Emma and Gareth marry at Smuggler’s Cove St Lucia and enjoy a two week honeymoon together. Tropical Sky’s Fred shares the story of the big day.

Where did you both meet – Was it love at first sight?
We met on an online dating website. The first time we met properly it probably was, but we had communicated online for some time before that.

Where did Gareth propose?
We were on holiday in Yosemite National Park in California. We had sat down next to a waterfall and I turned round and he was holding the ring. It wasn’t completely unexpected as we had been talking about it for a while, but I had no idea when he was going to ask so it was a lovely surprise!

What made you decide to get married overseas rather than the UK?
We wanted an intimate wedding with just immediate family and guaranteed sunshine.

How did you choose the location?
We had used American Sky, Tropical Sky’s sister company to book our previous holiday so we looked at locations in the Caribbean they recommend as that was somewhere we had always wanted to go.

Did you make your own arrangements or did you use the services of a wedding planner?
We planned it all ourselves, it was great fun. Tropical Sky booked the honeymoon and wedding for us and the holiday for all our guests.

Were they very helpful with all the arrangements?
They were a great help, I phoned them for advice on which hotel to choose and the person I talked to had been there on numerous occasions. She gave us a great description of the island of St Lucia and the best locations and hotels.

How much did you plan before you went?
Apart from the outfits we didn’t plan too much before we went, we knew we had a wedding planner in the hotel and were assured they would plan the day with us when we arrived, which they did.

How many guests did you take?
There were seven of us in total and they stayed at Smuggler’s Cove with us.

Did most people accept the invitation or were people put off by travelling to an overseas wedding?
My sister declined the invitation as she couldn’t afford to go which was really disappointing but as we were having our reception in the UK we knew we would share that part with her which was a small comfort.

Tell me about your wedding dress? Where was it from? What was your theme?
I got my dress from Monsoon, it was long and floaty, a mixture of organza and silk with lots of beading. There was no theme as such, but we just wanted it to be as tropical as possible, so when we got there we chose bright tropical flowers and a location overlooking the sea. I wore a pearl necklace, a hair piece with pearls and diamonds to match and some pearl earrings.

What was your ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue?
The something old was my nans pearl necklace, something new was the dress, the borrowed were the earing which were my mums, I didn’t have anything blue!

Any special jewellery?
The pearl necklace my nan left me when she died was very special and sentimental to me.

Did you do your own hair and makeup?
Gareth’s sister did my hair and I did my own makeup.

What did the groom wear?
Gareth got a lightweight pale grey suit from M&S, no tie, just a smart white shirt underneath.

…and the bridesmaids utfits?
We adapted the bridesmaid dresses my mum used for her wedding a few years ago, we cut the floor length dresses so they were knee length. They were a dark red with organza over the top, gathered at the side with beading.

Where did the ceremony take place?
We had a beautiful gazebo overlooking the sea in our resort and it lasted about 15-20 minutes. We had a local registrar marrying us and my mum gave me away. We then had a nice meal with our guests overlooking the sea watching the sunset.

Where was the reception held?
We had our reception back in the UK at Savill Court Hotel in Windsor.

What was on the menu?
We had cod & pancetta fishcakes, followed by roast lamb and finished with a chocolate mouse and blackcurrant sorbet.

Did you do anything special or themed with table decorations?
We love going to Cardiff and so had Welsh cakes as our favours and also our place names as they came in a small bag tidied by a ribbon with a name tag.

What was your choice of first dance?
Lonestar, Amazed.

Which is your favourite wedding photo and why?
My favourite photo is the one of just the two of us with the sunset behind us, I think it’s a beautiful photo.

What was your best memory?
I think the ceremony itself was my best memory, it was very moving and a magical experience. Although getting ready before the ceremony, we were all having such a good time we ended up being late!

How much did it all cost?
The St Lucia wedding and honeymoon cost us about £5k – not bad for a two week stay. The UK reception was about £10k. It was just about in budget, but I think it would of gone over if my mum hadn’t helped us out on a few things!

How did you get rid of friends and family or did they share your honeymoon?
The bride’s family left after one week, the grooms did stay for the whole time but it was a big resort with five pools and a large beach so we could easily go off on our own. we did take some excursions for a bit of privacy too.

