| Today Norm Goldman, Editor of & is
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| | and other sometimes off- the- wall sites?
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| pleased to have as a guest, Denise and
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| | (Perhaps you can add a few of your
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| Alan Fields, authors of BRIDAL BARGAINS
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| | own.)Denise and Alan:Name a destination
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| and the BRIDAL PASSPORT WEDDING PLANNER.
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| | and you can get married there---ski buffs
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| Both are in bookstores nationwide or you
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| | can take their vows on a mountain top in
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| can order online at The Fields have been
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| | Telluride, beach fans on the white sands
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| featured on the TODAY SHOW, OPRAH and
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| | of Aruba and so on. The key advantage of
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| DATELINE NBC.Thanks Denise and Alan for
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| | a destination wedding: you are already in
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| accepting our invitation to be
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| | the place where you will honeymoon. That
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| interviewed.Norm:Please tell our readers
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| | cuts down on the travel, as you just
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| how you started writing about weddings
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| | travel once to both the wedding and
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| and why did you want to write about this
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| | honeymoon.With all unique venues and
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| subject matter?Denise and Alan:We began
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| | destination weddings, the biggest
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| writing in 1989 as we were planning our
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| | trade-off is control. You will have to
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| own wedding; yep, we are still married
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| | trust a wedding planner at the venue to
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| today. As two starving college students
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| | help coordinate the details. And that
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| in Austin, Texas, we quickly realized
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| | means not being a control freak. Many
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| planning a wedding was a darn expensive
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| | tropical venues may offer a stunning
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| endeavour. We wanted to know how to save
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| | setting, but slim pickings when it comes
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| money but still have a nice wedding
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| | to finding a photographer (there may just
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| without getting ripped off. We heard the
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| | be one or two on an island). Ditto for
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| horror stories from our friends and
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| | other remote locales, like a ski
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| decided the world needed a consumer's
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| | resort.Norm:If you had to choose 5 ideal
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| guide to tying the knot. Bridal Bargains,
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| | geographic wedding destinations from the
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| our first wedding book, was the result of
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| | point of view of ambiance, costs, etc,
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| that effort it was first published in
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| | which ones would you chose and why?Denise
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| 1990 and now is in its 7th edition, with
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| | and Alan:Hawaii is probably the best
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| 500,000 copies sold. Our latest book, the
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| | combo of both ambience and ease of use
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| Bridal Passport wedding planner (the
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| | and no changing dollars into a foreign
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| Dollars & Sense Guide to Planning a
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| | currency, a very developed tourist biz
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| Wedding) was published in December
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| | and so on. Specifically, we would
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| 2004.Norm:What in your opinion makes for
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| | recommend the north shore of Kauai in the
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| a wonderful and unique wedding
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| | summer; Maui or the Big Island in the
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| experience, where everyone would be left
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| | winter.Mexico offers the best value for
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| with fond memories? As a follow up, do
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| | the dollar. A falling dollar has made
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| you have to spend a great deal of money
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| | foreign travel pricey just about
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| to have such a memorable
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| | everywhere, but the peso remains a
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| experience?Denise and Alan:Think about
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| | relative bargain for Americans. Resorts
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| the best weddings you have ever attended
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| | like Cabo, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta
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| and what made them so memorable? Chances
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| | offer that beach wedding (and Caribbean
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| are it was a FUN event first and
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| | water) at a discount price. Top pick:
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| foremost. That might have been a
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| | Cozumel, for its excellent
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| combination of several factors, a unique
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| | snorkelling.Telluride is our favorite
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| setting, a great band, and so on. Focus
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| | mountain resort to tie the knot, summer
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| on those factors when planning your own
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| | or winter. Winter lets you enjoy a
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| wedding. Conversely, realize there are
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| | world-class ski mountain; summer is
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| many parts of a wedding that are
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| | hiking, white water rafting. A selection
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| expensive, but contribute little to the
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| | of the top restaurants makes this a
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| fun aspect of a wedding flowers, for
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| | winner year around.Orlando is among the
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| example.No, you don't have to go bankrupt
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| | best bargains going and most airlines
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| to plan a memorable wedding! Yes, you may
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| | offer deals on air/hotel packages here
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| have to make a series of trade-offs to
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| | and the raft of entertainment options is
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| pull it off, but you can save and still
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| | second to none. And its more than just
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| have a fantastic wedding. Example:
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| | Disney . . . you will find Universal,
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| instead of a fancy downtown hotel, you
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| | Sea World and a plethora of water
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| can rent a historic home that lets you
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| | parks.Norm:Do you have any tips as to how
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| bring in your own caterer. That enables
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| | couples can get the best value for their
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| you to hold the total cost down, way
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| | dollar when they are honeymooning?Denise
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| under what the hotel would charge. The
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| | and Alan:Two words: shoulder season. The
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| key: you save money in ways your guests
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| | shoulder season is the space between high
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| don't see. A bottle of house wine from a
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| | and low seasons. No, you probably don't
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| hotel might be $50; that same bottle from
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| | want to go to a tropical isle in August.
