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St.Thomas weddings just need that communication step. Author: Feb 27

 Putting your trust in a wedding planner 2000 miles away is a major step in having a destination wedding.  How does a Bridal couple pick a planner without that face to face meeting? When you want a St.Thomas wedding and you live in St.Paul, Mn, what kind of signs or signals should you be looking for?

Let’s start with communication which should be the first step.

Was your initial query returned in a timely manner?  Were left feeling less than excited and happy about having a St.Thomas wedding or a St.John Wedding?

 

There will always be a bit of apprehension up to the time you say “I do” but you should not have any feeling of being left twisting in the wind with questions left unanswered.

 

Customer Service is universal no matter where you are getting married.

Whether having a St.Thomas wedding or any destination wedding you deserve respect.

Communication and first impressions are formed in several different ways.

In today’s world the world wide web is just one way.

 

Browse the web and look at theSt. Thomasweddings or St.John Wedding sites.http://beachweddingsbydeb.com/

Remember a Website is like a store front. You would not enter a bakery if it had broken windows or dirty display cases? So it is fair to say that you can judge any business by its website.

  • If links don’t work.
  • If pictures are poorly done.
  • Pictures that are too small or hard to see
  • Improper loading of pictures.
  • Out dated information and or pictures
  • Hard to read font.
  • No on/off for music.
  • No Contact information that includes email, mail address and phone numbers.http://beachweddingsbydeb.com/virgin-island-wedding-contact.html
  • Not able to view the site on your phone, laptop, Ipad or any other web devise.
  • If it hasLas Vegastype blinking or animation.

 

In other words it should be a professionally designed site to reflect their professional standards.

 

Your wedding planner’s website should be like a welcome drink to a thirsty traveler.

What you see on the website may very will be reflective of your wedding ceremony.

As each baker is responsible for his store so is a planner responsible for the website.

 

Category: beach weddings, Cruise ship weddings, Destination wedding vendors, St Thomas wedding packages, vi wedding packages, Virgin Island Weddings, What to know when planning a destination wedding.  | Tags: , , , , ,  | One Comment
St Thomas wedding package for nautically inclined Author: Feb 15

When you have an urge to be outdoors enjoying nature at its best, no place is better than the U.S. Virgin Islands.

You have the blue sea, boats of all kinds, sandy beaches and weddings.

Put them all together and you have a formula for a tropical wedding paradise.

If you two are adventurous and looking for a unique wedding read on.

 

 Whether you’re looking for the perfect location to escape the everyday and get married in an intimate ceremony or just want a different alternative to St.Thomas public beaches that  can get pretty crowded, especially in High Season.  By George we have it here.

You may end up getting your feet wet so if you are not the adventure craving, laid back, relaxing, exotic wanting wedding couple then stop reading here.

 

We have created a wonderful, romantic wedding ceremony package on Honeymoon Beach located on St.John.  An all inclusive package for your wedding day.

 

 The perfect St John Wedding romantic get away.

  • Unlimited phone consultation, email.
  • Marriage license processing and Court house fees
  • U.S.licensed Wedding Officiate.
  • On site coordinator for ceremony
  • Choice of vows
  • Bridal Bouquet and Groom boutonnière (mixed flower- color of choice)
  • (2) Certified copies of your marriage license from Court House sent via express mail
  • Round Trip transportation for Bride and Groom: To Court House, to ceremony and back to Ship or hotel.
  • Round Trip for Bride and Groom + 4 guests via private charter boat toSt. JohnandHoneymoonBeach. (1/2 Day private charter.)
  • St. Johnwedding location.HoneymoonBeachlocation fee included 
  • Certified Professional Photography package: one hour of coverage
  • A DVD with 80 high resolution digital negatives
  • Set of 4×6 proofs prints.
  • Online Gallery to show family and friends.
  • Photographers consultation

$2395.00

Up grade with a wedding cake decorated with fresh flowers, champagne and you have the mood, the scenery, and the memories. 

 

This package should have been called “The Best”. Because we didn’t skimp, you have the Best photographer Gary Felton, The best boat Captain Jimmy and The best wedding planner Deb McDonald.

