Best Places to Have Weddings

If you’re getting married, or know someone who is, weddings can be quite complicated and expensive. Even if it’s a common wedding held in a church followed by a reception and honeymoon, there is a lot of planning and cost involved. Couples can cut those costs in half and save on all the time and frustration of planning a wedding by seeking out a travel agent to plan a dream destination wedding.

Weddings that are held in a vacation location, typically away from the betrothed couple’s home town, are called destination weddings. In the recent years, these destination weddings have been rapidly increasing in popularity. Some destination weddings involve couples eloping to an adventurous and exciting location, while others choose to invite a few close family and friends to celebrate with them. Many couples even find themselves saving money by planning a destination wedding.

There are so many beautiful locations in different parts of the world with great accommodations and beautiful sightseeing adventures. Narrowing all of these locations down to five dream destination wedding locations was a difficult but necessary task. Creating the perfect wedding is not easy; the hardest part of getting married is choosing the location. Listed below are the five most popular major locations for dream destination weddings:

1. Mexico. Two of the most beautiful locations to hold a destination wedding reside in Mexico. Cancun is paradise for the romantics and the white powdery beaches and blue water make for a perfect setting for wedding on the beach. The Cancun Hotel Zone and the Bahia de Mujeres is known for the best swimming areas. Cozumel is just off of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula has some of the world’s best diving. Cozumel has attractive resorts that contrast with the empty stretch of beaches with a tropical atmosphere. Mexico is great for those betrothed couples who enjoy water sports and sun washed beaches.
2. Hawaii. As the fun in the sun capital of the Hawaiian Islands, Oahu is such a rich and rewarding experience far beyond the pristine turquoise water, the long sandy beaches and the harsh mountains. Here lies a legacy of royalty, luxury and relaxation. Maui is the perfect place to create memories to last a lifetime. Get married and enjoy your honeymoon in Maui and embrace what the entire Hawaiian Islands have to offer. The perfect weather all year round, uncrowded beaches and wonderful accommodations, Maui is the perfect place to tie the knot and embark on new adventures with your loved one.
3. Jamaica. Come to Jamaica to be embraced in the rich culture, the tropical climate and easy lifestyle. Enjoy a beautiful wedding surrounded by an island of natural beauty. Waterfalls, jungle mountain tops and pristine white sand beaches like the Negril, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios are waiting for you to indulge yourself in their beauty. Don’t forget the fine cuisine and local entertainment to complete the Jamaican experience. What’s more beautiful than a Jamaican wedding on a white sand beach or near a majestic waterfall in the perfect climate?
4. Bermuda. An island paradise and considered one of the worlds most beautiful islands, Bermuda is embellished with lush gardens, attractive pink sand beaches, coral reefs and a strong tradition of hospitality towards the islands guests. The island offers wonderful hotels, resorts and other accommodations that is sure to make your stay as wonderful as it can possibly be. Bermuda is an island you will want to come back to, again and again.
5. Las Vegas. The marriage capital of the world with well over 100,000 couples obtaining marriage licenses every year and the only place you can get legally married by a rhinestone studded Elvis impersonator. As one of the hottest wedding and honeymoon destinations, Las Vegas, is the place to go to elope or for a planned dream destination wedding. No matter how many times you have been to Las Vegas, there is always something new to experience every time you return. Despite its reputation, there is more than just gambling in this city. A new trend of ultra hip nightclubs and resorts are developing to join the already established nightclubs like the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, Baby’s Nightclub at the Hard Rock Hotel, Coyote Ugly at New York New-York and Studio 54 at MGM Grand.

Why is Wedding Entertainment Important?

A wedding or civil partnership is one of the most special days in two people’s lives and a day of celebration shared with family and friends.

The wedding entertainment you choose helps to create and maintain the air of celebration, turning the day into a really memorable event. Entertainment at a wedding or civil partnership has many practical uses as well, such as adding structure to the day and breaking the ice between guests.

A Magician as a Wedding Entertainer

Magic is the ideal form of entertainment for a wedding because it is versatile, flexible and suitable for a mixed family audience. Most people, young and old, enjoy magic and an experienced wedding entertainer will be able to perform for all ages.

Despite being more popular than ever, a lot of people have only ever seen magic on television. Seeing magic performed ‘live’ is quite a novelty for most people and will make your wedding day even more special.

Close-Up Magic for Weddings

Close-up magic and illusion is the most versatile and flexible form of magical entertainment. A close-up magician doesn’t require any special equipment or facilities such as power or a public address system and will usually carry all his or her props in their pockets. Also, it only takes a few minutes for a professional magician to get ready before they start entertaining.

Compared to many of the things that need organising for a wedding, the close-up magician is easy – tell him the date and time, and leave him to it!

