The female security guard discreetly slips me through a side door and gestures for me to sit at the table in the corner. The Arabic music is pulsating and the room is reverberating with the nervous energy of 400 women. Suddenly, the lights dim and everyone turns to watch. A bride, dressed in a Western-style long white wedding gown with matching trailing veil has a death grip on her bouquet of roses as she takes very slow measured steps down the center aisle towards the “Bride’s Love Seat.” Her
weddings (17)
When you think of having a destination wedding, is the usual location of a picture-perfect beach in some exotic tropical setting what comes to mind? What about scenic countryside? Or a live volcano?
What if you and your betrothed, or your family and friends, are not really beach people? Luckily, beaches are not your only option for a destination wedding in Costa Rica. An equally romantic choice for where to tie the knot is at Hacienda Guachipelin by Rincon de la Vieja Volcano in the countryside o
Costa Rica's Southern Caribbean Coast has everything could want for a destination wedding and honeymoon.
Imagine your dream wedding exchanging vows with your beloved in a stunning beachside ceremony overlooking the turquoise Caribbean Sea, or under the canopy of a tropical garden with the ocean close by. Picture a romantic honeymoon walking on pristine beaches at sunset, torch-lit tropical gardens and balmy evenings, days full of adventure, personalized service, and Caribbean culture and warmth.
When dreams come true, they no longer seem like dreams. For me to imagine that, when I first took an airplane abroad alone, to Paris, that I had no friends anywhere in Europe or Asia. Now, years later, another early dream involved weddings. It seemed like the ultimate way to show that you'd been accepted into a culture, to take part in one of its most personal expressions. It was an unmet dream, In fact, until Taiwan, despite all my travels and international friends, I'd never been to a wedding
Since 9/11 it’s pretty clear that the trend toward the bonding, memory-building kinds of family travel experience is still strong.
And the Caribbean, with its mix of the sensual and the accessible, is still a perfect place for those tying the knot, again, but who are committed to sharing the event with their children and extended family.
The Caribbean Wedding Association has been seeing a new kind of love and marriage lately. Apparently people who are finding love later in life, who’ve done
It’s pretty clear that the trend in travel is toward the kinds that build memories and forge connections. Especially when it comes to family travel.
And increasingly, that kind of travel seems to be a "familymoon" where remarrying couples do so with their children sharing the event and the commitment.
The Caribbean Wedding Association reports and uptick in familymoons by those who are finding love again, but who’ve done the big formal wedding and now want something different.
When the

Trending in recent years among brides and grooms is leaving behind the traditional, large, 250-person, fancy church, banquet hall wedding in favor of a fun, exotic destination wedding that adds the adventure of a sunny honeymoon vacation.
Couples choose to go out-of-town for many reasons, including basic economics. You would think that staging a wedding in another country would break the bank, but in most cases, only close friends and family attend these celebrations; thus, sparing couples from t
So my big sister is finally getting married and what she wanted to do for her wedding is not the same ole same ole and wanted to do a destination wedding instead. For some reason she thinks that I am some sort of travel expert and asked me to help her plan her wedding. Well I will be the first to tell you that I'm no travel expert and I didn't know where to begin in regards to planning her wedding.
One of the first things I did was seek the help from a destination wedding specialist. I was able t
A crimson sun slowly dips into the violet-blue sea. Streamers of pink and orange streak across the wide, deepening blue sky. Coconut palms bow lightly in the breeze. You and your beloved are there on the soft sand promising your love and commitment, exchanging rings and kisses.
Sound like your dream wedding? It easily can be. Costa Rica has become one of the premiere locations for destination weddings in the world. Its fabulously gorgeous beaches, lush rainforest, friendly people and abundan
The best part about all of the effort to make your wedding day the most memorable occasion is what comes next … the honeymoon, of course! There’s no better way to finish celebrating a lifetime commitment than with a trip of a lifetime.
Wishing for sand and surf, sunny days, palm trees, lounging in hammocks, relaxing dips in a cool pool, romantic couple’s massages, and candlelit dinners with tropical breezes? Think Costa Rica. According to CNN Money and travel experts, Costa Rica is one of the
Marriage, Italian Style
The town of Mondovi in northern Italy, is barely mentioned in most guide books.
But we went there to see our good friends Giovanna and Antonio get married in a small mountain village near the town.
The couple had opened a restaurant, Ezzelino, a bright, splash of color and light in this unspoiled, Medieval town set high on a hill top.
It’s a hidden destination of sorts where few tourists come to see the 15th and 16th century plazas, faded frescoes and quiet spaces that embr
Designer Paula Pryke has arranged flowers for weddings from Seoul to Sydney, including some of the most romantic spots in Europe.
On Thursday, April 7 at 1:30pm, the London-based expert will share her knowledge, divulge insider tips, and create more than a dozen arrangements in a Meet the Masters program sponsored by The Village Garden Club of La Jolla. The event will take place in Sherwood Hall at the La Jolla branch of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, 700 Prospect Street.
Pryke is well
Castle and Chateaux weddings in the Dordogne and Loire Valley areas of France are extremely popular. We are taking applications for 2011 already! We have on-site wedding planners in both areas who have been working with us for many years and have direct exclusive relationships with the owners of several castles.
France has changed their residency regulations regarding civil weddings as they aren't as stringent as they used to be. Most people (it used to be difficult--if they don't want to "live"