Category: beach weddings, Cruise ship weddings, St Thomas wedding packages, vi wedding packages, Virgin Island Weddings, Wedding tips  | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,  | Comments off
Beach Wedding picture perfect day. Author: Oct 20

Saturday on St.John turned out beautiful.  Sunny with a few fluffy clouds,warm bright blue waters and a white sandy beach.   This was a perfect day to get married and a perfect day,  as Gary Felton the photographer described it, to be apart of a couples wedding at a beautiful St. John wedding location.

Honey Moon beach on St.John provided the back drop of a true Caribbean wedding scene.  The beach was empty of tourist and boaters as we had expected for a sunset wedding ceremony.

The Bride and wedding party of Mother, and friend were getting ready at the local beauty salon.  The Groom , best man and Father of the bride were getting ready at the villa.

Upon designated times all were gathered together for the ride to the beach.  Bride, Father and Mother in one car, Groom and best Man in another. 

At the beach the Groom, Officiate, photographer and Best Man awaited the arrival of Bride.  Mind you, it was no easy task keeping the anxious Groom pointed out to sea.  But as custom dictates  it,  the bride was not to be seen until she walked down the aisle.  This was truly a wedding planners dream.  All of the scheduling, emailing, laughing, talking, and worry had paid off.  This wedding was going off with out a single hitch. (pardon my pun).

Not only were the couple starting a new life. They were starting it with a ready made family of two adopted children. 

 

After the ceremony everyone celebrated with a toast and the cake cutting on the beach.

Then off to  dinner at  a water front restaurant “Cactus on the Blue.”

Morrie Schwartz once said.”The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love and to let it come in”

I think this family is off to a great start.

Category: An Island Moment, Destination wedding vendors, How to pick a photographer, vi wedding packages, Virgin Island Weddings, Wedding tips, What to know when planning a destination wedding.  | Tags: , , , , , ,  | Comments off
St Thomas wedding elopment . Author: Aug 22

When was the last time you had a really good day?  The kind of day where you could look up and thank the heavens above for life being so good.  When was the last time we counted out blessings?  I know, I know, the stocks have fallen, the 401K has taken a dump and the job market looks bleak. (or was it the other way around). 

I am not trying to make light of serious events taking place in our world.  On the other hand its not the end of the world either.  Life goes on, maybe a bit simpler and not as fast paced but that could be a good thing.  People fall in love and get married but the days of Parents footing the bill, with a second mortgage on the house for their childrens wedding has passed.  Weddings are trending down in size and cost.

Fewer bridal couples are inviting the second and third cousins of the clan.  In fact more and more couples are heading south. 

Yep ,South to the sun, blue water, and less worry.   Less worry because they do not have to create a wedding ceremony and reception that rivals the Future King of England.

The word elopement has come back into vogue.  Beach weddings, boat weddings, natural weddings are replacing the 100 to 300 guest ceremonies and receptions.

St.Thomas wedding on Megans beach Virgin Islands.

Where is it written that you have to be stressed, broke, tired and disappointed to have a really really, thank the heavens, wedding.  It isn’t and you don’t have to be any of the above. 

Just take the first step and look.  Like I have always said Google is a girls best friend.

Pick a location.  (Hint St.Thomas is a U.S Territory.)  What would you really consider the dream location? Its pretty hard to not pick warm climate, sandy beaches, sunny sky and blue water all year around.  

Then pick a date, if you want guest, send save the date cards.   If you don’t, just get the marriage license and plan for the two of you.   Regardless if you are have a small elopement or a ceremony with close family and friends you cannot beat the destination wedding for putting some romance and love in a less stress full setting.

Best of all I can do it all for you.  Really! just call me!

 

Category: An Island Moment, Destination wedding vendors, St Thomas wedding packages, vi wedding packages, Virgin Island Weddings, Wedding tips, What to know when planning a destination wedding.  | Tags: , , , , , ,  | Comments off
When to Hire a Wedding Planner Author: Nov 10

I have just attended a wedding as a helper for a photographer I know. 

