Planning the special day of your life can be a stressful, complicated, time consuming, bewildering, and often time downright ugly.

Not only do you have to decide date and location but budget, guest list, color, type of dress, bridesmaids or not, groomsmen or not, reception or not.

Doing all of the above from afar only adds to an already hectic travel planning schedule.

Beach Weddings by Deb can alleviate most of, if not all the stress when making the above decisions but that is not what this blog is all about.

I wanted to help the couple when trying to decide if they should have a reception after the wedding or not. In all of my years of planning weddings and receptions on St. Thomas or St. John in the Virgin Islands, I have found that what you don’t want to do is nothing after a wedding ceremony. 

Several couples coming to the Virgin Islands to get married arrive via cruise ship. All inclusive cruise ship which may or may not provide for the wedding celebration with cakes, flowers, and ambiance.

Other couples just want a simple day have the ceremony and maybe cake on the beach. 

Both are fine but I have talked to several couples and guest months after the ceremony and determined through an unscientific survey that it was a letdown for everyone involved.

Going back to the ship or just cake on the beach to celebrate was just business as usual or over before it started.

The dress that the bride spent hours picking outa dress, flowers and decorations was gone and put away within an hour of the ceremony.  Guest who spent time and money bringing special clothes to wear or travel time to help celebrate were left standing on the beach so to speak.

So what is this blog leading up to?  Have a reception, have a gathering, and have a celebration of a very special day in a very special way.

What better time is deserving to all to have either a meal, drinks, finger food, cake or something where you can just sit down enjoy the company.

Relish the fact and  in your new status as Mr. and Mrs.  Really thank the guest that spent time and money to help you celebrate.

In today’s economy I am not advocating a 10 course meal although that is fine.  I am really directing my word to the couples who have anywhere from 2 to 100 guest with them.

Best plan would be to have a wedding and reception at the same location.

Select a menu from one of the local restaurants that cater to wedding receptions with prices ranging from the $10.00 hamburger to $50.00 steak.

All of the flowers, and decorations from the wedding can be used if on a tight budget.

 Decide if you want to include a toast of champagne and then cash bar or no cash bar.

Be right on the water within walking distance of the ceremony.   If you folks that arrive on the cruise ship celebrate before getting on the ship.  We have restaurants within walking distance of the cruise ship and enjoy the water ambiance.  Have you ceremony at one of the local beaches then celebrate while watching the water and in sight of the ship.  No worrying about making it back to the ship in time you are already there.

So what I am really trying to say is sit down and smell the roses, or curry chicken or some great sea bass and enjoy the day.  Relish the time now because it will never come again.  Call me if you need help.