Destination Weddings

We have recelenty decided to do a Destination Wedding instead of our in town wedding.  My question is does anyone have any tips for a DW bride.  I don't feel like we are getting much help on websites and I don't really want to buy a package deal as I have not found one worth it.  We are going to be getting married on Kailua Beach on Oahu, Hawaii.  Thanks for any help ladies!

Ooo! We've had a few Hawaii PWers.  You could try these groups:

http://www.projectwedding.com/groups/boards/destination-weddings

http://www.projectwedding.com/groups/boards/hawaii-brides

They're not super active, though, as you can tell.  You can still post your questions on the main forum.  You can put the location of your wedding in the post title so it can better catch the attention of people familiar with the location. 

Good luck!  I had initially wanted a Hawaii wedding myself!

Check out bestdestinationwedding.com You'll get a lot of helpful info on that site :)

It can be such a difficult process to start planning! I am getting married in Key West and I was so frustrated by the packages that it seemed everybody was offering. What I ended up doing was searching wedding planners and officients-even though that wasn't something I was looking to book at the time. Most of them had lists of ceremony and reception locations.

I know Jocemae just got married in Hawaii...this weekend I think. You could PM her and see if she has any tips? It might be a bit before she gets back to you.

Good luck!!

Try to choose a place that has a Wedding Co-Ordinator as part of the package. Also, check to see if you are able to choose outside vendors/items. Tripadvisors was a great source for helping to choose a resort. The reviews are from "real" people!

Also, as noted above, bestdestinationwedding.com is a great resource, plus check destinationwedding.com. Good luck on planning.

We're doing a DW in wine country in Northern California (not the same, but still). I didn't do anything with a package. I just sort of threw it together and did a lot of internet reaseach on what was there. Our wedding is very small though, so we're actually just having dinner at a restaurant.

I'm having a destination wedding in Puerto Rico and they really don't offer any packages. I would guess a package is easier, but your stuck with what they give you. I prefer to piece it together myself so I can pick and chose what I want. I am hiring a day of coordinator and she's great. She also provides a list of reputable vendors. Check out weddingwire.com for reviews of other brides in the area and for some vendor suggestions.