Any chance you can drive down? It's an 11 hour drive or so right? Not fun,but a cheaper option and solves your fear of flying issue.
Every family is different but for an immediate family member, I would go even though they are choosing a hurricane themed wedding.
We made this drive very recently - StL to Destin (and back). It took 11 1/2 hrs. It wasn't terrible, but we have a 7, 5, and 2 yr old so we were over it by the time we exited the vehicle (DVDs in the car are an amazing, beautiful, wonderful travel upgrade from when we were kids). We hit all the major cities during off peak hours, no rush hour madness.
But a word about Destin, FL - the beach is beautiful, the accommodations can be very lovely, there's plenty of shopping and eating, the sun is brutally bright and hot. But the traffic is MADNESS. As a St.Louisan, have you been to Branson? Destin is Branson on steriods. There's one main strip (Hwy 98), and the volume of cars is horrible! Just be ready. (Also the quickest route out of town and back home has tolls fyi)
I really considered not going to my sister's wedding. It was her third marriage. I had already been to two destination weddings that year BEFORE she even got engaged. She got engaged, chose a destination, IN DECEMBER (which, I told her up front I didn't have any more time off work in 2015 and she easily could have had the exact same wedding in January), and it was in an area that was an hour drive from the airport. It was a pain in the ass, but I went without my husband. I don't really think I would have regretted not going.
I would not go to a destination wedding unless there was free booze, though. I fly and bring a gift? You better give me free booze.
I think if you don't want to pull your kid out of school and make this a big family trip then your H should decline being best man and you go alone since its your brother and not his.
Destination weddings can be a huge pain for guests and the B and G should understand not everyone can attend and not get angry. But if it was my sibling and I liked them (lol because we DO NOT get along with my BIL), I would make every attempt to attend.
Post by cabbagecabbage on May 3, 2016 18:06:07 GMT -5
This is one of the benefits of being on a really tight budget. It's not even in the realm of possible for us. My MIL is annoyed I'm not flying with a newborn and preschooler to attend H's stepbrother's wedding this fall. H will be attending solo.
Are they really having a reception in your State? Then that would really weight into my decision. And a lot of people might skip the Florida thing and go to the local reception. People in your family have to be understanding. If your mother is really a pain about it, I would suggest she takes one of your kids with her (maybe both) and pay for their plane tickets and travel with them!
They really are. I'm actually least offended by there not being a reception there because...well, I don't think anyone is going to come to the wedding.
Even for a destination wedding? For a destination wedding I pretty much expect a welcome reception the night before, dinner after the ceremony and brunch the next morning. My expectations increase significantly when it's a destination wedding. Dinner after the ceremony is the absolute minimum I would expect.
I would not expect all of that.
I'd be happy with a very nice three-course meal.
Will you get that?
That would be ok with me.
But, for some reason, I'm picturing something cheap.
I have no idea. I haven't met her parents and they are paying. HOWEVER, the fact that this is supposed to happen on some random public beach...
Post by rupertpenny on May 3, 2016 19:37:08 GMT -5
I have lived in Florida for the vast majority of my life, I even spent a few years in the Panhandle, and I have never been to Destin because it is such a pain in the ass to get to.
Even without all the other bullshit couldn't they at least picked a city with an airport?
But, for some reason, I'm picturing something cheap.
I have no idea. I haven't met her parents and they are paying. HOWEVER, the fact that this is supposed to happen on some random public beach...
Do you know where it is? Is it Henderson State beach? My family has a house in Destin and the beaches are gorgeous, and there are weddings on them ALL the time. Like every weekend we are there we see weddings. Traffic is bad but it really depends on what time of year. There is only one way with a toll, which is over the Mid-Bay bridge.
I have lived in Florida for the vast majority of my life, I even spent a few years in the Panhandle, and I have never been to Destin because it is such a pain in the ass to get to.
Even without all the other bullshit couldn't they at least picked a city with an airport?
It has one - a private one and then the Destin-Ft Walton Beach airport. It is about 20 minutes from Destin though
I have lived in Florida for the vast majority of my life, I even spent a few years in the Panhandle, and I have never been to Destin because it is such a pain in the ass to get to.
