June is wedding season and few thing are more stressful or challenging than planning a wedding. And it only gets more challenging when it’s a second wedding, which often comes with two sets of kids. Kerri Zane offers advice on how a destination wedding can be just the trick when it comes to blending families.

June is the most popular month for marriages and with school getting out for the summer. It’s also the beginning of summer travel season, meaning it’s the perfect time for many to combine a second (or more) trip down the aisle and a family vacation. Organizing the ceremony can be overwhelming, but when you combine it with a family trip, the entire event can be stressful. How can you blissfully blend families for a harmonious wedding getaway?

Jennine Estes, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist from San Diego, CA had these tips to share when it comes to making children feel comfortable:

1. Take Preventative Steps: Instead of having an intervention for the “what if’s,” take the preventative steps to have the children feel included and reassured.  Don’t just marry the man of your dreams; make a commitment to your children as well.
2. Take a Few Moments and Give Reassurance: Even though you may want your wedding celebration and vacation to be perfect, your kids come first. If emotions come up, take a few moments to reassure your child, give them comfort, acknowledge the difficulty, and give a hug.
3. Bring them Along:  If all else fails, bring them down the isle with you. Avoid expecting that picture perfect wedding that you see in magazines, and expect a family perfect wedding instead.

No matter what type of June wedding/family vacation you decide on, traveling as a family can be costly. Andrew Schrage, Co-owner of Money Crashers Personal Finance had a few money saving suggestions. “If you plan to travel by plane, consolidate your children’s luggage to save on baggage fees. Travel light, and try to fit all of their clothes into a single bag. Just be sure to keep it below the maximum allowed weight,” he said. Or if your trip is fairly close to where you live, Schrage suggests you consider renting a car instead of driving your own. Currently, Enterprise is offering a special weekend rental rate of just $10 per day.”

Taking your children’s emotions and your family’s budget into consideration is key. So with that in mind, I found a variety of  destinations that offer the right mix of romance and fun for everyone involved.

Going Roman

Getting married in the month of June dates back to the Roman Empire where June, or Juno, represented the goddess of marriage. Back then it was believed that a wedding celebrated in June would assure prosperity and happiness to the newlyweds.

You too can adhere to this long held tradition at the Villa Cappelli in Puglia, Italy.  There is an ancient chapel built in 1050 AD chapel with the 92-year-old Monsignore who will preside over the ceremony. With 10 days notice, the villa owners will coordinate with a local potter producing personalized dishes commemorating your nuptials. And your children spend the day at the kiln and can help make the pottery.

The villa is just 20 minutes from the Bari airport sits on the Appian Way in a very “authentic” part of Italy. It features 10 bedrooms, 2 with fireplaces, and can accommodate 20 guests. There is a wine cellar, complete kitchen, wood burning brick oven and a large swimming pool. The owners of the villa will organize a special pasta making activity for your children or they can just spend hours playing in the pool.

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