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6 Incredible Experiences In Sayulita
Discover 6 incredible secrets of Sayulita that not everyone knows about.
Sayulita is a beautiful location that many people have not yet visited. For those looking for an itinerary for an upcoming trip we present 6 incredible secrets of Sayulita!
From:Punta Sayulita
A quick search online about Sayulita will likely tell you about the most popular reasons why people retire, invest and vacation here. Beautiful relaxing beaches, excellent Mexican cuisine, great surf and water sports all appear top of the list. But locals and experienced Sayulitanos will tell you there´s a lot more to see and do when you scratch under the surface. Here are our 6 incredible secrets of Sayulita to help you have awesome experiences.
Secrets of Sayulita Number 1 – Whale Watching
Humpback whales, known as “Jorobadas”, pass by Sayulita twice a year in early winter as they head south to mate and give birth and again in spring to return to feeding grounds. They can seen from the main beaches in Sayulita, just at the mouth of the bay as well as from hilltops. For a close up experience boat trips are available from the beach at Punta de Mita (only a short car journey from Punta Sayulita) as a highly recommended way to see these special creatures first hand. Trips last 3 hours including travel and spotting time.
Secrets of Sayulita Number 2 – Playa Escondido
Also know as the love beach, Playa Escondida (Hidden Beach) is a short stretch of beach partially covered by a wall of rocks in the heart of the Marietta islands. The islands are found a few kilometers west of Punta Mita, in the Pacific, and form one of the sanctuaries with the greatest biodiversity in Mexico. Hence, it is protected by the government and considered a National Park and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. It is a popular day trip from Punta Sayulita and does´t take very long to get there.
How To Avoid Common Traveling Scams
While traveling is one of the most enjoyable and life enriching experiences, there are many “scams” out there that can turn your dream vacation into a nightmare. The good folks over at Guiddoo put together a great list of 11 common travel scams to help you avoid them.
From Guiddoo
1. The Flirty Fox
M.O: An attractive woman will approach a solo male traveler and begin to flirt, eventually leading him to a bar or club. However, the catch is that she already has an agreement with the bar, and they will charge you an extortionate amount by the end of the night. Either that, or the consequences could be much much worse.
Trick: Always keep an arms distance from attractive strangers, and if you do end up striking a conversation, always go to a familiar/touristy place and never leave your drink unattended.
2. The Helpful Pickpocket
M.O: Pickpockets posing as helpful locals will warn you about ‘pickpockets’ close by and tell you how they just saw someone get pickpocketed. They will ask you to check if you still have your valuables, but they are actually probing where you keep them so they can steal them later.
Another approach they could use is if they see you struggling to figure out a foreign ATM machine.
Trick: Keep your valuables safely at the hotel and always try to travel with minimum cash on you. Cards should be kept safely where only you can access them. Try keeping your wallet in your front pocket.
3. The Friendly Flowerman
M.O: A man will approach a tourist standing with a spouse/girlfriend, and offer her a rose. Once accepted, he will ask for an exorbitant amount of money for it and refuse to take the flower back. He will even go as far as to shame you for being cheap if you refuse.
Trick: Straight out refuse the man, and surprise your girlfriend a little later with something better!
4. The Lost Taxi Driver
M.O: Some taxi drivers will try to take advantage that you’re ‘touristy’ looking and assume you’re unfamiliar with the area. They will ask a few questions to check if you know and if you don’t they’ll purposely take longer routes, get stuck in traffic and drive intentionally slower. Some drivers will even use rigged meters to jack up the fare.
Trick: Try and map/plan out your day so you know the best routes and what landmarks you will be passing along the way. Alternatively, you can ask other taxi drivers if you’re on the right track.
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How To Trim Your Wedding Guest List While Not Forgetting Anyone
Creating a guest list for your wedding should be easy, but more often than not, it becomes an overwhelming and daunting task. This can get even more magnified if you are doing a destination wedding. So what do you do? Turn to infographics to rescue you from this stress, of course.
Below are a few infographic flow charts that can help you trim the list and ensure you did not miss anyone.