The glorious British summertime is just around the corner (just need to get past this wet weather) and that also means wedding season is drawing ever closer as well. Whether you are planning on getting married abroad, in a backyard, or are going all-out for that fairy-tale wedding, there are an abundance of websites that can not only help you plan your perfect wedding day, but can also provide you with an endless supply of inspiration. We love the idea of a wedding on a small island somewhere in the Caribbean with just our friends and family in tow.

Regardless of whether your budget is very limited or not, the most important element of the big day is that the happy couple have a spectacular and unforgettable day – plan your wedding the way that you would like it to be, by injecting your own styles and your personalities. A wedding which is styled on your own tastes makes the day that much more memorable not only to you, but also to your wedding guests.

Whilst traditional weddings in the UK remain popular, more and more couples are heading abroad for their wedding, as there can be a significant reduction in costs and best of all it will surely be a trip that you will never forget, (and the sun has a better chance of making an appearance).

With all the wedding buzz in the air, we wanted to raise our glass to some outstanding wedding bloggers who inspire us every day with their creativity and unique perspectives on weddings, and provide new and exciting ways to let our imaginations run wild.

Jillian, Kristina and Amanda are the creative trio behind the fantastic 100layercake.com and it is because of them that we are constantly coming up with creative ideas from their DIY section. The bridal inspiration shoots have us thinking that even we might be able to channel our inner fairy/mythical goddess for our big day!

The ever popular UK blog, rockmywedding.co.uk showcases not only a fantastic range of real weddings from within the UK and abroad, but Charlotte and the team inject a lot of fun into the site as well. We love the ‘Your Day Your Way’ section, where they not only answer all of those tricky questions that frequently crop up, but also have advice from industry experts as well.

Another UK blog comes in the form of London-bride.com and we personally think that the blog is summed up perfectly in the ‘about us’ page; “a wedding obsessionista…..this is my blog on all things pretty.” It certainly is Charley.

Lovemydress.net is yet another wonderful wedding blog that we often find ourselves frequenting during our lunch breaks. With a great presence of real weddings (we love the vintage inspired weddings!) and a showcasing of various suppliers and their products, it is a fantastic site to gain some great inspiration for your big day.

There appears to be a lot of inspiration coming from weddings in the states and oh-lovely-day.com is one of these sites. We love all the engagement shoots, DIY projects (which Chandra actually created for her own wedding) and best of all oh-lovely-day.com have been pretty active on pinterest – forget actual mood boards, we can do it all virtually now!

With the wedding season imminent, we recommend taking some time out from planning your wedding day to take a look at these blogs, and of course let us know if you spot any other great blogs that you think we should check out as well.

Barbados is an island of song, dancing to the rhythms of the Caribbean and resting in the tranquil music of the wind and waves, serenading lovers in their hideaways. The natural beauty of the island beckons all seeking a romantic escape! What better way to start a new life, than to get married in a place that celebrates living? It is very easy to get married in Barbados, as there is no waiting period or minimum length of stay required.

There are three simple steps: Visit the Ministry of Home Affairs in Bridgetown, with your valid passports, complete the application and pay applicable fees, confirm a date and time for the ceremony with a Marriage Officer, and… get married!

3* Discovery Bay by rex resorts

Discovery Bay is an elegant, colonial style hotel. Offering a choice of 88 rooms, this super beach hotel offers excellent personal service. By day you can swim out to the hotel’s raft and relax, and by evening you can dine at its 2 restaurants – or see the night leap into action at the lively Lobby Bar! Sports on offer include tennis, water-skiing, snorkelling and scuba-diving. The hotel’s beautiful freshwater pool provides a perfect backdrop for a wedding where no detail is left unattended.

Receive a free wedding when staying 14 nights in a Beachfront room or £490

4*+ Ocean Two Resort & Residencies

You are engaged! Now the fun begins, let our expert team help you plan the wedding of your dreams! Ocean Two is the perfect atmosphere for your romantic wedding and honeymoon. Ocean Two has a wide range of wedding locations to choose from that are as unique as your love for one another.

If you choose the luxury wedding, then why not have the rooftop patio, stunning at any time of the day but particularly at sunset, the rooftop patio has 180 degree views of the South coast and breathtaking waters of Oistins Bay. This unique location is 8 storey’s in the air and is the closest to heaven you can be to start your union.

4* Turtle Beach by Elegant Hotels

Waves of romance wash over you as you bask in the splendor of the Caribbean sun and sand. Here on the isle of Barbados, the enchantment begins. Turtle Beach Resort provides the perfect place to celebrate a new love. If considering a destination wedding, the decision to marry in Barbados is an easy one to make! The lush tropical setting fringed by powder-fine sands and crystal blue waters has defined destination weddings for years.

