AisleDash

Once upon a time, weddings always took place in the bride's home town. The assumption, of course, was that the bride and groom were still living close to home (or that the bride was actually still living with her parents) and so all of their friends and family were right there on the spot.

These days, though, engaged couples may live hundreds or thousands of miles from their families, and they may not want to be married where they grew up -- or even where they live now. The destination wedding, planned in an exotic location far from the daily grind, is getting more and more popular. But before you invite your nearest and dearest to join you in Jamaica for a five-day celebration of your love, think about the various costs, and THEN think about eloping.
A destination wedding can be prohibitively expensive for extended family; the cost of travel and lodgings can turn what should be a joyful celebration into a stressful nightmare. So does this mean that you have to give up your dream of being wed on a tropical beach at sunset? No, it just means that you might want to think twice about having 200 people there to witness it. Instead of a full-blown destination wedding, consider eloping to your dream destination. Do the wedding right -- get a beautiful dress and some great shoes, have your hair and makeup done, write your vows -- but make the trip alone, or with close friends who can afford to travel.

Wishing everyone else could share the joy of your wedding day? They can! Eloping doesn't mean sneaking off into the night; have the ceremony videotaped or photographed (or both!) to share with friends and family. Throw a big party when you return home -- if you like, follow the traditional wedding reception pattern. Wear your dress again, toss the bouquet, have that first dance. Eat cake and celebrate.

You CAN have it all: destination wedding AND family and friends around you. Just maybe not on the exact same day.