(Click on image to enlarge)
10 Secrets For Taking Incredible iPhone Travel Photos
Are you planning a vacation and wondering what camera to take? If you’re thinking of carrying bulky camera equipment, you should reconsider! Whether you’re planning a weekend city break, a family vacation or a round the world adventure, your iPhone is the perfect camera for your trip. In this tutorial you’ll discover ten ways to guarantee success with your iPhone travel photography.
Is The iPhone Really All You Need?
The purpose of travel photography is to document your journey and experiences. These images serve as memories that will last a lifetime, and it’s likely that you’ll want to share them with family, friends and your social media followers.
While the image resolution and quality might be higher on a DSLR or other high-end camera, the iPhone wins hands-down on portability and convenience.
Not only is the iPhone compact, lightweight and great for taking photos quickly and discreetly, but you’re going to be carrying it with you anyway so there’s no need to take any extra equipment.
The last thing you want to do when you’re traveling is to carry a heavy camera, tripod and lenses around with you all day. It’s impractical, and it also makes you a target for theft as you can’t hide the fact that you’re carrying an expensive piece of kit.
The other problem with a traditional camera is that you can spend vital seconds or minutes changing settings, only to miss the once in a lifetime shot. With the iPhone you can have it out of your pocket and shooting in a couple of seconds!
The most important aspect of travel photography is to document the story of the locations you visit and the time that you spend there. So if you’re thinking of taking a large digital camera on your next vacation, you might want to think again.
Your iPhone can easily be the best travel camera, as long as you take some basic steps to prepare for your trip and follow these guidelines when you’re at your destination.
With a little knowledge and imagination, you can take stunning and unique travel photos with your iPhone. So let’s take a look at ten ways to maximize your chances of taking amazing travel photos with your iPhone!
1. Research Your Destination
Good travel photography starts way before you arrive at your destination. It starts off at home, where you should research the location that you’re visiting.
Spend a bit of time finding out about local landmarks, interesting architecture and areas of natural beauty that would make good subjects and locations for your photos.
Use the internet and travel guides to find out as much as you can about the region, culture, weather, and any interesting events or festivals that might be going on while you’re visiting.
Sometimes you’re just around the corner from somewhere really incredible that’s waiting to be photographed. That’s why it’s so important to research the places you’re visiting beforehand so that you don’t miss out on great photo opportunities.
Check what the weather will be like during your visit, and find out what time the sun rises and sets. The golden hours are usually the best times of day for taking photos, especially in hot climates where it can become hazy during the main part of the day.
In certain parts of the world you’re not allowed to photograph whatever you want, and there are certain rules to be followed. Find out what you’re allowed to photograph and what’s prohibited.
You should also check whether there are any dress codes, as well as other local rules and laws. Learn about the country’s religion and culture beforehand so that you don’t commit any mistakes or cause offense in the country you’re visiting.
2. Use The Instagram Community
Purchasing a good travel guide book is important for many people, but it’s also interesting (and free) to check out what the Instagram community has to say about your chosen destination.
Let your followers know where you’re going next and ask for personal opinions about locations to visit, places to eat, and what to see and photograph in that area.
Each destination has its clichés, as well as hidden secrets off the beaten track. Search for local Instagramers to see what and where they shoot. If possible, speak to them to get inside knowledge of their favorite places to photograph.
The Instagram mobile photography community is a friendly place, and you’re sure to find people who will be happy to help you find great locations to shoot. You never know, they might even offer to meet up and show you the sights!
3. Prepare Your Camera
Before you set out on your journey, set aside some time to prepare your iPhone for the trip. One of the most important things is to make sure you have enough space on your iPhone for lots of new photos.
You don’t want to run out of space half way through your adventure! So free up as much space as possible by transferring your existing pictures to your computer.
Battery life is also important as you might be out shooting all day with your iPhone. I would advise purchasing an external battery, such as the Mophie Juice Pack, to give you more hours of shooting time.
If you’re traveling to a location where you don’t need to use cellular coverage, optimize the battery usage by switching on Airplane Mode in the Settings app. This way your iPhone won’t drain the battery trying to keep you connected all the time.
