Where to get Married Near Marbella, Spain - Castillo de Munda

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I love to travel any chance that I get and with having a sister who lives in Spain makes it that much easier! I just got back from Marbella and would love to share some of my favorite places I found to host your wedding.

I’ll start off with sharing Castillo de Monda. What better fairytale than starting your marriage at a castle! With many intimate and scenic areas to offer they can cater from small to large weddings. They can also accommodate up to 70 guests to be able to stay the night so you can enjoy a relaxing send off breakfast. Take a look at some of the photos below (all taken from Castillo de Monda) and visit their site to let me know your favorite amenity they have to offer.

Black Cocktail Party Dresses from White House Black Market

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Couture 2024 Bridesmaids Gowns

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What to Include in your Destination Wedding Welcome Bag

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What are Wedding Welcome Bags? They are essentially bag with useful/fun things that your guests will use while at your wedding. Typically they are left in the guests hotel room or you can pass them out at an opening event like the welcome cocktail hour.

Welcome bags can be anything from kraft bags to totes to carry on suitcases! It can be as simple or as extravagant as your budget allows.

They always include any wedding event information that your guests need to know about. Like if they are in the rehearsal they need to know where and what time. If you have a morning after brunch before you leave for your honeymoon, include that info.

First, you want to include a note from you to thank and welcome your guests. You can find some cute ones here. This is a great place to also include your itinerary.


This for their room key holder and add wrist coils to make it easier to carry when going to the pool, etc. Then you can make them fancy with fun design inserts like these below (just click on them).

Another fun thing that can be very useful is an emergency kit (hangover kit). They are so easy to put together and are affordable. You can get cute ones like pictured below (click on image).

Some things you can include (but not limited to) are below. I found the best affordability for you.

Advil

Aloe Vera

Pepto

Alka-Seltzer

Vitamin C Packs

Chap Sticks

Gum

Sun Screen

Tide Sticks

Bug Wipes

Some other things that are fun to include are:

Tumbler

Hotel Door Hanger

Sunglasses

Snacks - make sure they aren’t meltable or you may have a mess!

All in all Welcome Bags are not necessary but very much appreciated! You can fill them as you like and I hope I’ve given you some good ideas!

Destination Wedding Activities to Entertain your Guests

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If you have decided on a destination wedding you probably realize by now that the planning is different from that of a local wedding. The guests lists are typically much smaller and more intimate.

Here are some ideas for other events you can host during that week leading up to and after your wedding. Being a great host will keep your guests entertained and loved ones get to spend quality time together.

  • Welcome Dinner - this is a fun pre wedding event where you get to greet and ‘welcome’ your guests. This is also a great time to give any welcome bags and itinerary with the low down for the rest of your weekend, (post on welcome bags here). Typically held when most guests are set to arrive. This can be a very casual affair, think pool party style.

  • Excursion - you can plan a day event doing something local. Zip-lining, cruise, group hike, brewery/wine tour, snorkeling, dancing lessons from locals, let your imagination go wild with the possibilities. Make sure to ask your venue as they may have planned tours that you can take advantage of.

  • Rehearsal Dinner - while with a destination wedding you may or may not need a rehearsal, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a dinner that typically honors the groom and is thrown by the groom’s parents. This is a great time to experiment with local cuisine.

  • Sunrise Yoga Session - you want your wedding day to be nothing but peaceful. What a great way to start off than with a yoga class outdoors.

  • Bridal Party Brunch - this can be held the morning of your wedding and is typically for all the ladies involved in your wedding. If you aren’t having bridesmaids then throw one for your girlfriends!

  • Ceremony & Reception - these are posts on themselves! But you get the gist!

  • Post Wedding Day Brunch - this is usually a farewell event before your guests leave or before you leave for your honeymoon.

Hope this gave you some ideas as to ways you can entertain your guests and yourselves during your wedding weekend.





What to Wear as Mother of the Bride or Mother of the Groom

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What to Wear to your Bridal Shower or Rehearsal Dinner

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I love a good party and we’re luck that weddings usually come with a few extra smaller parties!

Bridal Shower and Rehearsal Dinner are two that come to mind that most people will have. Think about your outfit as an extension of your wedding. You can wear white, off-white, a color that is in your wedding palette or go rogue with a pop of some other color that you love. If you really love wearing hot pink but your wedding is black and white, wear hot pink!

The main thing to remember is that you want to feel your best. You are the guest of honor and eyes will be on you. So you want to be comfortable and yourself.

Here are a few outfits that I’ve found for you that may be helpful. Click on the image to take you to the site to shop.

8 Reasons you Should Have a Destination Wedding

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  1. You and your guests get a vacation - who doesn’t love a vacation? Imagine that vacation with your best friends!

