Are you from the Northeast? If so, have you considered a LOCAL “Destination Wedding”? Perhaps the “Bermuda of the North?” Destination weddings are becoming quite popular. Many Brides and Grooms today don’t want to have the usual wedding, they want it to be an event to remember.

The popular locations (Jamaica, Florida, the Bahamas, even Europe…) are great, but may not be the answer to your dream wedding due to money or family restrictions. I know when my fiancé and I were trying to plan our wedding, we had to think of getting his Grandmother, and other older & less mobile guests, there. There was no way we could have asked her to take such a long flight!

Block Island, considered “The Bermuda of the North,” can fulfill your fairytale wedding vision. It can make a wonderful honeymoon location too and it’s closer than you think. There are lighthouses and beaches; horse drawn carriages; old Victorian Inns, hotels and B&Bs; and plenty of restaurants and shops. Rent a moped, bicycle or boat, or even go parasailing! There’s so much to do that you almost forget you aren’t far from home. It’s great for kids too.

Planning a Destination Wedding can be difficult, but if you are organized and plan ahead it can become exactly what you hope for. I recommend beginning your search for the Reception site and Ceremony location as early as possible. Once these places and the date are set in stone, the rest will fall into place with a little work.

It’s best to send out “save the date” cards 6-9 months prior to the wedding. These are a Pre-Invitation notice to advise everyone the details of your wedding. Try something creative… This will also give your guests the opportunity to take time off and make their hotel and travel arrangements. Also, you may want to create your own wedding website where you can POST ALL the details of the event, including photographs.

You can visit Block Island, Rhode Island for just the day or make a weekend of it and decide for yourself if it’s right for you. Get to know the island and what it has to offer. You should have a list of places you want to see ahead of time and make appointments with the vendors. This makes the most efficient use of your time.

Need some help or advice? There are a couple of good websites you may find useful or call the Block Island Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-383-2474 for a “Wedding Information Packet.”

Best of luck to you in planning your big day. wedalert