A “foggy” image can sometimes be a pure result of a dirty lens, so make sure your iPhone’s camera lens is clean. Wipe the lens gently with a clean lens cloth, or any other soft fabric such as your t-shirt, to ensure your photos are crystal clear.
4. Rethink The Cliché Shots
Visiting tourist spots when traveling is practically inevitable, but you don’t want to return home with your images looking just like the guide book. It’ll be much more fun and interesting if you take unique shots of popular travel destinations.
The important thing to remember when photographing popular tourist locations is to avoid shooting the subject just like everyone else has done before you.
Move around and get to know your subject. Experiment with more appealing angles and viewpoints that aren’t common in this scene.
Shooting from a low angle is an easy way to show a scene from a perspective that people don’t normally see from standing height.
Leave the photo clichés to the tourists! You’re a mobile photographer and a traveler on a mission to take the best photos you possibly can within a set timeframe.
Keep your eyes peeled for unique photo opportunities, and don’t be afraid to take the shot. If it doesn’t work out you can delete it, but if you don’t take the photo in the first place you’ll never know how it would have turned out.
5. Shoot Portraits Of Local People
A great way to capture the essence of your destination is to take portrait photosof local people. If you’re shooting from a distance this shouldn’t be a problem, but if you want to take close-up portraits it’s polite to ask permission first.
For a softer approach, I suggest a quick study of the language first. Buy a phrasebook or download a translation app on your iPhone, and learn the basics such as, “hello,” “please,” “thank you” and “how are you?”
Read More HERE
Best Selling Travel Gear on Amazon
While trends come and go every day, this is a fun list curated by flashpackerfamily.com of the top selling travel gear on Amazon. Hopefully one or two of them help you on your travels!
Reference
Best Selling Travel Books on Amazon
#1 Best Seller in General Travel Reference
Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel: Our List of the 500 Best Places to See… Ranked
#1 Best Seller in Travel Pictorial Reference Books
Destinations of a Lifetime: 225 of the World’s Most Amazing Places
Best Selling Luggage on Amazon
#1 Best Seller in Luggage (Suitcase)
Delsey Luggage Helium Aero 29 Inch Expandable Spinner Trolley
#1 Best Seller in Luggage (Carry On Suitcase)
Samsonite Luggage Fiero HS Spinner 20
#1 Best Seller in Luggage (Luggage Sets)
Rockland Luggage 2 Piece Luggage Set
#1 Best Seller in Luggage (Duffel)
adidas Team Speed Medium Duffel Bag
#1 Best Seller in Luggage (Rolling Duffel)
Olympia 33 Inch 8 Pocket Rolling Duffel
#1 Best Seller in Luggage (Daypack)
Kipling Seoul Large Backpack With Laptop Protection
#1 Best Seller in Backpack
Osprey Farpoint 55 Travel Backpack
#1 Best Seller in Luggage (Kids luggage)
Skip Hop Zoo Little Kid Luggage
Best Selling Packing Gear on Amazon
#1 Best Seller in Packing Organizers (Packing Cubes)
#1 Best Seller in Packing Organizers (Bottles)
Humangear GoToob 3 Ounce (3 pack) Travel Bottle
#1 Best Seller in Scales
Etekcity Digital Hanging Luggage Scale
#1 Best Seller in Packing Organizers (Toiletry Bag)
Best Travel Accessories
#1 Best Seller in Travel Pillows
#1 Best Seller in Travel Accessories (Lock)
Master Lock 4688D TSA Accepted Cable Luggage Lock
#1 Best Seller in Travel Accessories (Money Wallet)
Lewis N. Clark Rfid Neck Stash
#1 Best Seller in Health Care Products
LifeStraw Personal Water Filter
Best Selling Cameras on Amazon
#1 Best Seller in Digital Point & Shoot Cameras
Nikon COOLPIX L840 Digital Camera with 38x Optical Zoom and Built-In Wi-Fi
#1 Best Seller in Mirrorless Cameras
#1 Best Seller in DSLR Cameras
Canon EOS Rebel T5 Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm IS II + EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Bundle
#1 Sports & Action Video Camera
Best Selling Electronics Gear for Travellers on Amazon
#1 Best Seller in Cell Phone Sleeves
#1 Best Seller in Marine Dry Bags
JOTO Universal Waterproof, Snowproof, Dirtproof Case Bag
#1 Best-Seller Computer & Accessories
#1 Best Seller in Televisions & Video Products
#1 Best Seller in MP3 Player Batteries & Battery Packs
#1 Best Seller in GPS & Navigation Equipment
Tile (Gen 2) – Phone Finder. Key Finder. Item Finder.
