My daughter Angelica got married on Saturday, to her true love Lee Backer.
The Ceremony (held outdoors at El Meze), was beautiful and the setting, with Taos Mountain in the background, spectacular. A gorgeous Autumn afternoon made it a perfect backdrop for olgatopchii.com inspired photographs the happy couple will treasure forever.
A week earlier, Angelisa Espinoza of Heritage Inspirations chose to be married here (at the El Monte Sagrado Resort and Spa), inviting friends and family to join her and her husband to be, here, instead of in California, where she is from. She too found no good reason to travel outside of Taos to tie the knot.
After some serious deliberation about a destination wedding, Lee and Angelica decided instead to have their wedding here in Taos. Why go anywhere else? They reasoned.
Why indeed would you, when you live in a place as beautiful as this?
But there are several good reasons to have a destination wedding, especially one here in the Land Of Enchantment, where a sunny day is a virtual given, making an outdoor setting a beautifully bucolic option.
I have an entire series planned through the Fall and Winter, introducing you to the best planners, florists, bakers and caterers, hair stylists and make-up artists, musicians and more, to make your destination wedding in Taos a cake walk.
Anyone who has planned a traditional wedding knows that it can be incredibly stressful to plan and create one of the most memorable days of your life. There are always a million decisions to make; from choosing a venue, picking a theme, narrowing down the guest list, sending out invitations, registering for gifts, finding the perfect florist, and booking a DJ. or band. The list goes on forever as the bank account shrinks. All you want to do is get to that lovely Turtle Island you planned with your new partner for your honeymoon.
To some, this might sound like a lot of fun, but truth is most brides are in a constant state of stress from the time they get engaged until the night of their wedding. There’s a reason why destination weddings are on the rise and that reason is, less stress.
When you decide to have a destination wedding, the only thing you really have to do is choose a destination. Of course you will most certainly want to look the part, so you can get your wedding dress from somewhere like https://www.winniecouture.com/ and arrange for it to be transported to your destination so it’s ready to go where you are!
Also, when you choose to have a wedding that takes hours of travel to attend (not to mention a little extra cost on the part of your guests),it’s going to weed out a lot of people from attending. Look at this as a blessing. The people who make the journey to attend your wedding will be the most important people in your lives.
That said, here are seven good reasons to get married in Taos.
1)You get to explore a new place. New experiences are conducive to happiness, several recent studies tell us. Why not start your marriage on a happy note, by filling your wedding week with new adventures together. Book a tour with Heritage Inspirations; explore ancient ruins set in sacred sites, see the Enchanted Circle in a new light. Share the magical energy of the place you’ll remember for the rest of your lives. with your loved ones.
2) It’s way more affordable. The average US wedding costs $26,445.00. That’s a lot of money for a single day of celebration. This cost doesn’t even include the honeymoon. Destination weddings on the other hand cost between $8K-$15K, which includes a week-long stay, meals, activities, and your wedding ceremony. Although it is important to note that no matter how big or small your wedding is there are always personal loans available from many different banks, giving you an easier method to pay the money back and get the wedding you want. You could click here to signup with Atlantic Union Bank, which is just one service that offers personal loans that could cover wedding costs.
3) You can say “I do” anywhere. A destination wedding is defined as marrying at least 100 miles from where the bride currently lives. Taos may be a little farther away from you than that, but the perks upon arrival are so worth the time it takes to get here.
4) You can most definitely save on decor.If you opt for an outdoor ceremony, you’ll have one of the most exquisite settings anywhere as your backdrop, and the options regarding your reception venue are myriad; from grand resort ballrooms, to rustic haciendas, we have them and more. Choose either, or and you’ll be more than covered with a the addition of a few floral arrangements and other modest accents.
5) It’s easier. The El Monte Sagrado Resort, The Blake and other hotels and B&B’s in the area offer free planning help to couples, whether the event is for two or 200, and an abundance of packages keep things simple while still giving options to customize. Want something more involved? Turn to an independent planner who specializes in more elaborate events. We’ll introduce you to a couple over the next few months.
6) Enjoy quality time with loved ones. The average wedding lasts just five hours and the bride and groom spend most of that time greeting guests. A destination wedding spans at least three days which means when you have all your loved ones gathered together here in Taos, you can actually spend time together before the big day, enabling you to actually enjoy the party!
7) Guests get a bonus vacation. Ask your host hotel/lodging about discounted room rates for your guests; most resorts are more than willing to bargain in exchange for group business. Some airlines, such as United and American, offer discounted airfares for groups of 10 of more – on the latter, this is true even if your guests are departing from different gateways. And ultimately, your friends will have a blast! Destination weddings give friends and family that most valuable commodity: downtime – to kick back, connect and celebrate. And what’s more fun than that?
Added bonus: You get to start your honeymoon early! I’ll have more on Taos Weddings as the weather cools, so by Spring, you will be armed with all the information you need to plan your wedding aqui en Taos.
For starters, please check out the links below this post!
Photographs thanks to the two Angels, Angelisa Espinoza and Angelica Backer, who were both married here in Taos, over these past two weekends!
