Imagine what kind of vacation you could take for the $30,000 that the so-called average wedding costs. Where would you go? Would you go to a tropical destination and be pampered at a top notch resort, or would you tour Europe? Maybe you’d spend a few weeks at a five-star hotel in Canada.

Now imagine not having to spend eons planning your wedding. Imagine not having to deal with all of the crazy wedding related details that you stew over almost daily. Think about what it would be like to get married in a fun place surrounded only by people that love you.

It’s no wonder that destination weddings or “weddingmoons” are so popular.

Are you a candidate for a destination wedding? Travel is Not for Everyone

Despite their charms, destination weddings are not for everyone. Since most destination weddings involve just the couple, or the couple along with a handful of loved ones, if a couple wants all their relatives, friends, acquaintances and co-workers to be a part of their wedding, it’s doubtful a destination wedding would be their first choice. Also, destination weddings can be a bit less predictable than a wedding at home – especially if a couple is choosing a place that they’ve never been to before. If a couple can’t handle having a few unknowns, a wedding away probably isn’t for them.

Who is a perfect match for a destination wedding? Travel Junkies and Couples Who Can Go With the Flow

If you fit the following criteria, then a destination wedding might be a perfect fit for you:

•  Love to travel
•  Love the idea of an intimate wedding
•  Shun traditional weddings with all of the usual wedding day rituals
•  Want to save money on your nuptials
• Have family that has been driving you crazy with wedding related input/advice
•  Not want to spend months planning your wedding
•  Relish the idea of letting someone else handle the wedding details (In other words, you aren’t a control freak!)
•  Go with the flow when something unexpected happens (i.e. the wedding gown doesn’t show up to its destination).

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Whether you are having a backyard wedding at your own home or you decide to tie the knot outdoors at a bed and breakfast or public park, there are many ways that you can carry the garden theme throughout your wedding. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Stationery – When it comes to gardens, weddings with a floral theme are ideal. Use pressed flowers on your invitations and place cards. Or use a pretty vintage garden motif on your stationery.

Flowers/Centerpieces/Décor – Informal garden bouquets look lovely. Accent bouquets with herbs such as thyme, lavender, rosemary. Hurricane lamps for an evening wedding look lovely. Use potted plants to decorate, such as potted flowers on the table or potted herbs. Wear flowers in your hair and make flower halos for your flower girls.

Colors – Use bright, cheerful colors, such as coral, pink and lavender.

Food – Take advantage of the great local fruits and veggies that are in season. Have an afternoon wedding with a summer salad bar that includes gourmet greens and pasta salads. Have a lemonade stand for the kids. Or have an evening reception, complete with grilled seafood, steak and veggies.

Favors – Give guests handmade soap scented with essential oils or pressed flowers behind glass. Other favors could be bulbs for planting in the garden, or small plants. Summer preserves are also a lovely favor.

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Quebec Weddings are perfect for couples looking for something charming and a little different. Couples who want something truly unique can have an Ice Hotel wedding, while those who love the cosmopolitan vibe of Montreal can get married at one of its many venues.

Quebec City: Quebec Weddings with Romance in Mind

Quebec City is one of the most romantic cities in North America. With its winding cobblestone streets, its 17th and 18th century stone houses, churches, cafes, bistros, galleries and boutiques, the provincial capital, which is perched high above the St. Lawrence River, is charmingly European. In fact its European roots run back 1,000 years!

Named a UNESCO World Heritage site, Quebec City, which is the only walled city in North America, is rich in history and culture.

One cannot mention Quebec City without mentioning the cuisine. If you’re a “foodie”, you’ll be in heaven! The city has oodles of great restaurants where you can sample local culinary delights.

Although the city is almost entirely Francophone, many of its residents speak English – especially those who work in the tourism industry.

Great for summer weddings – and winter weddings too!

Venues

Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac – No wonder this hotel is the most photographed hotel in the world. Set on a bluff high above the St. Laurence River, the century old castle, with its spires and turrets is an impressive site.

Le Château Frontenac hosts several weddings a week. The Rose Room, which has panoramic views of the St. Lawrence River, is ideal for intimate weddings of up to 30 people. For larger groups, the hotel has numerous ballrooms. The hotel has wedding coordinators on staff.

Ice Hotel Quebec-Canada – Want to add some adventure to your nuptials? Have an ice hotel wedding at the Ice Hotel Quebec-Canada. This hotel, which is made entirely from ice, offers adventurous brides and grooms a chance to say “I do” within its elaborate ice and snow structure.