A close-up wedding magician will mingle with guests, either seated at tables or standing in small groups, and spend a few minutes with each group entertaining them with amazing magic. It is a great way to break the ice amongst people who have never met before because they come together while enjoying the entertainment.

It also provides a great talking point, even for those not directly involved in the magic at a particular time. While the magician is entertaining one group, everyone else is wondering about the sounds of astonishment and laughter coming from across the room. And those who have already seen the magician are discussing what they have just witnessed and trying to work out ‘just how did he do that?!’

Close-up magic can fit into any part of the big day. There can be times at weddings and civil partnership celebrations when not much is happening, especially for the guests. Close-up magic can fill these lulls and turn them into a highlight. For example:

• When guests are arriving at the reception or waiting in the reception line.
• While the wedding party are being photographed.
• While guests are waiting for the meal to start.
• Between the courses of the meal (especially if there are a lot of guests to cater for).
• While guests are waiting for the buffet.
• Between the daytime and evening functions.

A professional close-up magician will not be too intrusive and will enhance your special day without detracting from it or taking it over.

Cabaret Magic for Weddings

If you want some really special and unusual entertainment, a cabaret magic show is a great option. A cabaret magic show usually fits in best after the wedding breakfast and is a really effective way to start off the evening party.

A cabaret show is a structured magic act lasting anything from 5 minutes to an hour and can incorporate everything from visual magic (objects appearing, disappearing and changing) to mental and psychological magic (mind control and mind reading) depending on the wedding entertainer you choose.

Most modern performers incorporate a lot of humour and audience participation into their magic, which is what really makes a cabaret show entertaining and makes magic stand out from other forms of entertainment. An experienced wedding entertainer will quite often want to get the newly-wed couple involved during the show but will check that this is OK beforehand. A professional magician will be sensitive to your wishes and will not want to embarrass you.

Unlike close-up magic, a cabaret magician usually requires some extra facilities and time to prepare their act. For larger audiences, a cabaret show requires a stage and public address system, which should be provided by most venues. Some magicians can perform a special act for a smaller number of guests, perhaps up to 20, which doesn’t need a stage or sound equipment. This type of act can be performed in one room with the audience sat around the magician.

Finding the Right Wedding Entertainer

There are many challenges when organising a one-off occasion like a wedding, especially if you are not used to organising large events. Booking an experienced professional magician will make it much easier. Here are a few pointers:

• Make sure the magician has plenty of experience as a wedding entertainer by checking their previous clients and engagements. Most should be able to provide testimonial or recommendation letters.
• It is very important that that the magician has public liability insurance because they will be closely interacting with your guests.
• Check that the fee you negotiate is fully inclusive and that there are no hidden extras such as VAT or travelling expenses.
• Make sure you obtain a contract or confirmation letter. A contract protects you and makes sure both you and the wedding entertainer are clear about the event.

Most importantly, make sure you are comfortable with the magician by talking to him or her beforehand. An experienced professional will be able to offer wide-ranging advice as they are likely to have been to many more weddings than you!

The style and personality of the entertainer you choose should fit in with your aspirations for your wedding – after all, you are planning for one of the most special and magical days of your life.

How To Have A Fairytale Wedding On A Sensible Budget

Congratulations! So now that you both have agreed to take the big step and get married – the excitement of a long and happy life together lays ahead for you both.

So now comes the fun of planning the wedding, the big day, the main event! The most important part of the planning is setting the budget. Did you know the average wedding costs $19,000? So you need to set your budget carefully and stuck to it. If you overrun, even a little, it could cost you thousands of dollars.

Set your budget very carefully – nobody wants to spend every last nickel they have on their wedding yet every couple dreams of the perfect wedding. Gone are the days of parents footing the bill for the wedding, in fact 4 out of 5 couples today pay for their own weddings. So that probably means you are.

Fortunately there are many things you can do to have your dream wedding without breaking the bank. But be prepared for the hard sell! Every vendor out there just loves it when a newly engaged girl walks into their store – they start seeing the dollar signs! Make sure you shop around and get at least 3 quotes for each service – you will be surprised how much they vary.

Also do not be afraid to negotiate with the vendors. If you find a florist you just love but they are $1000 more expensive – then talk them. Maybe tell them you just adore their work but they are a little too expensive – ask them what they could do to make the price fit within your budget.

Additionally be very careful when telling any vendor the budget you have for their service. Somehow all the photographers will quote you $1500 when you tell them your budget is $1500! Ask them their price first. If they try to tell you they have many packages ask them what their most popular price point is. It also doesn’t hurt to let it slip that you will be visiting some of their competitors as well!

Finally don’t forget this is supposed to be FUN! Your wedding day WILL be wonderful, sure there will be some hiccups, but trust me, in the end it will go off wonderfully if you just apply a little planning and commonsense.

Enjoy your life together!

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