BudgetTravel

John Bigley & Paris Permenter: Typically everyone pays his or her own way to a destination wedding although, when finances allow, the bride and groom sometimes cover expenses for a special family member or a member of the wedding party who might not otherwise be able to attend.
 
One way you can assist with the cost factor is to try to secure group discounts whenever possible. Talk with airlines and hotels about group discounts; guests will generally need to make their reservations through a special group booking number.

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Knoxville, TN: Can you offer suggestions on islands or tropical locations that are tolerant of same sex union ceremonies? We are planning to make some sort of committment in the next few months and enjoy cruising and traveling through the carribean including Puerto Rico.

John Bigley & Paris Permenter: Attitudes about same sex union ceremonies vary greatly from island to island within the Caribbean so your best bet for a ceremony is to look to the gay-friendly islands in the region. The US Virgin Islands (especially St. Croix), Sint Maarten, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico are all good choices.

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Lake Forest, IL: We are trying to find a beach wedding location that isn't tuned to the tourist dollar or the wedding price-hike effect but which isn't on the other side of the planet (we love Zanzibar but cannot ask everyone to fly there). Every place we look at in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Florida is outrageously expensive, or seems like a deal until you start adding on all the "extras." Is there any such thing as a truly "secret" wedding destination place that isn't upmarketed by advertisements from Bridal magazines or other media sources that make it turn overnight into a high-end claim to wedding fame?

John Bigley & Paris Permenter: It's tough to find a "hidden" destination in North America these days and, when you do find an out of the way property or remote island, you can often expect to pay extra charges in terms of transportation.
 
Our suggestion: look to off season for good deals. If you have your heart set on a resort that you think might be out of your budget, ask about off season rates which are often less than half the high season rate. In the Caribbean, off season means mid-April through mid-December with the very cheapest rates falling during the height of hurricane season: September and October. Remember, however, that the region is a large one. Also, ask your resort about hurricane guarantees in case a storm interrupts your wedding plans. 
 
Also, consider less-visited locations on popular islands. For example, while Jamaica's Montego Bay and Ocho Rios are tops with bridal travelers, look to the quieter South Coast for small properties. You'll still have the benefit of low airfare thanks to the large number of tourists but you'll have the benefits of a smaller property.

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Davie, FL: We have a destination wedding in Bodega Bay, California on Labor Day weekend. While we are there what should we do aside from the wineries?

John Bigley & Paris Permenter: Save time for a walk on the beach (or even catch a wave if you can sneak away from the wedding festivities long enough.) There are many good art galleries in the region and the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa is a fun option if there are kids (or just "Peanuts" fans) in the wedding group.

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Englewood, NJ: If you are attending a destination wedding, (air, hotel, car rental) and you have bought a substantial gift from the registry, are you still require to give a $ gift at the wedding?

John Bigley & Paris Permenter: No; a gift from the registry counts as your gift (and oftentimes, the gift of your presence is all that's expected and hoped for at a destination wedding).

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John Bigley & Paris Permenter: Well, it's about time to wrap up. Thanks for all your questions. You can always find us over at Lovetripper.com and our new Texas travel site, TexasTripper.com. Happy travels! Paris & John

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