1.  Always do the homework on your chosen island.  Make sure that you know when the rainy season is and when the low season is because this is when specials are most likely to be advertised and can save you money.

2.  Beach weddings are different to the norm and big, frilly, lacey kind of attire is not always appropriate.  Remember, it’s hot and you need to be as comfortable as possible.

3.  Shoes need to be chosen very carefully to avoid sinking away into the sand.  Most beach brides use a string kind of shoe that ties around the ankle and toe with some pretty beading.

4.  Time of day is important if you are wanting sunset photos.  Sunsets happen around 6pm on most of the surrounding islands.

5.  Remember that the legalities are taken care of a day or two prior to the ceremony so it is highly important to choose your date properly.  Example…if you want to celebrate your wedding anniversary every year on the 14 February for romantic reasons, then you need to ensure that the signing of the documentation is done on the 14th February.  The ceremony will then only take place on the 15th or even the 16th.  The day that the documentation is signed, is in essence your wedding date.

6.  If you are thinking of inviting guests to attend your wedding, ask your consultant about self catering chalets available on the island of choice.  This would save money.  Guests do not have to stay as long as the bridal couple do.  Guests can stay for 3 or 4 nights.

7.  When it comes to the dinner celebration….remember that most packages include breakfast and dinner so ask about a supplement charge instead of a full private dinner.  Your wedding planner will go through to the wedding planner on the island of choice and make sure that if the dinner is set up perhaps in a different area, on the beach etc, there is a supplement charged and not the full price.  Because dinner is included in the package and pre paid, it might be a good idea to celebrate your dinner in the restaurant that provides for dinners included in the package…this way…there should be no addditional charge at all….and you can ask that they set up a table just slightly away from the rest of the guests.

8.  If you opt to having dinner in the standard dining area, ask about taking your own decor for the table along with you.  You can take your own table cloths and overlays, your own matching serviettes and any little item that you would like to put onto the dining table.  You could even take your own chair covers and tie backs.

9.  Ask for locally grown flowers because anything else would entail flying them in from surrounding areas and this takes the price up.  Locally grown flowers are so beautiful and can even be placed on the dining table afterward.

10.  The islands can be pretty expensive when it comes to drinks so if you’re planning a wedding, it might be a good idea to put everyone on a fully inclusive package beforehand.  This would ensure that all drinks are included and you won’t have to fork out money per drink.  Important to find out about entertainment.  Most of the resorts have live entertainment every evening during and after dinner.  If you choose the standard dining area for dinner and then move into the area where the local entertainment has been set up for the evening, you won’t have to pay extra for entertainement and your guests will have a wonderful time, dancing until the band packs up.

Written by Marrilyn
for The Travelling Bride

Written by Marrilyn
For Travelling Bride

The anniversary is a chance to take a step back and have a look at the year that has gone by and do a close-up analysis of your marriage.  It gives you the chance to rekindle some of the flame that used to burn brightly.  It gives you a chance to say you’re sorry about things that have gone wrong and it gives you a chance to escape the world and concentrate on one another completely for 24 hours.  With modern day society being as hectic as it is, it is so easy to get lost in the everyday drama of work, meetings, children, colleagues and more.  Far too many couples get “lost” along the way and the anniversary is the perfect opportunity to get things “back on track” at least once a year.  It is highly important that Mr does not forget the date because too many times, it’s the male who forgets.  Not on purpose, I’m sure, but it seems to be a man kind of thing.  Woman very rarely forget.  They might not say much and 90% of the time they sit back and wait….to see IF he is going to remember.  If YOU are one who has forgotten for the past years, make a point of remembering this year.  Diarise…ask your secretary to remember, put a little notice on the inside of your wallet….do what you have to do so that you do NOT forget this year.  Your wife will be ever so impressed by YOU remembering….it is a message to her that you love her.  So….the day just starts perfectly and it can only get better as the hours pass.  Arrange something really special for the two of you.  A weekend away with candle light dinners, romantic massages, rose petal baths, champagne on ice and whatever you know will really touch her heart.  Make sure that you have a lovely little gift for her……soft satin sleepwear, sexy lingerie, her favourite perfume or something that you know she will love.  Your anniversary will be hugely successful and love will shine brightly in your lives once again and with a little work, you could keep the shine.