Best Selling Kids Gear for Travel on Amazon
#1 Best Seller in Nursery Travel Beds
#1 Best Seller in Baby Playards
Graco Pack ‘n Play Playard, Aspery
#1 Best Seller in Lightweight Baby Strollers
Summer Infant 2015 3D Lite Convenience Stroller
#1 Best Seller in Car Seat Travel Bags & Carts
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Hiking Trails in Los Ayala, Nayarit, Mexico
Ready to hit the dusty trail..hiking trail that is? Explorenayarit.com has a great resource for local trails as well as a map that we posted for you. You can get a larger size copy of the map from their site.
Below are the trail details from http://explorenayarit.com/blog/los-ayala-hiking-trails-and-trail-map/
El Monteón Trail
Trail Length: 4.3 miles (6.9 km)
Trail Elevation Gain: 520 feet ( 158.5 m)
Time: 2-2½ hoursThe El Monteón Trail is the easiest and most often hiked trail. The trail exposes hikers to jungle, farm crops and the Punta Raza development. It includes a gravel road climb to a viewpoint before descending into El Monteón.
Punta Raza Trail
Trail Length: 1.5 miles (2.4 km)
Trail Elevation Gain: 370 feet (112.8 m)
Time: 1-1½ hoursAn enjoyable lush jungle hike with moderate elevation providing access to remote playas and a rocky bluff (El Mirador) overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Great spot for picture taking.
Coral Point Trail
Trail Length: 1.1 mile (1.8 km)
Trail Elevation Gain: 258 feet (78.6 m)
Time: 45-60 minutesThe Coral Beach Trail is part of an old overgrown road that provides an alternate route to Playa Coral. The trail offers views of the estuary, farmland and the Punta Raza development.
Mirador Point Trail
Trail Length: 0.4 miles (0.6 km)
Trail Elevation Gain: 105 feet (32 m)
Time: 20-30 minutesA brief airy walk to a rock cliff overlooking the ocean. The spectacular view is well worth the short hike. The optional trail down to Playa Toro is steep and should be hiked with caution.
Grunt Trail
Trail Length: 0.4 mi (0.6 km)
Trail Elevation Gain: 306 feet (93 m)
Time: 20-30 minutesThe name states it all! The short steep trail leads to a flat junction where three trailheads are located. A brief rest stop might be in order.
Easy Trail
Trail Length: 1.0 mi (1.6 km)
Trail Elevation Gain: 435 feet (133 m)
Time: 40-60 minutesIt isn’t as easy as the name implies but an interesting trail passing through three distinct vegetation areas. The first section is an old orchard, followed by a thick tropical jungle before descending into the meadow section.
BS Trail
Trail Length: 1.0 mi (1.6 km)
Trail Elevation Gain: 508 feet (154.8 m)
Time: 45-60 minutesThe trail’s name doesn’t imply the obvious. This moderate trail is an enjoyable adventure with a couple of short steeper areas. Once on the road, walk uphill to visit a palapa, then follow the road down to a gate, referred to as Casita 8.
Mountain Trail
Trail Length: 2.3 mi (3.7 km)
Trail Elevation Gain: 759 feet (231.3 m)
Time: 1 hourThe Mountain Trail provides an alternate route to El Monteón. The initial trail’s segment climbs before leveling and finally enters a roadway descending into El Monteón. Great hike through jungle featuring a variety of different trees.
