Is a destination wedding for you?

You and your significant other have finally taken it another step further and decided to get married. Now for the planning. What kind of wedding do the both of you want? Should a destination wedding be an option?

Here a few things to consider:
1. Budget. Who said money and love shouldn't mix? Realisticly, this is probably the first thing that needs to be discussed. Who will be paying for the wedding and how much is your maximum budget? Keep in mind, everything is lumped together in a destination wedding package. You only deal with a few people in this planning process. This is also your honey moon if you'd like it to be. You can easily stay a few days later after the guests have left to enjoying being a newly wed couple in a romantic and beautiful location.

Here's more about the budget of a destination wedding budget:
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4579140_much-destination-wedding-cost_.html

2. Theme. Do you have a theme in mind? What's something that both you and your significant want out of a wedding? What colors did you have in mind? What type of scenery do you want for your wedding photos. Below are a few theme options for you to consider.

Theme options:
-Classic
-Modern
-Vintage
-Rustic
-Offbeat
-Outdoor
-Beach
-Vineyard
And more

3. Once you have decided a theme, the next thing to think about is your venue.  If you both have decided a beach wedding is what you want. A destination wedding is definitely a great option. Your ceremony could be right along the beach with an amazing resort right next door. Who wouldn't love the option of walking along the beach with the warm sun and umbrellas in their drinks?

4. Date. When will your venue be available? Does that match when you'd like you have your wedding? Make sure it's not around any holidays. It may be ideal for you, but most people will not be thrilled about attending a wedding on New Year's eve or around the holidays. Will it be during the winter or summer time? Everyone will be eager to get out of the cold to go to a nice and warm destination wedding.

5. How many people do you want to attend your wedding? If you want something more intimate, a destination wedding would be a great idea. Destination weddings are a lot harder for people to attend, since it's more costly to attend one. But it's a lot of fun and you get to do a variety of activities with your guest while getting some alone time with your significant other.

Hope this has been helpful on deciding if a destination wedding was for you. Please share some of your stories about your destination wedding in the comments section.

10 Tips to Make Your Airport Experience Better

After returning from my seventh trip out of country, I can almost consider myself a pro at traveling, but I still make rookie mistakes. My most recent all-inclusive trip was to Maya Riviera, Mexico where my college friend's destination wedding was held at the Barcelo Maya Palace Deluxe.  It went flawlessly which left me still wanting.

For me, personally, the most stressful part about traveling is the actual travel. Airports are possibly the worst.

1. Always keep your passport and boarding pass in a place that is easily access. Always have it ready when needed as well. It makes the process faster for everyone.
2. Make sure you are wearing comfy clothes that is appropriate for both climates you will be encountering. For me I was leaving the cold snowy weather of Minnesota for the warm 80 degree weather of Mexico. I left my coat behind and just wore a nice thick zipped hoodie. My sister dropped my friend and I off, so when she returned to pick us up the car was already warm and she brought me my winter coat, hat, and mittens as well.
3. Wear shoes you can easily take off and walk in. Airport security is still making you take off your shoes. You don't want to waste time taking them off and putting them on when going through security.
4. Make sure you can run with your luggage if you have too. Life happens things rarely go according to plan. Your flight could arrive late to your next connection. This may mean you need to run to your next gate. You don't want to be the one slowing everyone else down. Also, if you don't think you can run with your luggage you may be carrying too much. Unless you are staying somewhere permanently, you really do not need more than one check in and one carry on.  
5. Bring a pen. You will need a pen to fill out your custom forms. If you want to get through customs fast, be sure to fill out the custom forms on the plane. Of course, you can ask surrounding passengers or the flight attendant for pens, but it's always nice to be prepared.
6. Take the stairs when you can. When we arrived from Mexico to the Houston airport, everyone who had gotten off of our flight where lined up on the escalators. Seriously? It's way faster to take the stairs that way you can pass everyone and get in the front of the line. Plus, most likely on your vacation you weren't eating the most healthy meals. You could probably use the exercise. :)

 

7. Bring snacks. No joke most of what I have in my carry on is food. Of course, I have a toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste, extra underwear and an outfit in case my luggage is lost. But mostly I have snacks. Airport food is so expensive. Also, they may charge you for your food on the plane now. I usually pack: meat sticks, granola bars, chips/crackers, chocolate, and possibly a fruit. I love to munch and my eating schedule isn't always aligned to when they feed us, if they do. 

8. If possibly, don't put your carry on up in the overhead bins. It is so time consuming to wait for everyone to sit and unload your baggage out of the bin. I always bring a backpack. It's less intrusive and large enough to carry all I need. There's also more compartments for a variety of things. It's still small enough to squeeze under the seat in front of you. 

9. Exchange your currency beforehand. It's just always faster and easier to get foreign currency at your local bank. Be sure to call your bank ahead of time to make sure they have the foreign currency you need. When you arrive to your destination, the first thing you will want to do is get to your hotel and out of the airport.  

10. Listen! Most of the time, your pilot/flight attendant will let you know which gate your connection will be at or where you can pick up your luggage. Pay attention. It saves you time.

Some of these things might seem like no brainers to you, but a nice reminder is always helpful. I know I definitely have stuck with this. It makes going through security and everything else about the unpleasantness of traveling better. 

Did I miss anything? What are some of your tips?

Below are some additional articles to keep in mind about airports:

http://blog.tsa.gov/2013/01/tsa-week-in-review-black-powder.html

http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130130110052-332179-look-out-4-things-that-get-damaged-at-the-airport?trk=mp-details-rr-rmpost