Oddbean

We had both an elopement (in Vegas with Elvis and two friends) and an actual wedding (big thing with family and friends). If we could do one of them over we both agree it would be Elvis. Good for thought!

i used to work at a private social club and we had weddings, some were brutal, but i recommend have fun, you and island have a great dynamic, just keep the laughter and stick to what you want. Congrats again. xo

Recently married here- I don’t have any wishes for any change, ours came out perfect. The secret was to listen to our gut, communicate, and be flexible overall. Biggest headaches- food, venue, guests, costs. We went through a lot of iterations of what we wanted. Everyone is going to have different wants, and so communication with your fiance and prioritizing your collective wants will be important. As we went through the process, we had to compromise based on various factors, our highest priority demanded compromise on other priorities. So that lead us down the path, and we wound up going where we tried to minimize compromising on other priorities in light of that. So communicate your goals and priorities, walk the path in light of those priorities, and you’ll find your perfect wedding at the end of that pathway. :-)

No problem! It’s your special day I hope you enjoy it! I’ll tell you one more thing though, holy shit it can be stressful. There are unlimited choices and options. It’s so fucking overwhelming. I don’t want to make assumptions about your perfect day, but for me- less was more. We didn’t need much of anything in the end, some family, a nice location, some decent clothes, some nice words to say, a good restaurant to enjoy some food after, and a nice place to spend the night together. Less was perfect and more was stressful.

If I could do it over again I’d have a formal dinner where guests knew they were coming to celebrate something. Once everyone is seated I’d have the ceremony. No wedding party, no unnecessary expense, no dance lessons, no opportunity for outside opinions. Just loved ones, the officiant, a nice restaurant, a beautiful cake, and some champagne… maybe dancing at a club or something later. I was blessed to have had a beautiful wedding that I planned and hosted in a way that made sense to my fiancé and me. Our budget was so low I was laughed at by planners & coordinators. Doing it all myself felt like the only way. It was a lot of work and a lot went wrong 😂😂 but I’m glad I did it. Whatever you decide do what makes sense to you and your groom. In the end that’s all that matters.

I got married, with a two week holiday included by enjoying a tropical island wedding. We booked seats on a plane (more than 10 people flying the same route should get you a discount fare + epic payment plan) and had so much fun with our closest people - because those who were closest made the effort to come. Bonus... This saved us a lot of money. We enjoyed a two week holiday with friends for less than a one day event had we done the traditional thing back home in NZ or Australia. 🙌 Additional bonus: We have the most epic wedding photos, tropical beaches, jungle, abandoned buildings, trash the dress... Amazing. Would do it all over again 💯

Yeah I think it was way less stressful than organising something at home where probably 100 or so people would want to come and we would've been paying for a lot of food and alcohol vs enjoying a beautiful holiday with just over a handful of our favourite people! Definitely was a win for us 💯

We have big families so small wasn’t an option and getting married in a Church was important. I thought my wife was crazy for wanting 2-3 photographers and maybe a videographer…we settled on 2 photographers and afterwards I understand that a videographer frees up the other photographers to take more candied shots. Whatever you end up picking make sure YOU own the pictures - don’t let them hold all the event pictures and force you into overpaying for pictures later. Get all the ‘high def’ pictures on a thumb drive. The reception wasn’t a first pick but was functional (had an indoor waterpark as we had a ton of kids coming) and hotel attached. The best part was how turn key the place was - the tables, tablecloths, chairs, booze, and food were all-in-one and modest in cost. We tried the standard fair of ok chicken and substandard beef and nothing looked good til we saw the breakfast menu for the ‘next day’. Ended up having breakfast for dinner and saving a ton and guests loved it too. Just remember the day is about you two coming together, but it should also be about two families coming together as well. It doesn’t have to be perfect, most families aren’t…it needs to be special, because family’s are special. Good luck and enjoy the adventure!

Wish we had sent an announcement and gotten married in Bermuda, instead of just honeymooning there. The whole 250 person party stressed me TF out to where I didn’t enjoy it. But my mother, grandmother and MIL would have all blown gaskets…so…

We went big in a sunny typically venue because we love to host a great party. It was hurricane that day. Down pour. Still had fun. Contingency plans are always good. Mini destination (4hr drive) is stellar. Forces folks to chill out and unplugged for two days. Bachelor/Bachelorette parties in rental house and the combined kaoroke at the local watering hole two night before the big day was super fun.

The simpler and more authentic the better. Mine was on a Thursday afternoon followed by dinner with family and there is nothing I regret except maybe being TOO casual and not getting my hair and makeup professionally done for the pictures (that you’ll be showing your kids and displaying in your home)! I’m a fan of backyard weddings.