The couple was arriving aboard a cruise ship. Their plan was to have a ceremony followed by cake and champagne.   The venue was a beautiful tropical garden setting which eight inches of rain the previous day, had made the grounds wet and soggy.

The Wedding was scheduled to begin at 11 am.

What the couple didn’t know was that their cruise ship line stays on Eastern Standard Time.

The Island is on Atlantic Standard Time an hour earlier.

What should have been a relaxing morning getting ready, turned into a series of frantic calls to vendors changing the time of the wedding. 

What the couple didn’t know was that the transportation they reserved to move guest from the ship to the venue was not large enough to carry 15 guest and 3 handicap scooters.

What should have been a leisurely ride from the ship to the venue turned into three trips back and forth.   This resulted in additional money for transportation.

What the couple didn’t know was that the money they paid for the scooter rental and their transporting was wasted. The venue had a no scooter rule due to width of paths.

What the Bride didn’t know was how to get into a wedding dress, and no you do not put it over the head if you just spent two hours getting your hair done.

What the Bride didn’t know was that packing a Brooch bouquet in your suitcase would break it apart.  It was too late to order fresh flowers.

What the groom didn’t know was that being the last person to arrive would set the ceremony back even more, waiting for him to get dressed.

What the couple didn’t know was that if you give Uncle Joe a video camera, he is going to use it, even if it means getting in all of the professional photographers pictures.  Kind of hard for even a professional photographer to shoot around him.  Which cost more?  Uncle Joe or the professional photographer?

When hiring a professional Photographer don't wast money with guest in the pictures.

What the couple didn’t know was that when hiring vendors for an one hour wedding, the ceremony length has to be discussed with Aunt Jane who is officiating it.  Otherwise it will run on and on and on.

What the couple didn’t know was when the ceremony is stopped in the middle, so that an attendant can retrieve forgotten rings, it just adds more time to the vendors already overtime clock.

What the couple didn’t know was that all the times the professional photographer was delayed so that guest could take pictures cost them money and lost pictures.

What the couple didn’t know was that all the delays and miscommunication would cost them in overtime they had to pay to vendors.

What the couple didn’t know was that when planning a destination wedding outside of the U.S. there is sometimes cultural difference in business and vendors.

What the couple didn’t know was that it would have been more enjoyable, less stressful and less costly to have a Wedding planner.

They know it now.

Category: St Thomas wedding packages, vi wedding packages, Virgin Island Weddings, Wedding tips, What to know when planning a destination wedding.  | Tags: , , , , , ,  | Comments off
What a perfect wedding day in the Virgin Islands. Author: Mar 17
They were the Possibly the happiest couple getting married this week.
He was from New York and She was from Ireland.  They met on line.
The ceremony took place on St. John in the Virgin Islands.
60 guest attended, 30 from the U.S and 30 from Ireland.  A tribute to the happy couple.
The Vows were written and rewritten over a period of months but the final results were completed one week prior to the ceremony.  The Bride’s  sister sung “The simple gifts”  and was  accompied by a Cello.
“Simple Gifts” was written by Elder Joseph while he was at the Shaker community in Alfred, Maine in 1848. These are the lyrics to his one-verse song:
‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free,
‘Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain’d,
To bow and to bend we will not be asham’d,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.

The Groom’s brother read the following excerpt from THE VELVETEEN RABBIT~ By Margery Williams ~

“What is REAL?” asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. “Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?” 

“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but Really loves you, then you become Real.” 

“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit. 

“Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.” 

“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?” 

“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get all loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”

A romantic wedding for a very personable and romantic couple
This is what they emailed upon arriving back to the U.S.

 

Dear Deb,
Alec and I just wanted to thank you for your part in making our wedding ceremony so special.
I wish I could rewind and be standing under that arch again, staring into Alecs’ eyes and hearing your calm voice. It was a fairy tale and we will never forget it. 
We haven’t yet received the professional photographs but I wanted to share a couple that was sent to us by one of our guests. Once we receive the others we will be sure to pass them on.
Much love and thanks again,

 

Aileen and Alec Hansen

 

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