A wedding package for two at the ice hotel, includes a civil ceremony in the ice chapel, a bottle of champagne, two ice-sculpted champagne goblets and a wedding planner. Transportation, photography, entertainment and other wedding related services can be arranged by the hotel. The hotel is open from January to April.

Au Petit Chateau Bed and Breakfast – You can’t get much more romantic than a turn of the century brick mansion overlooking the St. Lawrence River and tucked away in a quiet location close to Old Quebec.

Quebec Weddings at this venue are held on the grounds of the bed and breakfast, which include a lovely garden and veranda.

Quebec Wedding Planners: Quebec City

Karinian Event Planners – This company will assist you with your wedding day details. Offers a variety of services. karinian@consultant.com

Quebec Weddings in Montreal

Hip and utterly charming, Montreal offers an interesting blend of French and English culture. Framed by the St. Lawrence River and Mont Royal, the city is not only picturesque with plenty of open green spaces for nature lovers, its cultural scene is thriving with countless nightclubs, cafes, restaurants, galleries, and museums.  A great wedding destination for couples who want to experience old world with a modern twist in one of Canada’s most romantic cities!

Venues

The Ritz-Carlton Montreal – For luxurious Quebec weddings, there’s the Ritz-Carlton located in the heart of Montreal. The hotel is considered one of the grand hotels of North America. The 18th century style Oval Ballroom and Palm Court, as well as silk-paneled Ritz and Carlton rooms, host weddings from 20 to 250 guests.

The Loews Hotel Vogue – This elegant hotel, located in downtown Montreal, combines neoclassical accents with Late Empire furnishings. A team of on-staff wedding coordinators can help you plan your wedding from start to finish. Weddings take place in the luxurious ballroom, and the Garden Terrace.

Montreal Botanical Gardens – If you prefer a garden wedding there’s Montreal’s Botanical Gardens. The Japanese pavilion reflects the artistic ideals of Japanese culture, and is great for small weddings. The Fuji Pavilion is an open air tent ideal for larger weddings.

Quebec Wedding Planners: Montreal

Maddy K Weddings – This full service wedding company, has a wide variety of wedding packages to choose from.

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Keep an eye on the Real Weddings category for small wedding ideas and profiles from real couples who are planning a small wedding or already tied the knot and want to share their intimate wedding with others.

If you would like to be featured here in our Real Weddings section, send us your info via our Intimate Weddings Contact page and we will be in touch.

Times are tough – especially if you are planning a wedding. As if it weren’t enough to have to worry about job instability – or worse, job loss, a tanking real estate market and dwindling stocks!

If you’re the type who has champagne taste but you’re are on a Spumante budget, don’t be tempted to go into debt. Even if you are having a small wedding, those costs can add up quickly.

If you end up putting thousands of dollars on your credit cards, you could end up paying a lot more for your wedding than you ever imagined. Put it this way: Say you put $5,000 of your wedding related items on your credit card which has an annual interest rate of 18 percent. If you make minimum payments of $100 per month, it would take you about 7.5 years to pay off the debt and you’d have paid back not only the $5,000, but also approximately $4,300 in interest!

The best way to stay within a budget you can afford is to start planning early. That way you can begin saving for your wedding months ahead. Opening up a special wedding account can be a good idea. Putting 10 percent of your paycheck into the account can make for a sizeable chunk of cash after several months of saving.

Planning ahead will also give you time to comparison shop and find bargains. Clearance sales can save you a bundle!

When it comes to your wedding budget it’s also wise for both of you to get involved and to keep close tabs on your wedding expenses. To keep track of your budget, you can use a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel or WordPerfect Quattro Pro. Make a list of the items and services you purchase, input costs next to each item (don’t forget the taxes!), and keep a running tally.

The last thing you want is to end up being a candidate for this:

DID YOUR WEDDING PUT YOU IN FINANCIAL DISTRESS?
W NETWORK’S “MAXED OUT” CAN HELP!

Nov. 19, 2008

Did your recent wedding put you in debt up to your ears? Did you way overspend to have the wedding of your dreams? Maybe your upcoming wedding is financially spiraling out of control. TV’s MAXED OUT can help!

Maxed Out, “W” Network’s financial makeover show, is looking for candidates for Season IV. Apply for a unique opportunity to get yourself out of debt and on your way to financial security once and for all.

What you’ll get:
*One-on-one coaching from one of Canada’s top financial journalists
*a generous financial incentive

Who We’re Looking For:
We are looking for couples and families who live in the Greater Toronto Area, who feel financially overwhelmed and are in financial distress. We
are looking for participants between the ages of 30-50, but will give
consideration to those with an interesting story.

Candidates must be outgoing and willing to be open with money matters and stress.

How to Apply:
Please email story and photo to info@rtrmedia.com

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