Getting Married? Congratulations, you decided to get married. Here are some useful tips on what to consider.
1) Book the Minister or Justice of the Peace and the Venue
2) How much money are you willing to spend on the wedding?
3) Receptions (some locations do not allow alcohol)
4) Consider where the wedding will be.
5) What time will the wedding be (this is important for meal planning)
6) How big of a wedding will this be?
7) Destination Weddings
8) LBGT Weddings
When you propose to your significant other the furthest thing from your mind at that point are the questions above. You are in love and you want to get married. You are excited, even “over the moon” so to speak. Sooner or later, you have to come back down to earth and think of all these things.
1 – You need to decide if this is going to be a church wedding, a destination wedding, a wedding in your back garden, or on the beach. Once you have decided then PLEASE book the Minister or Justice of the Peace and the venue. Some venues are booked for up to two years in advance. Churches have other activities than weddings scheduled so they too need lots of notice. PLEASE do not choose the Sabbath Day (Saturday for people of the Jewish Faith and Sunday, for Christians) for a wedding because most likely the answer will be no. Rabbi’s have services on Saturday and Ministers on Sunday and are usually exhausted after. Some churches have policies in place that exclude those days.
2 – How much money are you willing to spend? I ask you to consider this first and foremost. According to http://www.weddingforward.com the average church prices today can range dramatically depending on location, size etc. Church weddings are quite cheap, with couples spending between $3,000 to $11,000 on a venue only, a tiny sum for the church takes off a huge cost. A small church of 100 people capacity may cost between $100 -$300. For synagogues that can take up to 250 people, the average cost is $400 to $700. A large cathedral is anywhere between $500 -$3,000. The average prices vary by the city you want to get married in and the size of the church. Anyway you look at it, it is way cheaper than halls and ballrooms for the ceremony. However, please not that this is without the fee of the Organist, decorations and any other necessities you may need. But no matter how much all these costs it remains cheaper than outside of the church. We have established that it’s $1,000 on average. This covers the number of hours for the ceremony, including set up time, and, any rehearsal at the locations. But there are additional things the cost doesn’t cover. See below: Organist/Musicians - $300 - $900 Steeple bells - $100 Rituals - $20- $100 Jewish basic chuppah or canopy - $100 - $500 Deposit approximately $200 Then there are the many other items associated with a wedding: Invitations Wedding dress / Tuxedos or Suits Flowers Photographer Hair and makeup Cars Decorations Size of bridal party (Groomsmen and Bridesmaids – how many? Are you buying their outfits?) Guests -(how many? - Are you paying for family members to fly in? Are you paying for their accommodation? If the wedding is outside are you renting a tent? - What happens if it rains? Wedding favours – what kind – cost? Reception – Musicians - Food Wedding Night (where are you staying?) Average weddings in Canada range between $22,000 and $30,000 (pre-covid)
3 – Receptions Banquet halls are expensive no matter where the wedding is but the big cities are much more than a small town or in the country. Are you going to have a sit down meal or a buffet? You also have to consider if people are gluten free or have allergies etc. (At our wedding we sent a card with the invitation asking if anyone had any food considerations such as gluten free or allergies). We got married at 4pm and while we were having photos taken, guest where served snacks and the bar was opened. Then we had a sit down meal. Church halls can be booked for receptions, however there is no alcohol allowed. Are you going to have a dance - If so then you need to book the musicians? Are you going to have an open bar or will you pay for bottles of wine for the tables and the guest pay their own bar bill (which is what we did)
4 – Consider where the wedding will be held You may have heard it said that “Location is everything” well in some ways that is true but not for the reasons you may think. A wedding in the bigger cities such as Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, will set you back a lot more than a wedding in a small town or out in the country. Let’s face it, just about everything cost more. There is also the consideration of timing – The cities have a bigger population base therefore have more weddings so it may be a year or two before you can book a venue. Are you going to get married in a church and then have a reception elsewhere? Are you going to have an outside wedding – if so what if it rains and where will the reception be? Or, are you going to have a destination wedding?
We got married in a country resort with 21 people including us in attendance. We booked 6 rooms from Wednesday to Friday morning and a chalet for ourselves. We had a sit down meal (which was divine), bottles of wine and snacks. We paid for hot breakfast on the Thursday and Friday mornings and bought all those who were staying over on Wednesday night Chinese food. All told the venue was $5,000 that was including the wedding and the reception and all I have mentioned. Our photographer was a friend who did it for free (we gave her a gift later). The music was prerecorded by my niece. Our wedding attire was made to measure – the cost of material and tailoring came to $600. The flowers cost $400 and incidentals $200. We paid for some flights too which came up to about $2,300. So, all in all the total cost was $8,500. Also, if either the Bride or Groom’s family lives in another country then you need to consider if you are going to be paying for them to come over and if so how many? Or, are you going to get married here and then go to the other country and have a blessing? When I got married (many years ago) – I had the wedding here and had one brother come over to “give me away” and then we went over to England and had a church wedding/blessing so that my Father could walk me down the aisle and that my sister could be the Maid of Honour and brothers groomsmen. They were both small weddings with 23 and then 25 people attending and we paid for our own weddings.
