping everyone on the dance floor all night long!

One last detail that was especially unique was our “guestbook”. Since Greg is a pilot, we chose to find a wooden propeller that the guests could all sign and we could then hang in our home to view everyday. This turned out to be a special touch, one that everyone seemed to enjoy.

How We Met

Greg and I met in March of 2013 on Match.com. We had both been active members in the online dating scene and were about to throw in the towel when a wink from vetgirl0607 on March 9th, and an email back from isthis4real2284 started a relationship unlike any other we had experienced before. Both of us had always heard the “when you know, you know” statement over and over again from friends who had found their counterpart in life. This couldn’t have been more true and our dating relationship quickly grew into much more.

The proposal happen on October 19, 2013. After a seven month whirlwind romance, we were visiting Nantucket for the weekend with two other couples when after lunch downtown, everyone decided to go for a walk. As each couple began heading in their own direction, Greg lead me out to the docks to see the boats on the harbor. This was not something unusual for us to do, so when Greg suddenly dropped to one knee and said “Kendall Stratton…”, which reaching in his pocket, I immediately broke into tears and dropped to the ground with him. Of course, my answer was “Yes!”

Vendors

Photographer: Kristin Jordan Photography
Caterer: Chatham Bars Inn
Makeup Artist: Chris Lewis Makeup
Floral Designer: Designers Touch Florals
Cinema and Video:Digital Imaging of Cape Cod
Bridesmaid Dresses:J. Crew
Officiant: Rev. Faith Lavender
Invitation Designer: Serendipity Beyond Design
Band:The Atlantics
Reception Venue: Chatham Bars Inn
Dress Designer:Maggie Sotero