Black Diamond Trail
Trail Length: 0.5 mi (0.8 km)
Trail Elevation Gain: 560 feet (170.7 m)
Time: 30-45 minutesThe trail’s beginning is a shady picturesque jungle featuring large fig trees. While the trail is not for the faint of heart, there are numerous cut out steps and hand holds to assist with the short steep climb. Try the trail as it’s quite a different hiking experience as it climbs up to meet the ridge.
Butterfly Trails (Horse Trail)
Trail Length: 2.7 mi (4.3 km)
Trail Elevation Gain: 633 feet (193m)
Time: 1-1½ hoursDelightful fun set of trails through jungle and open grassy areas. The lower trail which overlooks Highway 200 offers fantastic views of Rincón de Guayabitos. An easy short hike and if the timing is right, many butterflies can be seen.
Points to Ponder:
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Wear sturdy footwear
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Pack ample water
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Apply sunscreen and bug repellent
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Bring your camera
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Always hike in a group
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Leave all gates as you found them, not leaving them open for other groups.
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Times/distances are approximate.
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Trails are maintained by volunteers, and may not be open for hiking eight months of the year.
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Different map created by Lori Schneider Wood shows similar trails in the Punta Raza area.
Discover 10 Things To Do In Sayulita
One of the great things about Sayulita is there is always something fun, exciting and memorable to do.
In a post on their site, Farmboy & Citygirl, Chris and Virginie shared with us their top 10 things to do in Sayulita, and we wanted to share them with you.
Directly from their page http://farmboyandcitygirl.com (make sure to go visit for more fun travel adventures)
1. RELAX ON THE BEACH
The main attraction of Sayulita isn’t hard to find: it’s its beach. Calm in the morning while the fishermen are out and more crowded in the afternoon when the sun warms it up, it’s the perfect place to relax. Whether you want to swim or tan, don’t forget your suntan lotion or you’ll probably end up looking like a lobster.
In the winter, the waves are usually fine to swim in. If you think the beach in town is too crowded, head north! There’s a beach there where you’ll find a lot fewer people. That’s where we always went since it also happened to be closer to our house, but we were a lot happier over there.
2. EXPLORE THE PLAYA DE LOS MUERTOS
If you well like going to an almost deserted beach, you can head down south to the Playa de Los Muertos, which literally means Beach of the Dead. The reason for the name? The beach happens to be right next to a cemetery. Just follow the instructions down the road and you’ll quickly find it. If you don’t find any graveyards, turn around! The beach is in between two rocky walls. If you feel like climbing, you can also see lots of crabs and other marine creatures that hang out on the rocks around the beach.
3. LEARN HOW TO SURF/SUP
Depending on if you’re there during calm days or wavy days, you might want to try either surfing or paddleboarding. I fell in love with paddleboarding, so I definitely suggest you try it out too! There’s plenty of people on the beach that are there to rent boards. You can check out places like WildMex and Lunazul. Once you find a good board for you, it’s time to hit the water and have fun!
4. SNORKEL AROUND THE BAY
Sayulita doesn’t have the crystal clear blue water of Cancun, but you can always snorkel on the calm days and enjoy the company of fish. You probably won’t see any amazing creature, but you can have a fun time swimming around and looking at the puffer fish that try to hide in the sand!
5. GO FISHING
Whether it’s to catch your dinner or just enjoy some time on the Pacific Ocean, you can go fishing with locals. There’s definitely plenty of fish in the Sayulita bay; you shouldn’t have any problems catching some. Just walk south on the beach and you’ll find where the fishermen leave their boats. You might also want to check out Captain Pablo’s Adventures, which offers fishing tours.
6. HORSEBACK RIDE ON THE BEACH
Isn’t there anything more romantic than a horseback ride on the beach? If you’re lucky enough to not be allergic to them (like Chris is), you can take a walk with them on the sandy beach and into the jungle. Go see the people are Rancho Mi Chaparrita, who can take you. There’s also people close to the river that can take you too.
7. HIKE IN THE JUNGLE
If you want to hike in the jungle around Sayulita, you have two choices. You can either go by yourself and discover the surroundings (which are beautiful), or you can get someone to take you. If you’d rather do it with someone, MexiTrecks can get you to the top of the Monkey Mountain. You’ll get a gorgeous view of the Sayulita bay from there.