5 – What day and time will the wedding be? - Important for meal planning What day and time will your wedding be? Things that you may need to consider: A lot of weddings are on a Saturday, so once again, especially in Cities, you will have to book way in advance. Venues such as Banquet halls may have set times when they open and close. Are you going to get married in a church and have the reception at a banquet hall? If so, how much time are you leaving in- between? There will be the wedding photos – are you having the wedding photos taken at the church or are you going to travel to another setting like a park and then go to the reception? Are you providing food or drink while the guests are waiting? If you are having a wedding at say 4pm then most likely you will be having a meal (sit down or buffet) at 6pm. If you are having a dance and such later will you have finger foods? In the cities there is also a matter of rush hours (if you are having the wedding on a weekday) and on the weekend if there is a big event on you may encounter a lot of traffic, so leave enough time. Please Brides - don’t be late for the wedding. This only adds to the nervousness of the groom and I’m sorry, but that is plain mean. Being late can also affect the timing of the service (especially if it is in a church – there may be a funeral or another wedding following) Golden rule: If you would not want it done to you then don’t do it to someone else.
6 – How big is the wedding? Personally, I do not see the point in big, flashy weddings. It cost a fortune and that is money you can use for the deposit on a house. But, that is only my opinion. REMEMBER: It is you that are getting married, not your parents. As much as we love our parents, unless they are paying the total cost of the wedding, then they should butt out. They had their wedding and their choices now it is your turn. Don’t be bullied into inviting more than you are comfortable inviting. Your mother’s friends from bowling do not need to attend.
A – First look at the size of the bridal party: How many groomsmen and how many bridesmaids? The bigger the size the more money you pay out.
B – Where have you decided to get married – how many does the church or the hall hold?
C – Immediate family is exactly that – parents, siblings, and your children if you have any. It is when you start adding the Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Friends and all their plus ones that you run into trouble. You go from 20 to 50 to 100 and then totally out of control. If you invite one or two then the others may feel left out. So you need to decide between the two of you (no one else makes that decision) where you draw the line even if your parents are paying for it. It can also cause bad feelings when the bride’s family pays for everything and the grooms pay for nothing. Some would look at that as the bride’s family lording it over the grooms (rich – poor) and unless the bride’s parents are rich, who can afford that these days?
D – Small, intimate weddings can be and are just as wonderful as big flashy – in fact, I would say they were better because there is less stress.
E – The bigger the wedding the higher the cost - Is this wedding going to break the bank? Are you going to go into a lot of debt to get married? If so, then you are off to a bad start. You will have that huge debt hanging over you until you can pay it off. So, what happens if, God forbid, one of you gets really sick and cannot work? What if one of you is laid off or sacked from your work?
F – A wedding is hopefully, once in a lifetime. You dream of the big wedding and having all your family and friends around you but ask yourself this – is it going to put us in a lot of debt? Are we going to be renting an apartment or house. Could we have a much smaller wedding and use what we would have spent on a huge wedding to put the deposit on a house. Last but not least – Should we marry here or have a destination wedding? What is the difference in cost? And, if we have a destination wedding are we paying for everyone’s flight and accommodation or are we just paying for the wedding itself and our own fares?
7 – Destination Weddings – https://puntacanaphotographer.com
When planning a destination wedding in the Dominican Republic, the first thing you’ll want to do is set your budget. How much do you want to spend on your wedding? Or probably a better question: How much can you spend? You’ll need to start with the basic costs of a destination wedding to find out if it’s a good fit for you. How much does a destination wedding cost anyway? I’ll take you through everything you need to know about the costs of having a wedding in Punta Cana as well as all the extras you may not have considered when you decided to get married on this beautiful island. Let’s start here: Traditional Wedding vs. Destination Wedding Cost Comparison You’ve probably heard that destination weddings are cheaper than traditional weddings. That’s mostly true… Especially when you look at the averages. The average cost of a wedding in Canada is $22,000 - $30,000, while the average cost of a destination wedding is $23,800. Now that’s a significant difference! But let’s be honest: Average prices don’t always tell the full story. There are so many different factors to consider that influence the price, and your budget can quickly go from $24,000 to $28,000 or more for a destination wedding. So instead of looking into averages, let’s talk about all the different elements that contribute to the overall cost of a destination wedding. What to Consider for your Destination Wedding Budget Essentially, a lot of the elements for a destination wedding are going to be the same as you’d have for a traditional wedding. A beautiful wedding dress, a nice venue, and some flowers, of course. But let’s break it down into categories so we don’t forget anything.
