Invite Designer – Creative Wedding Planning & Ideas

With a world filled with so many different cultures, it’s no surprise that each one has their own set of wedding customs. I’ve found a few to share with you that actually made me laugh at loud. Some funny, some just kinda strange, but all intended to provide the bride and groom with good luck.

Kidnapping the Bride: In Germany, some people will kidnap the bride and then hide her away, leaving it up to the groom to find her. Turns out this seemingly scary custom is one in which the groom enlists the help if his friends and they generally converge at the local bar to plan their rescue over a few drinks!

Blackening the Bride: In Scottish tradition, the friends and family of the bride catch her off guard and cover her in a nasty mixture of eggs, sauces, creams and anything else they can get their hands on! She is then paraded around town for all to see.

Guests Stealing Kisses: There is a Swedish tradition that allows the guests to steal kisses from the bride or groom when the one is out of the room. If the bride leaves the room, all of the female guests line up to steal a kiss from the groom and if the groom steps out; all of the male guests line up to kiss the bride!

Stealing the Grooms Shoes: In India, it is customary for the bride-to-be’s family to do all they can to steal the groom’s wedding shoes which he is required to remove before entering the ceremony. The groom’s family in turn does all they can to protect the shoes and keep them from getting stolen! If the bride’s family succeeds in getting the shoe, his family is obligated to pay whatever ransom her family requests in order to get the shoe back!

Sawing the Log: Another German tradition entails the newlyweds to saw a log together! A log is placed between the two of them immediately after the wedding and the each take a hold of opposite ends of a saw and work together to cut it in half. This is supposed to be a sign of how they will deal with things together as husband and wife.

I know there are a million more out there, but these were the ones that I personally found to be the oddest/funniest customs. If you know of a good one I would love to hear about it! Leave a comment and share your favorite wedding tradition.

Destination weddings are becoming very popular with engaged couples.  At first blush, destination weddings sound like they would cost a lot more money than the usual church ceremony; however, they are often cheaper.  This is because many resorts, cruises, and other travel destinations offer wedding packages that include the wedding ceremony, a catered reception with food and wedding cake, photographer, officiant, and honeymoon.  Sometimes travel to and from the destination wedding is included.  If travel isn’t included, it’s best for couples to purchase air and hotel as a package because this saves money. 

A destination wedding package not only saves money, but it also saves the bride and groom all the time and stress of planning their wedding.  It’s already done for them!  All they have to do is show up and enjoy the vacation atmosphere that greets them as soon as they arrive. 

Destination weddings are also a reunion of sorts for friends and family.  Guests spend more time with each other because the wedding ceremony is usually a day or two after family and friends arrive.  This gives everyone time to catch up with friends and family or get acquainted with the in-laws.

Additionally, if this isn’t a bride’s and/or groom’s first marriage, destination weddings are an ideal choice.  This type of wedding is more private and often don’t have the usual tongues wagging about a second or third marriage.  Plus, if children are involved, a destination wedding at a family friendly resort or cruise is great for taking the kids along, particularly if there are step siblings.  This helps them get to know one another and to make them feel part of the new family. 

Popular destination weddings are the Bahamas, Las Vegas, Hawaii, cruises, and even castles in the UK.  Destination weddings don’t have to require traveling so far from home, however.  Local beaches and parks are great for destination weddings, as well as local vineyards.  Additionally, many Bed and Breakfasts are situated on acreage that includes large landscaped gardens.  These beautiful and natural surroundings provide an ideal setting because there’s plenty of room for wedding guests.  Of course, you have to cross your fingers for good weather.  It’s always best, if you go the route of an outdoor wedding, to make sure there’s a back up in case of inclement weather.  Some of the Bed and Breakfasts that are wedding destinations also provide catering, which saves the bride and groom the time and stress of trying to find a caterer, baker, and reception venue.  Often these destination wedding Bed and Breakfasts offer romantic honeymoon packages, so be sure to check if there’s a discount on having your destination wedding at the place where you’ll spend your honeymoon.

Destination weddings can be extravagant, with the couple and their family and friends traveling to exotic locations.  Or a destination wedding can be closer to home, saving the couple time and money.  Whichever route a couple takes, a destination wedding is sure to be unique and memorable.

We got married last July in Aruba, and it was the best decision we could have made. The follow-up reception back in Seattle…was not the best. Anyway…we had 30 of our family and friends join us for an unforgettable week. We scheduled the wedding on a Wednesday so that we had time to spend with our guests before and after the main party. Before the wedding, our parents hosted a couple of really casual parties allowing everyone to mingle and get to know each other. By the time the wedding rolled around, we were like one big family – and so none of the weird familial awkwardness could affect our big day.

Why Aruba? Our must-haves: a beach, good diving (tropics), our family and friends HAD to be able to get their without too many logistical issues. Oh, yeah, and since it was happening during the summer, had to be out of the Hurricane zones.

Aruba has an extensive list of Wedding planners – great for having choices, but time-consuming to decide which one fit our needs best. Well, let me narrow it down for you. We had THE BEST, MOST WONDERFUL wedding planner. Her name is Lissy Lampe of Ceremonies & Celebrations in Aruba. She exudes the “One Happy Island�? motto in every way. As soon as my husband and I met with her on our first day on the island, I was instantly put at ease. Lissy’s attention to detail was impeccable. Before we left for Aruba, I was very unsure of what we would be faced with in this foreign land. All I can say is that I was stressed and nervous for NOTHING. Lissy took all the stress out of my wedding day. All we had to do was show up!

Our wedding was held at the Bucuti hotel on Eagle Beach. They set up a beachside & barefoot ceremony, followed by a buffet dinner on the beach. The buffet was set up under a tent, with some traditional Caribbean treats (fried plantains, keshi yena – delish); the bar was set up right next to that tent. We had 2 waiters and a bartender that were absolutely amazing. Since very few of our guests had to drive anywhere (most staying in very nearby hotels) they were free to partake liberally of the rum punch! After dinner & toasting we had the best dance party I’ve ever been to (hee!). At the last minute I decided to hire a DJ (yep, set up right there on the beach!), because it just wouldn’t be my wedding without dancing. I gave the DJ a playlist I had found on the web and it turned out to be the BEST playlist EVER! I did not stop dancing for 2 straight hours.

Recommendations:
1. Hire a wedding planner unless you know the destination really well, or have friends in that area to help – it was seriously worth it (and I’m a notorious cheapskate!!)
2. Get video – you are going to want to watch your perfect day over & over. I didn’t have the videographer stay for our reception, and I wish I would have – that was the best part.

If you have questions, or want to see pictures, let me know – as you can tell, I’m happy to share!

If you are a bride who had a destination wedding please share your tips and tricks!  If you’re a bride planning a destination wedding and want to share your ideas or ask for suggestions this is the place.  We invite the InviteDesigner.com community to play an active role in building this blog so that it can become a great resource for all things wedding!