🌍 Cents to Explore – A Cents of Adventure

Getting Married Abroad: Our “Castle” Wedding in Scotland

Have you always dreamed of dropping everything and getting married abroad? Well, I didn’t. I never thought I would get married abroad. Honestly, I didn’t think it would ever be an option for me. I had two grandmothers who were quite elderly, and I didn’t think they’d be able to travel. I hadn’t traveled that much myself, and it just wasn’t something that came to mind when I imagined my wedding day. Fast forward to three years ago—because that’s when I got engaged—and unfortunately, both of my grandmothers had passed away, along with my father. I was living in Los Angeles, and for those of you who don’t know, everything here comes at a premium. So when we started looking at venues after our 2021 engagement, it felt absurd to go into debt just to get married. I’m not big on fancy things. I’m a budget girl through and through, and I couldn’t fathom spending tens of thousands of dollars on one day. Plus, I wasn’t about to invite 300-400 people. Do I even know that many people? Probably not. We began our venue search the classic way: exploring options around L.A., San Diego, and some wineries in the outskirts. But nothing felt worth the price tag. That is, until we stumbled across a castle-style venue on a local site. My now-husband was intrigued—it was unique and different. I wasn’t in love with it (don’t tell him that!), but it sparked an idea. I remembered a friend who got married in her backyard and thought: I don’t have a backyard, but maybe there’s something similar. So I checked Airbnb. Lo and behold—Airbnb has a castle tab. Yes, friends, you can rent a literal castle and stay there with your loved ones, living your best royal life. That’s when the idea really took hold. Now, not all Airbnb castles allow events, which quickly narrowed our options. We also realized we wanted to get married in an English-speaking country to avoid any miscommunication during planning. That brought us to the UK. Why We Chose Scotland We started searching for venues in the UK, and to our surprise, there were so many more budget-friendly and inclusive options compared to L.A. We needed a venue that provided most of the essentials—tables, chairs, catering, decorations. I didn’t want to spend hours coordinating vendors from across the globe. Accessibility was also a factor. Some stunning countryside venues were too remote, which led us to focus on Scotland. I’d never been, and my husband hadn’t either, but we took the leap. We narrowed it down to four or five venues. Ultimately, Springkell was the winner. It had everything we needed: catering, accommodations, decor, and more—all included. Guests stayed two nights and enjoyed a full Scottish breakfast both mornings. It meant the world to us to offer that experience without extra hotel costs. 10 Key Steps to Planning a Wedding Abroad 1. Narrow Down the VibeBeach or forest? Church or castle? Start by deciding what kind of setting and feel you want. 2. Know Your BandwidthDo you want to plan every detail or would you prefer a more hands-off, all-inclusive approach? 3. Set a Realistic BudgetThink beyond venue cost: conversion rates, travel, attire, shipping special items, and any additional vendor needs. 4. Consider the Guest ListDestination weddings are magical, but expensive—for you and your guests. If you want 200+ people there, a local wedding might be more practical. 5. Planner or No Planner?If your venue doesn’t offer a coordinator, decide if you’ll DIY or hire help. For bigger weddings, planners are a huge asset, especially abroad. 6. Choose Your Venue WiselyLook for venues that include essentials like food, seating, and lodging. The more inclusive, the easier (and often cheaper) your planning will be. 7. Be Strategic With Date and SeasonWeddings are pricier in summer and on weekends. We saved significantly by getting married on a Tuesday! 8. Figure Out the LogisticsHair, makeup, cake, music, florals—do you want to find local vendors? Will your venue help with recommendations? Use resources like Hitched (UK’s version of The Knot) and Instagram. That’s how we found my hairstylist, our DJ, and photographer. Also: Is your destination legally able to marry you? We opted to legally marry in the U.S. before our Scottish ceremony to avoid paperwork headaches. 9. Transportation MattersWhen we booked in December 2022, flights from L.A. to Scotland were reasonable. But plan ahead—flight costs can creep up. We let guests know early and recommended travel hacks where we could. 10. Enjoy the ProcessGetting married abroad is one of the most beautiful decisions we made. It forced us to focus on what really mattered to us and gave us a once-in-a-lifetime memory with the people we love most. If you’re thinking about getting married abroad—whether in a castle, on a beach, or under a canopy of trees—my advice is this: don’t count yourself out. You don’t need a limitless budget or a passport full of stamps to make it happen. Just some creativity, a little flexibility, and a lot of heart. Happy planning, adventurers! 💍✈️ – A Cents of Adventure 💕 Vendor Love Planning a wedding abroad wouldn’t have been possible without this dream team: Want more wedding Content, check out below: Castle Countdown: Our Pre-Wedding Trip to Scotland Planning a wedding abroad meant arriving a few days earlier or taking a pre-wedding trip… PRE-WEDDING TRIP PLEASE! We got to settle in, explore a bit of Scotland, and soak up the excitement before the big day. Want to know how we spent our time before saying ‘I do’? Click here to check out Castle Countdown: Our Pre-Wedding Adventure in Scotland.

