USA - live in it? From there? Please read this! :o) - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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USA - live in it? From there? Please read this! :o)
Hello there my American friends
I'd like to ask for your , if I may? I'm researching in preparation for writing a book for British couples who want to get married in the USA - there's barely any information available here other than travel brochures featuring 'packages' that you pay for and turn up on the day, then get left to your own devices afterwards. Those are fine if that's what you want (and there's nothing wrong with them at all - I would never criticise anyone's choice of wedding style), but I want British people to be more aware of what America has to offer wedding-wise beyond the usual four we are offered: Las Vegas, New York, Hawaii and Florida. These places are great, obviously, but our wedding brochures would have us believe that they are all that exists across the Atlantic. I've always had such an affection for your country - I want to show them that they can have both a wonderful holiday AND a day more special than they'd ever dreamed possible!
My own wedding did happen to be in New York City but it wasn't a package deal, every part was organised independently with separate vendors, as though we were doing it at home - venue, food, flowers, music, suits etc. I'll admit that I loved every minute of it (and I really missed the fun I'd had wedding planning for months after the big day - it had been like Disney trip planning with extras!) but I know that not everyone enjoys this sort of thing, or has the time to trawl the Internet looking for information. Plus if you don't have any idea about where you want to go, to look at every single state in order to narrow it down could take longer than most people wish to spend planning the entire wedding! That's where my book will come in - I'll do all the legwork so that UK couples don't have to. I want them to be able to pick it up and see that they could get married in a beautiful 'Port Orleans Riverside' style mansion house in the South, or that they could visit the Crater of Diamonds in Arkansas on their honeymoon (how amazing would it be to find a diamond together at the start of your marriage?!). My plan is to cover all 50 states, so all contributions are very welcome, wherever you may be.
I have the tourism websites for each state bookmarked, and am merrily working through them finding out what there is to see and do (and learning a lot!). My lists of interesting and memorable places to get married and to honeymoon is getting ever-longer, but was wondering what else is out there. What special places do you know of that might not be listed among the usual tourist hotspots in your area? What would you recommend to a friend from elsewhere who wanted to have her wedding in your town/city or state? Are there any particularly unusual or memorable wedding venues near you? Any activities you think would be suited to honeymooners, be it romantic, sporting, cultural, historical or something totally unique (I'm very enamoured with the Crater of Diamonds idea!)?
I'm looking for anything at all at this stage - the more information the better! I will, of course, credit you with any recommendations when I get to the book-writing stage (if you wish me to). In the meantime, please let the suggestions roll!
Very many thanks,
Toyah
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Tinkerboo (or in the real world, Toyah) Reading Challenge 2015: 0/84
Follow my journey from sweaty panting mess to running goddess (I hope!) Out walking with The Boy...
What an excting project! One little hidden gem that you might consider is Barnsley Gardens near Rome, Georgia. Its stunningly beautiful, very private, and offers wonderful wedding facilities and is close enough to Atlanta that if you want to fly out afterwards it is eaily reachable. You might also look at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta (its where we wree married!) and Chateau Elan just north of Atlanta.
I didn't get married here but I know I've seen wedding parties having their pictures taken at the Old North Bridge in Concord MA (Minute Man National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service). I just can't tell you offhand where the actual weddings took place but I suppose what I've given you is a start.
Another place I've heard of people getting married is here at the Wayside Inn and there's a beautiful Grist Mill too where pictures have been taken. This second website has a lot of the information you'd be looking for.
OK, in my neck of the woods, a few spots that come to mind are: Annapolis, Maryland; St. Michael's, Maryland (a VERY pretty spot, indeed); just outside of DC there's a place called Meadowlark Botanical Gardens that has a gorgeous gazebo for weddings. It is located in Vienna, Virginia (and just about in my backyard!). Anyplace along the Shenandoah Mountains would be beautiful. The Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia is spectacular - The Inn at Little Washington - Weddings.
What a fun idea for a book!
ALASKA!!!! How about getting married on a glacier? Or with Mt McKinley (aka Denali) lurking in the background? Or at the Alyeska Prince Hotel in Girdwood? Or on a glacier cruise ship? Or underwater in Prince William Sound (Had a friend do that)? Or...or...or...I could go on and on!!!!
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Jennifer / Eeyore is my favorite!! OMG - He's sooooo grown up!!!! And an EAGLE SCOUT!! I can still remember my cute little Tiger Cub! 2016 Reading Goal - 75 books
What a great idea!!! This will be a popular book if you publish it in the UK. I wanted to get married in the states but i wasn't as brave as you in doing the planning myself. We got married in Edinburgh instead.
What about emailing some of the tourist boards for each state and seeing if they can send you any info??
Thanks all - I knew I could rely on PPers for help!
Eeyoresmom - thanks, the legal side is something I'm very aware of as it was the one subject I was asked most about when I was planning ours: "but will it be legal in the UK?" and "how long do you have to be there before the wedding?" being the most common questions. I guess each state has different rules?
Alex'sMummy - thanks for those words of encouragement! This is the first time I've ever discussed it with anyone, it feels a bit weird that it's not just a random idea floating round in my head any more.. I will definitely contact the tourist boards for each state for advice (especially about the legal stuff above).
jenifermg0 - Alaska is one place I'm especially looking forward to learning about, just because it's so different to anywhere here in the UK...I may come back and ply you with a few questions!
again everyone!
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Tinkerboo (or in the real world, Toyah) Reading Challenge 2015: 0/84
Follow my journey from sweaty panting mess to running goddess (I hope!) Out walking with The Boy...
Thanks peeps - consider all that advice taken on board.
I was never intending to include every single town on the US map - awesome fun as it would be for me research-wise, and nice as it would be to showcase the places that are hidden gems (to anyone who doesn't live in them) - as you say, it would end up being encyclopedia-length! I'm more at the 'gather as much info as possible then filter things in/out' stage right now. If I didn't have a day job I would definitely love to just spend every day travelling the world from my chair via the laptop though!
I'm very aware of the fact that not everyone likes to plan stuff as much as I do (and even I had the help of a wedding planner who was worth her weight in gold) so looking up planners in the various places is another step I'll be taking once I'm a bit further on. I know that my planner has won awards in 'The Knot' magazine, so that would be a good source of info in that respect, but we can't get it here. Is the online version much the same, does anyone know? Would I be missing out on anything by not having a paper copy?
Thanks so much once again for your help - this is why I love PP more than any other Disney board!
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Tinkerboo (or in the real world, Toyah) Reading Challenge 2015: 0/84
Follow my journey from sweaty panting mess to running goddess (I hope!) Out walking with The Boy...
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About This Page: 
Hello there my American friends 
, if I may? I'm researching in preparation for writing a book for British couples who want to get married in the USA - there's barely any information available here other than travel brochures featuring 'packages' that you pay for and turn up on the day, then get left to your own devices afterwards. Those are fine if that's what you want (and there's nothing wrong with them at all - I would never criticise anyone's choice of wedding style), but I want British people to be more aware of what America has to offer wedding-wise beyond the usual four we are offered: Las Vegas, New York, Hawaii and Florida. These places are great, obviously, but our wedding brochures would have us believe that they are all that exists across the Atlantic. I've always had such an affection for your country - I want to show them that they can have both a wonderful holiday AND a day more special than they'd ever dreamed possible! 
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Pixie Dust
This will be a popular book if you publish it in the UK. I wanted to get married in the states but i wasn't as brave as you in doing the planning myself. We got married in Edinburgh instead. 
again everyone!
Hybrid Mode