Free Classic wedding when staying 10 nights in an Ocean View Junior Suite or higher between September, October and 1st – 18th December 2012. Book from 1st May – 1st December 2012.

Free Classic wedding when staying 10 nights in an Ocean View One Bedroom Suite or higher between May, June, July, August and November 2012. Book from 1st May up to the 1st December 2012.

La Pirogue takes its name from the local fishing boat and keeping that it mind, the general ambience of the resort is quite low-key, understated and non-flashy. With thatched roofs and low lying buildings it does create a stark contrast to  next door, its sister hotel, Sugar Beach.

Having stayed at both over the years, I would find it hard to recommend one over the other as they are both great resorts, but I think if you are more comfortable with naturalised surroundings and not such a polished “hi-tec”, feel then La Pirogue is for you. The facilities are excellent, the pool is large and thoughtfully laid out so that you can travel from the beach to the pool with ease and it all sits in quite large, beautifully manicuredfor gardens. La Pirogue is one of the original Mauritian resorts along with Shandrani and they both have quite an original Mauritian feel to them, along with lots of space which was taken before all the other hotels and resorts arrived.

The food is a feature of all the Mauritian main resorts of this quality; you expect it to be done well, and La Pirogue does not disappoint. There are a couple of dining choices, the buffet obviously being the main and easiest choice as you can come and go as you please. Two other restaurants provide a la carte dining options and you are well advised to book a couple of nights ahead because they get busy. Do remember trousers for men and teenage boys – shorts are not OK, neither are long shorts.

We found (and I read on Tripadvisor we are not the only ones) a great supermarket just along the main road into Flic-en-Flac where you can stock your fridge up with cold (cheap) drinks if you are on half board. I always recommend families should go on all-inclusive and just relax for the holiday. I reckon it works out pretty similar in pricing even if you don’t eat and drink loads. It is astonishing how much food and drink costs in resorts when outside of the all-inclusive package. An average bottle of wine is £40 – cold drinks £3 ish. Lunch was about £80+ for four of us having burgers/salads etc. Half board is great if you budget accordingly for the extra expense on holiday – it’s a nightmare to always be talking about the price of simple Pinot!

Hire a car out of La Pirogue and get out and about for a few days. Being on the west coast you will realise that you are quite protected from the winds which otherwise create great watersports on the east of the island. The locals comment that the Brits tend to go to the north of the island and the resorts there, such as LUX* Belle Mare, as it is a little breezier, hence cooler.

The beach is great here although we all appreciated the reef shoes we had to get in and out of the water – it can be a bit sharp on squidgy winter feet (or young ones!) There is the usual vast array of free watersports which means that you at least work up an appetite before the evening.

For anyone who has stayed at the old Beau Rivage or now called Luxe Belle Mare, the Sugar Beach, on the west coast of the island is probably in the same kind of vein. It is much less windy at Sugar Beach but the set up is pretty similar to the five-star resorts around the island – beachside location, shallow swimming area which is protected by the coral reef, which is only good for proper swimming when the tide is high.

The hotel sits right next to La Pirogue on the same part of the beach which makes the whole area of landscaped gardens feel massive and quite plantation-like. You can get the local bus into Flic en Flac or hire a car and visit Port Louis (so much traffic we were in gridlock – hope they get their fly-over functioning properly soon), or other local towns with markets. Not massively worth the cultural trip as most of the things have been imported from China, but nice to occassionally get out of the resort and wander.

The buffet is good five-star standard and with the addition of the extra a la carte dining options of Citronella and Tides, there should be something for everyone. Book way ahead for Citronella – some things never change and good eateries do book up wherever you are. Everyone talks about the price of lunch and alcohol if you are not on all-inclusive and I can confirm wine starts at around £30 a bottle. You can bring it in and load your fridge up but you obviously cannot take it into dinner. Think about what you enjoy doing on holiday and do the maths as to what works for you. For us as a family of four, we prefer all-inclusive even though the outlay sometimes seems much more than half board. We enjoy wine with food, children like whatever they want to drink and we skip lunch and so financially whilst it is similar, it is just more convenient. Activities for children are good and I would recommend this resort for families. While there are a number of five-star hotels in Mauritius, the great thing is competition which keeps these resorts on their toes!