8. VISIT THE MERCADO DEL PUEBLO
From November through May, you’ll find the Farmers’ Market on the main street, north on the bridge, on Fridays. It’s open from 10am to 2pm. There’s plenty of vendors to buy souvenirs from, but also some fruits and veggies, as well as organics products. You’ll usually find a band playing and people to buy lunch from if you’re craving some local food. It’s definitely a must-see in Sayulita! Or even if you don’t really care about the market, there’s also an awesome mango tree in the middle of the market that is worth the stop!
9. PARTY AT CAMARON
Sayulita is known for its family-friendly vibe, not for its nightlife. If you do want to go out one night, you might have a hard time finding a good party in town. After asking around a bit, we discovered that the best party is that Camaron on Friday nights. Right on the beach, it has exactly the summer party vibe we were looking for! You’ll find Camaron on the north beach, right next to La Terrazola.
10. VISIT LAS MARIETAS ISLAND
The last one, but also the most important one is Las Marietas Island! Our trip there withAlly Cat was so awesome that it even deserved its own post. It’s a day trip on the ocean that is well worth it. You’ll get to see the popular cave, as well as the islands around. If there were only one thing you had the time to do, I would definitely recommend the cruise. It was our favorite activity out of all the things we did in town.
All Quoted text property of farmboyandcitygirl.com
Taste This! In Sayulita
There is no doubt that Sayulita has some of the best food around. Pair that with great drinks and a fun atmosphere, and it is a win, win , win!
What places should be on your “must eat” list you ask?
MightyGirl.com recently posted her favorite places in Sayulita to eat, and we like her recommendations. So direct from her blog here are a few of our favorites from the Mighty Girl list of places to eat in Sayulita:
Paletas from Waikika
Ave Revolucion, 63732Paletas are ice pops made from fresh fruit, strawberry was my favorite. They’re like a heartier popsicle, and about half of them are made with cream as well. We went during the sweltering off season, and I could have had one of these for every meal.
Sunset at Don Pedros
Calle Marlin 2, Centro
Don Pedros is an upscale restaurant overlooking the beach. It’s pricey for Sayulita, but the view is lovely, plus they have a great bar, a good selection of fish and veggies, and pizza if you have kids. Good way to treat yourself and ease into town if you’ve just landed after a long flight.
Handmade Pasta at Il Vizietto
Avenida Palmar | Next to Camping Junto del RioAh, Mexico. Renown for its pasta.
We wouldn’t ordinarily try an Italian restaurant in Mexico, but we walked by this charming open-air restaurant every day on our way into town. The swing seats proved too much to resist.
Il Vizietto starts serving dinner at eight, and the setting is so romantic. The waiter pours you a cocktail while you watch the fireflies, and then you head up to the kitchen window. The owner shows you the three types of pasta he made for the evening and you pick one. The pasta is amazing, and the salad was good too. So if you get tired of tacos, Il Vizietto has a bar-side swing waiting.
Tacos and Margaritas from Yeikame
Calle Jose Mariscal # 10Yeikame is an unassuming cafe with sidewalk tables, but it was my favorite place to eat in town. Great traditional Mexican food at reasonable prices. Everything on the menu is satisfying, and they have a wide selection of fresh juices and frescas.
While you’re there, try one of Yeikame’s Margaritas. It’ll take things down a few notches, and you’ve got no place to be.
To see the full list and article visit: http://mightygirl.com/2015/08/18/places-to-eat-in-sayulita-mexico/
The Etiquette Of A Destination Wedding
Family, food, flights, location…(of course we hope it is at Hacienda Antigua ;] ) There are many things a couple think about when planning a destination wedding. But when asking other people to help or be a part of the wedding, what is the etiquette? Who pays for the wedding? How about the cost for the ring bearer?
Fortunately DestinationWeddingDetails.com has put together a list of some of the most asked etiquette questions when it comes to destination wedding in a handy blog post. Click here to find the answers to your destination wedding questions.
Link: http://destinationweddingdetails.com/destination-wedding-etiquette.html