First, we’ll have some basic items that you can purchase any time after you get engaged. Then we’ll add in the main vendors you’ll need to book for your wedding day. And finally, we’ll talk about the extra costs you’ll need to consider since you’re having a destination wedding.
Wedding Basics:
Weddings Rings
Wedding Dress
Bridal Accessories
Groom Attire
Printed Items (ie. save the dates, invitations, thank you cards)
Marriage Certificate
Destination Wedding Vendors:
Venue Caterer
Florist/Decorator
Wedding Planner
Photographer Videographer
Wedding Officiant
Hair and Makeup Artist
DJ MC
Wedding Cake
Extra Destination Wedding Costs:
Flights Accommodations
Transportation
Vendor Fees (at resorts only)
Extra Wedding Events (like a crazy hour, fire show, cigar rollers, etc.)
Wedding Favors
Group Activities (welcome dinner, excursions, etc.)
That seems pretty straightforward, right? I know there’s a lot on that list, but the good news is, once you book your wedding venue, the rest of the details fall into place. So I guess that’s where we should head next. Finding a Destination Wedding Venue Booking your destination wedding venue is one of the most difficult decisions you’ll have to make during the wedding planning process. There are hundreds of options, and they’ll all bombard you with information. Not to mention the different pricing lists with every type of package you can imagine. So how do you know which is the best? Let’s talk about venues first and then we’ll go into the cost of resort wedding.
Off-Resort Venue Wedding Pricing The nice thing about off-resort venues in Punta Cana is that you get to decide how expensive or how affordable your wedding is going to be. Typically you’ll be given a list of everything you can include on your wedding day, and from there, you’ll piece together your budget.
You’ll get to select the hors d’oeuvres, dinner menu, drinks, cake or other desserts, flowers, decor, live entertainment, and shows. They’ve got it all covered for you!
A typical wedding at an off-resort venue will cost about $12,000-$15,000 for 40 people. Keep in mind this is only for the venue and doesn’t include all vendors or basics like your wedding dress or the rings.
Thankfully, you’ll be paired with an amazing wedding planner who will help you stay within your budget and also create the wedding of your dreams. Whatever your heart desires, you can make it happen at an outside venue. Did I mention communication with outside venues is way better than at the resorts? It’s true! They offer the most personalized service in Punta Cana. But back to pricing: Let me get a little more specific.
Breaking Down Your Destination Wedding Costs at an Outside Venue Food and alcohol will take up most of your wedding budget. Most venues will have a few different menu options to choose from, ranging in price from $45 to $100 per person. For alcohol, you’ll likely be charged around $15 per person per hour for an open bar.
Venues usually recommend serving 2 or 3 signature cocktails during the cocktail hour, then serving beer and wine for dinner, and opening the bar fully during the reception. That will help you save on your alcohol costs, but you can see how a large guest list will really influence the price.
It’s no secret: The bigger the guest list, the more expensive your event will be. Plus, the more extras you include, the higher your budget will need to be, too. The biggest way to save on your destination wedding is by having a small guest list with only your closest family and friends.
If you’re on a tight budget, you can also keep it simple with minimal decor, house alcohol, and a basic dinner menu. Trust me, you don’t need much to make these places look amazing! And the food and drinks are always great! On the other hand, if you want a big, extravagant event, feel free to add in all the extras, like an LED dance floor, huge cascading centerpieces, and a crazy hour/fire show combo. Kick it up even higher with a steak and lobster dinner and free-flowing bottles of champagne. Just remember, you’re going to feel it on your purse strings.
Now let’s compare that to resort weddings.
Resort Destination Wedding Costs When it comes to budgeting for a resort wedding, it can be a little tricky. You may not believe me at first because their packages seem pretty straightforward: They have set pricing, and you select the package of your choice. Most packages include:
A Symbolic Ceremony
Bouquet for the Bride
Boutonniere for the Groom
Wedding Cake
Cocktail Hour
Dinner Reception
Basic Decor Some packages even include extras like hair and makeup for the bride, a discount at the spa, or late check-out for the newlyweds. Even bigger packages can include a welcome party for you and your guests as well as a crazy hour for your wedding reception.
These packages usually start around $15,000 for 40 guests. Smaller packages with fewer guests (less than 30) can be around $10,000. Some resorts will even include a complimentary ceremony if you book a certain number of rooms. Sounds pretty great, right?