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O Scotland, My Scotland

🌍 Cents to Explore / The Girl Travels

If you had asked me ten years ago about my dream destinations, I guarantee Scotland wouldn’t have even made the top ten. Even five years ago, it wasn’t on my radar. But five years ago, the world was in upheaval, and travel wasn’t exactly top of mind. Funny how time—and a little adventure—can change everything. My love affair with Scotland began on a whim while planning my wedding. For my fellow Angelenos, we know the cost of living is high, but wedding costs? Almost unthinkable. So, we turned to Airbnb, hoping to find a millionaire’s backyard for our nuptials. Instead, I stumbled upon the “Castles” tab. Castles, you say? One click later, and what began as wedding research turned into a lifelong love for a breathtaking country. But let’s save the wedding talk for another time—right now, I want to dive into my love for Scotland and all things Scottish. Why Scotland? Scotland, England’s rugged neighbor to the north, is bursting with cultural attractions, stunning landscapes, rich history, and—let’s be honest—temperamental weather. But no matter your travel style, there’s something here for everyone: Budgeting for Your Scottish Adventure Now that I’ve convinced you to add Scotland to your bucket list, let’s talk logistics—specifically, money. Scotland uses the pound sterling, which means conversion rates won’t always be your friend. However, there are plenty of ways to keep your trip affordable: Bottom line? Scotland can be a moderately priced vacation with options to save or splurge. Traveling While Black in Scotland As a Black woman traveling with my Filipino husband, I can’t speak for his experience, but I can say that Scotland felt exceptionally welcoming. In some places, when you’re one of the few brown faces in the crowd, you feel it. But in Edinburgh and Glasgow, diversity was prevalent. Even in the Highlands, where it was less so, we never felt like outsiders. If anything, we stood out more as Americans than for our ethnicities. Final Thoughts I LOVE Scotland—no, seriously, I love it. And I hope you get the chance to explore it, fall in love with it, and create unforgettable memories of your own. Check out the links below for more on Scotland’s food scene, where to stay, how to get around, hidden gems, budget-friendly tours, and yes—getting married abroad. 😉

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Toronto Surprise!

🌍 Cents to Explore / The Girl Travels

Toronto Surprise: How a Last-Minute Trip Became an Unexpected Favorite Before you get excited and think this is an exclusive dessert only found in Toronto (if only), this is my sentiment and surprise toward this super fun city. But first, a little pre-story to explain how we even got here. A Trip That Wasn’t Supposed To Happen We had seen an amazing fare deal for Korea in September through an Alaska Airlines BOGO offer. Two tickets to Seoul for the price of one. We were thrilled and spent hours trying to make it work, only to realize we had missed the doable dates. The website started glitching. This was the time I think Going let us down. A lot of traffic, a lot of stress, and our dream of a quick, budget trip to Korea died. But he still wanted to go somewhere for his birthday. I had limited time off and very limited funds, so whatever we chose needed to be budget-friendly. When Toronto Was Not the Budget Option Welp, he landed on Toronto. At the time, nothing about Toronto looked budget-friendly. Flights were spendy, Airbnbs were spendy, and hotels were even more spendy. I suggested waiting or choosing somewhere else, but once he gets an idea in his head, it sticks. So I had to remove my wallet from the equation. He offered to fund the trip, used some of our miles, and suddenly we were Toronto-bound. Backstory complete. Heading In With Zero Prep and Zero Coat No Research, No Plans, No Coat Unlike almost every trip I’ve taken, I did zero research. I didn’t look up places to eat, things to do, coffee shops, or even the neighborhood we were staying in. It was going to be a complete surprise to me. And then, on the way to the airport, I realized I’d left my coat at home. SoCal really skews your sense of weather. I walked out layered but not prepared. Air Canada Redemption Arc This was my second time flying Air Canada, and honestly, I had vowed never to do it again after last summer’s Premium Economy disaster. Old planes, broken chargers, no meals left. But this time, a nice surprise — the exit row economy seats were better than any of the “premium” seats we’d had before. A small win. A Basement Airbnb That Felt Like Home Our Little Portugal Hideaway We stayed in Little Portugal, in the basement of a beautifully remodeled Victorian brownstone. Warm lighting, welcome snacks, Brita in the fridge, and, most importantly, a Nespresso. My love for Nespresso runs deep and has probably saved me thousands on take away coffee. The space was charming, cozy, and honestly one of my favorite parts of the trip. First Stop: Marshall’s I won’t take you through a full play by play, but our first outing was a walk to Marshall’s. On the way we passed a cute cafe, Gateau Ghost, and I had to stop for a latte. It was around four fifty to five USD, which felt shockingly reasonable. Toronto’s Biggest Surprise: The Food Now, while flights and lodging weren’t exactly within my budget friendly ideals, everything else was. Food, drinks, and yes, even the coat, ended up being surprisingly affordable thanks to the exchange rate. But the real surprise of Toronto was the food scene. Literally anything you could think of existed in abundance. We walked down Bloor Street and within one block passed African, Korean, Jamaican, Italian, Mexican, American, and Japanese options. We were only there a short time, so we didn’t get to try everything I wanted, but Toronto is officially on notice for being a food destination. The Vibe That Won Me Over Channeling My Inner Fall Girlie The second surprise was the vibe. I know the word is overused, but truly, the vibe. Beautiful streets, changing leaves, gorgeous houses, warm coffee in hand, and the feeling that maybe all my problems were imaginary for a moment. I had braced myself for freezing cold, but with my new puffer, gloves, and beanie, it was completely manageable. From “Why Here” to “Could We Live Here” I went into this trip thinking Toronto, in winter no thank you, could I live here? The answer is probably not because I cannot deal with the cold, been there, done that…but Toronto Surprise indeed.

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