We’re thrilled to have readers and users around the globe, so why should our guest experts be any exception? With the popularity of Oprah’s big trip down under this week, we thought we’d feature an expert from Australia! She’ll be talking to us about ditching the city for a beach wedding and whether it’s in Australia or somewhere closer to home, the 3 myths she BUSTS about beach weddings apply across the board. And, if you had a destination wedding in mind, definitely consider the Whitsundays in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef.
Brides ditch the city
Increasingly, Brides are ditching the big cities and looking for a tropical, secluded retreat where they can truly enjoy their wedding week and those people closest to them. Gone is the pressure to invite Great Auntie Mildred who you haven’t seen since you were born, in favour of retreating away from the city as an excuse to make the celebration more intimate.
In the glorious Whitsundays, in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, we are seeing a huge increase in small beach and island weddings in front of a spectacular Coral Sea backdrop. The photo shoot options are endless, the colour choices diverse and beautiful, the weather simply stunning and the best part, you’re already on your honeymoon as soon as the wedding is over!
The fairy tale is almost too good to be true, and yes there are some challenges to overcome with a tropical destination wedding but that’s where we come in to help with local knowledge…
Myth One: Summer weddings are the best
Truth: Summer is a beautiful time in Australia, but the further you head north, the more tropical it becomes, and a Whitsundays summer can be quite tropical, steamy and hot (especially underneath hundreds of layers of wedding dress!). If you choose a summer wedding in the Whitsundays, you will need to be prepared to ‘slip slop slap’ as we say in Australia – have shade available for guests, sunscreen ready throughout the day and ensure your guests have plenty of water to drink. You will also need to consider a wet weather plan because tropical summer showers can come over very quickly at this time of year. Winter weddings, on the other hand, benefit from much more reliable weather. In the Whitsundays, ‘winter’ really just means ‘dry season’. The temperature only lowers slightly, so it’s not cold, but the skies are crystal clear, the water generally clearer and calmer and outside of school holidays, accommodation is generally cheaper. Winter is definitely an option to consider for a Whitsundays wedding.
Myth Two: A tropical island wedding will be really expensive
Truth: There are definitely some factors of island weddings that are more expensive – for example flowers, cakes and decorations generally have to be ferried over from the mainland. But otherwise the island wedding packages are quite comparable to mainland venues. You can generally obtain a group discount for accommodation for your guests, and depending on how overboard you want to go, prices are more affordable than you would think. The trick here would be to hire a local wedding planner who can ensure everything you are quoted is legitimate, particularly if you are making the arrangements from abroad.
Myth Three: There won’t be anything to entertain my guests before and after the wedding in a smaller town
Truth: A ‘regional’ destination like the Whitsundays may not have multi-story nightclubs like the big city for your Hen’s night, but think outside of the square and you have a huge range of pre- and post-wedding options. A ladies sunset cruise with champagne and nibblies, a boy’s golf day on an island golf course, a romantic helicopter flight over ‘Heart Reef’ – a naturally formed coral reef in the shape of a heart, there’s so much to choose from and it will make your wedding feel like a holiday for you and all of your guests.
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If you are thinking about ditching the city for your wedding, and if you see a destination wedding in your future, then a tropical oasis of island resorts, secluded beaches and stunning backdrops awaits you in the Whitsundays of Queensland Australia. Follow them on Facebook to get to know them better. For more destination information, visit www.tourismwhitsundays.com.au and for Whitsundays wedding information, visit www.weddingswhitsundays.com
Great Article a destination beach wedding can be out of the city on a country beach.
What a great article, you know there are other places in Queensland to get married on a beach. The Gold Coast is a perfect destination, it has the private beached and secluded hideaways as well as the night clubs and theme parks. It is a holiday destination all by itself. The weather is not a humid and central and northern Queensland.