Even without all the other bullshit couldn't they at least picked a city with an airport?
It has one - a private one and then the Destin-Ft Walton Beach airport. It is about 20 minutes from Destin though
Oh, that barely counts haha. I guess I was thinking you'd have to fly into Pensacola. And in that case you could just, you know, have the wedding and non-reception on a public area of Pensacola Beach. I would know because that is exactly what my BIL did for his wedding.
It has one - a private one and then the Destin-Ft Walton Beach airport. It is about 20 minutes from Destin though
Oh, that barely counts haha. I guess I was thinking you'd have to fly into Pensacola. And in that case you could just, you know, have the wedding and non-reception on a public area of Pensacola Beach. I would know because that is exactly what my BIL did for his wedding.
Pensacola and Panama City Beach are other options but much further away. We do the Ft Walton all the time, it shares a runway with Eglin air force base. I guess I drive 30 minutes to the airport in atlanta so that one doesn't seem so bad!
Ummm.. Destin is the prettiest beach in Florida! Also I wouldn't worry about Hurricane Season
I'm not worried about it for me but I sure as hell wouldn't plan my wedding around it. Then again, the last outdoor wedding in our family involved me standing in the sleet in a cocktail dress, so this has to be better.
ETA: And I'm feeling guilty for my dig at Destin. I've lived in Naples, Fort Lauderdale and Jacksonville and been to most major cities in the state but haven't really spent time in the panhandle. I guess I'll be checking it off my list, now, though.
My brother is an ass, so... yeah, I probably wouldn't be willing to go too far out of my way and spend a bunch of money and burn vacation time to go to a destination wedding, unless the destination location was super compelling and I could make an actual vacation out of it.
If you are having a wedding and no reception isn't that eloping? If you are eloping guests don't happen. Also, I am confused why they are going to one location to have a ceremony only and then going on a honeymoon. I had a destination wedding and then went somewhere else for my honeymoon but I had a whole wedding thing, rehearsal, wedding, reception where we paid for drinks and food for our dear loved ones who came to see us get married, etc.
Ugh if it were me I would go because FAMILY but I too would bitch about it a lot. I think if you skip it though and go to the reception in town you are totally not wrong.
If you are having a wedding and no reception isn't that eloping? If you are eloping guests don't happen. Also, I am confused why they are going to one location to have a ceremony only and then going on a honeymoon. I had a destination wedding and then went somewhere else for my honeymoon but I had a whole wedding thing, rehearsal, wedding, reception where we paid for drinks and food for our dear loved ones who came to see us get married, etc.
Ugh if it were me I would go because FAMILY but I too would bitch about it a lot. I think if you skip it though and go to the reception in town you are totally not wrong.
My brother planned his wedding for 8 weeks after I had a scheduled c-section and I also had a 20 month old and a husband who was on call 24/7 and couldn't travel. I did not go. People freaked at me. I I don't regret my choice. If he cared that much about me being there he would have considered whether I could make it, right?
My SIL got married with less than a month's notice. We were unable to make arrangements to fly out from CA to FL, H couldn't get the time off work and booking a flight with such short notice that late was cost prohibitive since we were planning our own wedding. Fortunately my in-laws are reasonable and understood why we couldn't make it.
FUCK YOU!!! Just kidding. I've never been to Navarre. Let's just say Panhandle beaches are the best.
If it's actually the panhandle then the beach faces south- neither sunrise nor sunset over the water. But can you really find a place with both sunrise and sunset over the water? Oh, wait... You can.
You can get both sunset and sunrise over the water in Destin. It's not like the coast is a perfectly straight line facing due south.
I'm an only child so things are easy for me in that department but I know that it's simply unconceivable for H's family not to attend your sibling's wedding. No matter how ridiculous their plans/the distance can be. And that's considering that BIL is in Australia and we're in Europe - we've been bracing ourselves for the day they decide to do it as that's a year with no other holiday plans...
Now I really want to plan a Florida panhandle vacation. I'd stop by Tallahassee and drink wine with tamb, while the children run wild in the Florida sun. Barefoot.