Norm:

If you had to choose 5 ideal geographic wedding destinations from point of view of ambiance, costs, etc, which ones would you chose and why?

Denise and Alan:

Hawaii is probably best combo of both ambience and ease of use and no changing dollars into a foreign currency, a very developed tourist biz and so on. Specifically, we would recommend north shore of Kauai in summer; Maui or Big Island in winter.

Mexico offers best value for dollar. A falling dollar has made foreign travel pricey just about everywhere, but peso remains a relative bargain for Americans. Resorts like Cabo, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta offer that beach wedding (and Caribbean water) at a discount price. Top pick: Cozumel, for its excellent snorkelling.

Telluride is our favorite mountain resort to tie knot, summer or winter. Winter lets you enjoy a world-class ski mountain; summer is hiking, white water rafting. A selection of top restaurants makes this a winner year around.

Orlando is among best bargains going and most airlines offer deals on air/hotel packages here and raft of entertainment options is second to none. And its more than just Disney . . . you will find Universal, Sea World and a plethora of water parks.

Norm:

Do you have any tips as to how couples can get best value for their dollar when they are honeymooning?

Denise and Alan:

Two words: shoulder season. The shoulder season is space between high and low seasons. No, you probably don't want to go to a tropical isle in August. How about April? In Caribbean, you can find great deals in shoulder season after Easter but before summer vacation times.

Hawaii is cheapest rate after New Year's until mid March, when spring break crowds end deals. Deals also abound in Hawaii in fall, from Labor Day until just before Christmas. Hence, November would be a great time to go for a honeymoon.

Fall is also a great time to visit wine country of California or Rocky Mountains on a honeymoon.

Norm:

What are 5 most important factors, cost-wise, a future bride and groom should bear in mind when planning their wedding and why?

Denise and Alan:

Location, guest count, time of day and wedding style are most important budget factors. Some thoughts:

Location: Where do you envision wedding? Reception? The location will drive much of cost. A hotel reception is much more expensive than a home wedding, for example.

Guest count. A no brainer this clearly impacts budget!

Time of day. A 2pm wedding is much less expensive than an evening affair, Why? Guests already have had lunch and are not expecting dinner! Brunch or lunch reception are also less expensive than dinner.

Wedding style: Do you have envision a garden wedding? A beach-side ceremony? Or a formal Catholic mass? The style of your wedding is a major driver of costs.

Norm:

How does one go about finding out about different marriage regulations around world? Is there a web site that we can click on et voilà we have answer?

Denise and Alan:

Wish there was! Unfortunately, it takes a bit of surfing. Start by identifying which countries you are interested in: then Google their official tourism site. Most tourism bureaus now have wedding links on their front page . . . in a few clicks, you can find out marriage requirements. Another idea: ask concierge of hotel or resort you are considering to be married at. Many now have wedding planners on staff.

Norm:

How does one go about checking on reliability of a hotel or resort when it pertains to service, food, etc especially if hotel or resort is located in another state, province or country?

Denise and Alan:

The web! Most wedding sites (including ours, bridalbargiansbook.com) have online message boards. You can chat with other brides and find other couples who have been married where you are considering . . . yes, that is possible! Of course, you can always ask for references from resort, but this can be unreliable. Sites like tripadvisor.com have detailed reviews of resorts by travellers and that can be very helpful.

Best wishes,

Alan & Denise

Norm Goldman is the editor of the travel site, sketchandtravel.com and bookpleasures.com.

Norm and his artist wife Lily are a unique husband and wife team. They meld words with art focusing on romantic destinations and hospitality properties.

Explanation: Water has a "skin" called surface tension. This is a force on surface of water which pulls it inwards. Soap or dishwashing liquid breaks down surface tension and stops skin from forming. This stops water sticking together in drops and so it flows more easily into all places where dirt collects.