  2. It can be less expensive than a wedding at home - I know a destination wedding can be thought of as being expensive, but really you can end up spending the same if not less than a wedding at home. The main thing that dictates your budget is your guest list. And with a destination wedding the guest list is typically much smaller. Also, the vendors my be less expensive where you are traveling to.

  3. It can be less stressful

  4. You can have your honeymoon right away

  5. Longer celebration

  6. It’s unique

  7. You have a more intimate group of guests

  8. Think of the photos!

The Wedding Destination Dream - 5 Questions to Decide if it's for You

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So you’re dreaming of a destination wedding. Sounds like a dream but also may sound unrealistic for some. Here are 5 tips that will help make your decision easier.

1. Start Planning Way in Advance

First a lot of the most popular destination spots often are booked up way in advance so give yourself time to secure your favorite vendors and your favorite venue. One and a half years is a good average amount of time you want to have.

You also want to think about the climate of where you want to go and if you need Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter. That may push things out further. You want to avoid the top travel dates that will make the area full or tourists and not going in a peak time will also lower travel fees.

2. Guests, Travel & Budget

Along with planning in advance, you want to give your guests a longer lead time with their invitations than usual. Plans need to be made and travel decided on that isn’t a thought in local weddings. It is even a good idea to give guests a heads up prior to recieving their invitation so you can get a gauge of how many could make the trip.

To help with the travel for your guests, one thing you could do is say absolutely no gifts. Your presence is a gift in itself. The most important thing is to be surrounded by those closest to you. I recommend only inviting close friends and family. Cousin Johnny who is twice removed will be fine!

Budget - a destination wedding can immediately put large dollar signs in your mind. In reality, it may end up costing the same if not just a little more. Vendors can be less expensive and with a smaller guest count than you would have at home are both directly tied to your budget.

3. Legal Documents Needed

Don’t wait until a month before to look at the expiration date of your passport. Trust me! I had to fly to Dallas to get my passport renewed a few days before a trip. Give it at least 6 months to be careful.

Other than passport, you’ll need a birth certificate each. Then you will have to look into the specific documents that your country needs. Again, this isn’t something that can wait, most legal documents take a while to get in your hands.

4. Wedding Locations

My previous blog was on top 10 Destination Wedding Locations. Click the link to see images from each country. There are beech, mountain, island, coastal, romantic and more destinations to choose from.

They are : Paris, France | London, England | Algarve, Portugal | Santorini, Greece | Kuredo Island, The Maldives | Montego Bay, Jamaica | Almalfi Coast, Italy | Clauseway Coast, Ireland | Riviera Maya, Mexico | Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

5. Finding the Right Wedding Vendors

The selection of vendors may be slimmer than you are used to. So back to giving yourself time to plan, the best vendors are going to be booked far in advance. You also want to think of the language barrier that may be a problem.

If this is something you are considering, I would love to chat with you about how we can work together to make your journey as seamless as possible. Shoot me an email at leona@leonamorelock.com. Can’t wait for your adventure.

Traveling with Your Wedding Gown to a Destination Wedding

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Having a destination wedding, whether in the same country or abroad, you will need to think about how to transport you gown. 99% of the time you will be traveling by car or airplane.

Here are a few tips that I have learnt. If traveling by car you want to lay the gown as flat as possible. So either in the back seat horizontally or lay down the front passenger seat and lay it vertically.

If traveling by airplane there are a few options. I need you to repeat after me - I will NOT ship or check my dress in with my luggage. There are way too many things that can go wrong. Don’t let it out of your sight.

A Wally Bag can be purchased from Amazon (click the bag for the direct link) and can hold most gowns and your extra accessories. It folds in thirds and can be stored in the overhead compartment. I have also had brides who have puchased an extra seat just for the gown to lay over. While it may seem more convenient it isn’t necessary. And some brides get super lucky and the air stewardesses will allow you to hang your gown in their ‘small’ closet.

Either way, keep everything with you at all times and remember to pack a steamer for when you get there!

A friend of mine is amazing at all things wedding fashion. I am going to link to her You Tube, The Fashion Expert, so you can hear what she has to say.

Black Halloween Barware & Tableware

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Bridal Attire

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Great Listen - Memoirs as Audiobooks

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I love to read but I also love listening to Audiobooks while I drive. They have to be read by the author though, it’s the best when you can hear the voice that you’re familiar with just like they are telling you a story. Like Greenlights is Story Time with Matthew! Here are some that I’ve listened to recently.

 

Greenlights | Becoming | Spare | Thicker than Water | Finding Me | Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing | Damaged but Not Destroyed | Scrappy Little Nobody | Will | Bossypants | Make Life Beautiful | Believe It

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

 

Fall Decorations from Birch Lane

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