Written by Marrilyn
For: The Travelling Bride

Weddings have always been perceived to be the BRIDE’s SPECIAL day.  Everything is supposed to revolve around the bride and this has been cutomary for centuries.  Slowly this is beginning to change… worldwide.  More and more couples are looking at the wedding day as THEIR special day and both, bride and groom are taking the show in their own, unique ways.  It’s the reason why many young couples have broken away from the traditional wedding scenario and now look at what they can afford, and they spend time and energy into making the day as special and as focussed on the two of them as is possible.  Gone are the days where weddings were for the entire family, sometimes having up to 200 and more guests.  Young couples focus on affordability and not just that…they prefer to stick money into buying a new home, saving for their babies and future and many are still studying. Gone are the days where a couple or their parents would take a loan to cover a wedding. The custom where the brides family pay for the wedding and the grooms family pay for the drinks and flowers is also starting to fade fast.  Today, young couples are taking the responsibility of paying for their own weddings, relieving the family of the financial burden.  There are still fathers out there who insist on paying for their daughters wedding but it’s not common anymore.  Unless dad has a hugely successful business, young couples opt to paying for their own weddings.  Remember when a young man started dating a young woman in days gone by, he would always…but always pay for the dinner and the drinks.  This too, is no longer common.  Many couples pay for themselves and sometimes, it is quite acceptable for a young woman to foot the bill.  Times are certainly changing.  More and more, men and woman are becoming 100% equals and share responsibilities equally including the children.  It isn’t uncommon today to find a man staying home and looking after the children whilst the woman goes out and earns. Many accept this without a problem and are not embarrassed at all.  Society is slowly starting to accept it as well.   It’s hard to think about and absorb some of the traditions of days gone by and because we’re living in a world where everyone is supposed to be equal now, it’s really nice to see the end of some of those long ago traditions.

Written by Marrilyn
For: Travelling Bride

Sometimes, especially when its a second wedding, it is very necessary to take the children along with you on your honeymoon.  The bride might have two children and the groom might have one or two from a previous marriage.  The thought of this might give you the chills but if planned properly, your honeymoon holiday could turn out to be EXACTLY THAT!!!!  A Honeymoon Holiday of a lifetime.  Here are some tips to creating a successful Family Honeymoon Holiday.

1. Sit down with your fiance and discuss the options.  Decide on a budget and try to stick to it. 
2. Consult a Honeymoon Specialist with your ideas and give him/her the ages of the children and the date that you are thinking of departing.  Always wise to consider having a Honeymoon Holiday in your chosen destinations low season.
3.  Make very sure that there are facilities for teenagers (if you have teens accompanying you). They get bored so quickly so ensure that there is a teens club at your chosen resort and plenty for them to do.
4.  Make sure that there is baby sitting facilities available and a baby center (if you have babies or toddlers accompanying you).
5.  Pre arrange a day trip for the family where you can all spend the day together as a family and ask the consultant to arrange that a baby sitter accompany you so that you don’t have to bounce up and down after the little ones.
6.  Take your child/childrens favourite toys along with you. 
7.  Ask your consultant to make very sure that the resort chosen is as child friendly as possible.  This will ensure that no one blinks an eyelid if your toddler decides to have a tantrum in the dining area.
8.  Most destinations have at least ONE resort that caters for children.  In my experience, Mauritius has always been a firm favourite and they get it right every single time.  The kiddie clubs at the resorts around the island are excellent and of course, Mauritian baby sitters are just wonderful with oceans of patience and gentleness so you can have the peace of mind that your child will always be looked after.
9.  Teen clubs at the resorts in Mauritius are awesome and there is so much available for the teenagers to do and keep busy with.  You probably won’t hear from your teen until its time to go home and then…..they might have the FIRST tantrum because they won’t want to leave.
10.  It is highly important to ensure that all arrangements are sorted out and in place prior to departure.  Although this is a FAMILY HONEYMOON HOLIDAY….the focus is still on MOM and DAD and important that – especially the bride…relaxes completely.  If the correct resort is chosen in conjunction with the childrens ages, you are sure to have the FAMILY Honeymoon of a lifetime.

Written by Marrilyn
For Travelling Bride

3) Face your fears
If there is an area that really scares you, talk about it.  Perhaps you are behind on bond payments or school fees and you’re really scared because you know that you cannot catch them up quick enough so that your partner doesn’t notice.  Fear can create bigger problems so it’s always best to talk about them together and you will find that together….you are bound to come up with a solution.  Two brains are always better than one so instead of burying fear deep inside, talk about it,face it, bring it out into the open and already it won’t be all THAT scary.

4) Honesty
Good communication begins with honesty. Always be honest with one another.  Try not to tell the other things that you THINK the other wants to hear because this will only lead to more pressure later on.  Saying and doing are two different things.  Always try to carry out what you have already verbally promised and try and take advice from your partner even if you don’t 100% agree with him/her at the time.

5) Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Ask your partner for help if you’re in a situation where you desperately need it.  Don’t be afraid to do this. Whether it’s help with the children, debt, a crisis at the office…..whatever the situation is, never be afraid to turn to your partner first and discuss the problem and ask for help.

6) Have a plan
As quoted by Dr Phil once…..Dreams can motivate you to strive for the stars, but sometimes, you have to get your head out of the clouds. “The difference between a dream and a plan is a timeline….Check up on yourself every once in awhile to see whether you are really moving forward.  Put a realistic schedule together that the two of you can really get excited about and work towards it.

The soccer world cup is going to be absolutely awesome.  South Africans have been preparing for years, and we’re expecting a wonderful couple of months, welcoming foreigners to our country.  What if… you would like to get married whilst you are here?  Our team are preparing wedding ceremonies to take place under the posts on the fields throughout South Africa.  A minister to take care of all legalities, rose petals strewn, a violinist to play the S.A national anthem, a bridal bouquet, a buttonhole, a photographer and of course, a dinner at the closest restaurant with bubbly. Aimed to please the soccer fanatics who would like to tie the knot in South Africa.   Weddings are very romantic and can be really memorable.  Seal your love … the South African way…. Use the world cup soccer in South Africa to your advantage and get married under the African skies with the soccer posts as the backdrop.

The hosts are wonderful and they take care of our wedding couples, almost as though they were their own children. They ensure that all couples have a bushveld/safari wedding to die for whether it’s elope and just the bridal couple or a huge celebration with family and friends . Everyone is transported in the Safari vehicle and whilst on Safari, Derrick, the host, stops at a breathtaking spot in the bushveld where the bridal couple remain on the open air vehicle…if there are any guests, they gather around the landrover to witness the exchange of vows.

An African minister conducts the exchange of vows right in the middle of the bushveld on the landrover. All legalities and paperwork are taken care of with ease whether you are South African marrying a South African, foreigner or both of you are foreigners. After the game drive, the happy couple and their guests are transported back to the lodge where the register is signed and the Safari bushveld celebration begins. The ever popular luxury bushveld braai is definitely a MUST.

Served outside or in the local restaurant on the property. Wines and champagnes can be arranged for the tables and a cash bar is available. A fire can be done in the boma, adding to the Safari bushveld atmosphere. Accommodation is typical bushveld style but they have the perfect little bushveld honeymoon suite to ensure that honeymooners are relaxed and comfortable OR you can opt for accommodation in the luxury treehouse which is just awesome.

Safari weddings give a real taste of Africa and the most romantic moment is to watch as the sun sets over the African sky. Personally, I cannot think anything more beautiful. Safari weddings have a different atmosphere. It’s very relaxed and informal with an absolute touch of luxury and the most important point of all is that it is traditionally SOUTH AFRICAN style.

Written by Shelley

For Travelling Bride

 We all know how awesome sex is before marriage.  Perhaps it’s the “forbidden” fruit that lures human beings but many times, sex between a bridal couple before the wedding, is great and it’s probably a huge part of the decision to tie the knot but…..what happens when, after the wedding and the honeymoon is over and all of a sudden there is a noticeable difference in performance.  How do you overcome the hurdle and how do you get it back to where it was??  Marriage is a job.  It’s hard work and there are loads of responsibilities so important to work really hard at solving the problem immediately and the first step would be to try and define what changes have been made since your wedding so that you can try and pin point the problem area.  For example….were the two of you living seperately before the wedding?  Has your brand new husband been promoted at the office soon after the wedding?  Did the wedding leave you with a large debt around your necks?  Have a very close look at anything that changed after the two of you got married. This would be your staring point. Think back to the most exciting night that you had with your partner before the wedding.  What made that night so special?  Once you have pinpointed where the problem area could possibly lie, make a list of exciting, romantic, different settings that you could set up for a night of passion.  If you know that your new hubby has always enjoyed quiet romantic, candle lit evenings, then set one up right in your bedroom.  If you know that your partner once loved bedroom picnics with a variety of cheese and wine, then set it up right on the floor of your bedroom…candles, rose petals and bubble baths are always  winners.  If you know that your partner has just been promoted and has been working long hours leaving him exhausted, then set up a romantic evening where you can massage him from head to toe and finish the evening with a bubble bath and a glass of wine.  You know your partner better than anyone and if you feel that there has been a change since the wedding, then do something about it.  Don’t wait in the hope that the situation will get better because it never does and remember, sex is great for a tired mind, it’s great for stress and it’s the one thing that is absolutely great for a brand new married couple.  Try to set one night in a week aside, to do something really special and romantic together and you will almost 100% see a definite change almost immediately.

Written by Marrilyn
For the Travelling Bride