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| a wholesale club like Sam's or Costco
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| | How about April? In the Caribbean, you
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| would run $10. Do you guests know the
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| | can find great deals in the shoulder
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| difference? No.A destination wedding is
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| | season after Easter but before summer
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| another great way to save and you have a
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| | vacation times.Hawaii is cheapest rate
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| special setting for your wedding, without
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| | after New Year's until mid March, when
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| all the cost of a domestic
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| | spring break crowds end deals. Deals also
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| affair.Norm:What tips would you have for
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| | abound in Hawaii in the fall, from Labor
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| destination brides who plan to bring
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| | Day until just before Christmas. Hence,
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| along a wedding party? It's a growing
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| | November would be a great time to go for
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| trend for destination weddings to now
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| | a honeymoon.Fall is also a great time to
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| have a fairly sizeable wedding party
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| | visit the wine country of California or
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| sometimes about 50, so it would be great
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| | the Rocky Mountains on a
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| to get their tips on group airline
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| | honeymoon.Norm:What are the 5 most
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| discounts, hotel blocks.Denise and
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| | important factors, cost-wise, a future
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| Alan:Good news: the travel biz has
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| | bride and groom should bear in mind when
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| awakened to the destination-wedding
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| | planning their wedding and why?Denise and
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| trend. As a result, many airlines and
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| | Alan:Location, guest count, time of day
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| resorts have special discount packages
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| | and wedding style are the most important
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| for those planning a wedding. Airlines,
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| | budget factors. Some thoughts:Location:
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| for example, are courting destination
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| | Where do you envision the wedding?
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| weddings with special group discounts.
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| | Reception? The location will drive much
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| Many resorts now have on-staff wedding
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| | of the cost. A hotel reception is much
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| planners to ease planning; and special
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| | more expensive than a home wedding, for
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| discount rates for blocks of rooms.The
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| | example.Guest count. A no brainer this
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| best advice: work with the airlines group
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| | clearly impacts the budget!Time of day. A
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| booking department and/or the resort's
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| | 2pm wedding is much less expensive than
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| meeting planners. And always double check
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| | an evening affair, Why? Guests already
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| to make sure any special rate you get is
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| | have had lunch and are not expecting
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| really a deal and simply price the same
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| | dinner! Brunch or lunch reception are
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| stay or fare on a travel web site. Most
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| | also less expensive than dinner.Wedding
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| travel companies honestly offer groups a
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| | style: Do you have envision a garden
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| better deal than regular travelers; but
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| | wedding? A beach-side ceremony? Or a
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| it always makes sense to double
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| | formal Catholic mass? The style of your
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| check.Norm:Could you tell us something
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| | wedding is a major driver of
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| about the advantages and disadvantages
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| | costs.Norm:How does one go about finding
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| pertaining to different unique venue
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| | out about the different marriage
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| weddings as: beach, park, museum,
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| | regulations around the world?
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| mountain ski lodge, tent, train, yacht,
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