Now here’s the tricky part: A lot of items that you need for your wedding aren’t included in their packages. Things like lighting, music, the dancefloor, an MC, bouquets for your bridesmaids, etc. The list goes on and on. Once you start adding in all those other items, your price is a lot higher than originally quoted. So let’s talk about that for a second.
Resorts and their Hidden Fees Surprise! Resorts have a lot of hidden fees. Most notably, the dreaded vendor fee… What’s that? Well, the resort will charge you for any off-site vendor that you’d like to hire for your wedding. Think hair and makeup artists, wedding officiants, and (ding ding ding!) the photographer and videographer.
This fee can range from understandable ($250) to outrageous ($1000+). They usually charge per vendor, but some resorts charge per person! This can really add up quickly if you plan to use all the vendors of your choice. You’ll likely run into a lot of other hidden fees like that. They may charge you extra to bring your own decor. You may find that the ceremony location you’re in love with isn’t actually included in your package, and you’ll have to pay another fee to get married there. Or if you have guests that aren’t staying at the hotel, you’ll have to pay extra to get them access for your wedding day – on top of the per person price you’re already paying for them. Now don’t let me scare you: Resort weddings are beautiful, and they may be a better choice for you! I just want you to know ahead of time what to expect so you aren’t blindsided when it comes time to pay the bill. I hope it helps!
So How Much Does a Destination Wedding Cost? The real cost of your own destination wedding is going to depend entirely on the elements you choose for your day. It will depend on your venue, the number of guests you have, the food and drinks you serve, and all of the extras that you decide to include. You can definitely get married in Punta Cana with a small budget under $10,000, or you can decide to have a big, fancy wedding and pay over $50,000. It’s totally up to you!
8 – LBGT Weddings All the information above is the same for both hetrosexual and LBGT. However there are some other considerations to look into. There are websites such as the one printed below that will help you find venues.
Where can I get a gay wedding ceremony in Canada?
Below are some websites for venues in Canada
Gay Venues - Purple Unions LGBTIQA Wedding Directory
https://purpleunions.com/places/category/venues/canada
https://www.gaydestinationweddings.com/Destinations/Cana da.aspx
Explore the wonders of Canada. As the first non-European country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2003, Canada has long been hailed as an international LGBT-friendly destination. With world-class cities and enthralling natural beauty, travelers repeatedly return for the country’s progressive attitudes and diverse beauty.
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Voted Canada's Best Wedding Officiant and Celebrant Service for 4 years and counting! Gay Weddings Ontario is a wedding ceremony service for the Gay and Lesbian community. We conduct gay weddings in Toronto, Niagara Falls, Ottawa, London, Hamilton, Windsor, and most communities in Ontario. We specialize in personalized weddings and wedding ceremonies. Your simple yet elegant custom wedding vows can be at a wedding location you choose. We perform your wedding ceremony at your home, cottage, garden, hall, museum, park, restaurant, hotel, reception hall or church. Your wedding ceremony can be a non–denominational wedding ceremony, a spiritual wedding ceremony, a Handfasting... Its your call. One of our team of professional, licensed, male and female wedding officiants will meet with you to discuss and implement YOUR vision of your ceremony. No matter what direction you pursue, we look forward to participating in your special day. For years we have been doing union ceremonies but now we are excited to offer you the real thing. We invite you to further explore our web site and we look forward to helping you fulfil your dream of a dignified, respectful, legal marriage. If you have immediate questions or need information and pricing on our various wedding packages, please send us an email
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Church Weddings There are many denominations that will not allow LBGT weddings and others that do. You would need to enquire if the Church and the Minister are willing to hold your wedding and officiate. You may find that a church may be open but the minister may not or the opposite. The following are three of the mainline Protestant Churches that are open:
The United Church of Canada The United Church celebrates the marriage of. same-sex couples; previously divorced people; couples of different religions; all people who believe in Jesus Christ and want to live faithful to his way; If you are considering marriage, please speak to your minister or contact a United Church near you. Congregations of the United Church are free to make their own marriage policies.
The Presbyterian Church in Canada In June of 2021 the Presbyterian Church in Canada at its Annual General Meeting voted in favour of same-sex unions. However, these decisions provide for Presbyterian Minister to have liberty of conscience and the freedom to choose to officiate or not officiate at the marriages of same-sex couples.
The Anglican Church of Canada Currently nine dioceses of the Anglican Church of Canada permit the blessing of same-sex unions: the Vancouver-based Diocese of New Westminster, the Diocese of Edmonton, the Diocese of Ottawa, the Diocese of Toronto, the diocese of Quebec, the Diocese of Rupert's Land, the Hamilton-based Diocese of Niagara, the Diocese of Montreal, and the Victoria- based Diocese of British Columbia.
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