Couples ditch the city for the Tropics

Increasingly, Couples 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.

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 summer can be quite tropical, steamy and hot (especially underneath hundreds of layers of wedding dress!).  If you choose a summer wedding in Tropics, 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 Tropics, '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 Tropical 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, Gold or Sunshine Coast  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 nibbles, a boy's golf day on an island golf course, so much to choose from and it will make your wedding feel like a holiday for you and all of your guests.