So of course the money adds up fast and furious when you plan in such a short time.  We decided to invite about 75 people, and though the invitations will not be going out until next week 23 people already have a plane ticket.  The more the merrier! We never dreamt that so many people would be willing to join us across the country on our special day, but I guess it makes a nice vacation for them as well. I have been tracking our spending as we go, the dress, the save the dates, the deposits both for our venue and reception, the travel expenses, and the favors.  I have used as many online coupon saving codes as I can.  If you aren't using RetailMeNot you definitely should! Seems every time I place an order they have a code to get me at least $10 off or free shipping and every little bit helps.

The one thing about a destination wedding is you mostly have to have an accurate count of how many people will be in attendance. Our venue is made to accommodate only 35 so at this point I am starting to get a little nervous that the terrace is going to be crowded, but I think we will be safe. If you have to move your party inside to one of the chapels, they do keep this on reserve because of unforeseen circumstances. (weather, and fountain maintenance to be exact) Along with the accurate count of people, you have to finalize almost all of your plans 30 days in advance. To me that seems like a lot more leeway then if you were to put on a local production.

Most of the resorts offer reception options, what they don't want to tell you about is the fact there is a big food minimum to meet. I 100% want to have something great for all those who have come to join us, but I think that after a huge per plate fee I am not comfortable with $6 Sodas, $16 Mixed Drinks, and $25 Specialty Drinks. It doesn't make sense to me especially when you are getting hit with a 21% gratuity, and 9% sales tax on top of your minimum.  We decided to go outside the realm of hotels to look for our reception choices.  Lots of places offer a private room with a minimum half the cost of the hotels asking price, and drinks are included. Did I mention they are giving us the room for double the time and have gone above and beyond to make sure we have all the options we want?

The next problem we have been facing (other than me trying to find the "perfect" shoe) is how we would get 30 people from point A to point B when it is 100 degrees outside and not everyone is in great walking shape.  I came across the option of having a party bus online. They hold about 25-35 people depending on the size that you book.  I was against the hummer limo because if you are a female and have ever tried getting in and out of that in bridal gear it is a real chore.  The party bus is actually really reasonable. The inside is tore out to look like a lounge, complete with stripper pole, bar, and flat screen TV's. None of these things are necessity, but it will be something your guests talk about for years to come.

The fact is planning from thousands of miles away can be a chore, it can be expensive, and it can be more difficult than you first thought.  Destination weddings aren't for everyone, but I know we've made the right choice and I am so excited to see it all play out.