Congratulations on your engagement! You may have always dreamed of a destination beach wedding, or you started to plan a local wedding and quickly found out how expensive those can get. Either way, you're here to gather more information and see if a destination wedding is the right fit for you. As a past destination resort bride, I'm a little biased and would happily tell you to GO FOR IT, but I'm also realistic and know that it's not a fit for everyone. Below, you can find my thoughts on some advantages and disadvantages to consider as you are deciding if this is the route you want to go for your big day! Advantages of a Destination Wedding
One of the best parts about a destination wedding is the quality time you will get with your close friends and family. Typically you only get a few hours at the reception, and so many couples say they felt obligated to talk to all their out of town guests that they didn't have enough time to enjoy their own reception they spent months on planning. With a destination wedding - most guests stay at least 3 nights and others make a vacation out of it, so you get at least 3 days to hang out, let loose and create memories together! These wedding vacations are definitely ones that everyone remembers and never forgets, so you will know your wedding will be unforgettable! As I mentioned earlier the simple wedding packages with preferred vendors by the resort provides you a less stressful way to plan. You typically just work with 1-3 vendors, instead of a much bigger list of vendors involved when planning a traditional wedding. By having a vacation atmosphere, it can put people at ease and relieve some of that family drama - plus you can always hit the pool bar if you need a break from someone! Lastly, it's great on the budget to combine your wedding and the honeymoon. You can stay where you are, upgrade your room category or even move to a nearby resort that may be a little more luxurious for your honeymoon celebration after the wedding. Since you are already in paradise, you can avoid the hassle of jetting off to the airport early after a traditional wedding! Disadvantages of a Destination Wedding
Earlier I said it was easier to plan, but this could also be a disadvantage for some that need that face-to-face meeting to feel more comfortable. There are many resorts that offer a "big day preview" type option, where you can stay a few nights to meet with the onsite wedding coordinator, walk through the venue locations (and back-up options), taste the food and see or even meet with the other vendors. This would have an additional cost, but if you need a bit more control, it's a great way to ensure your sanity. Language could also be a factor depending on your location. Sometimes words don't translate as intended, so it takes a little extra patience and understanding. You tend to also have a delay in response between emails, and it could be 3-4 days before you hear back. With the amount of weddings they perform each week, and a more laid-back culture in many Caribbean destinations, you will have to quickly appreciate the relaxed demeanor and go with the flow to keep your stress-levels in check. Some destinations will have more strict requirements to perform a legal ceremony, including extra costs and "residency" rules in where you need to arrive a certain number of days, weeks or months prior. Be sure to check your destination's specifications to determine if you want the legal ceremony there, or if it's easier for you to do the legal paperwork back home first and have a symbolic ceremony in destination. You can find more information about the legality in my other article about How to Plan your Destination Wedding. Destination Weddings are typically smaller than traditional weddings, so you may have to cut out some friends, extended family or co-workers - depending on your budget. Many guests may not even be able to make it due to the cost of travel, health issues, and even work or family obligations that won't allow them to take extended time off. Travel is also unpredictable, so there could be flight delays that may cause some people to not make the actual wedding. Mother Nature is also erratic, but not only just the rain that can happen in a tropical destination, but seaweed or a red tide can be a factor. While you can try to organize around the seasons that tend to have higher chances for these events, you can't predict natural phenomenons. If something like that would absolutely ruin your day, focus on properties that have Sky Terraces with ocean views or a romantic Garden or Gazebo location. I hope you found some valuable insight to help you determine if a destination is right for you. If you feel overwhelmed or would like assistance to narrow down the perfect destination or resort, we are here for you!
We spend most of our vacation time touring resorts, meeting with the wedding coordinators and training for destination weddings, so we can make it very simple for you. We save you time by filtering out all the bad advice and countless options for you. Let us take the guesswork out and match-make you to the destination and resorts that fit your style, vision and budget the best. Together we will find your most perfect wedding resort and we take care of the logistics after that. All you have to do is the fun wedding planning and creating an unforgettable event your friend and family will remember for a lifetime! Schedule your free consultation to see how we can assist and learn more about our services!
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So, you love planning your own vacations and are super great at organizing and want to know if you should hire a travel agent to assist with your destination wedding. Of course you can do most anything yourself - we are smart, capable and can do anything if we put our minds, time and effort into it! The question comes down to, do you want to be on the hook for your wedding, guests or self if anything goes wrong? Let us explore a few things to think about as you prepare for the exciting adventure of getting married in paradise! Think about how you will handle having to reschedule everyone to a new resort if a hurricane caused your resort to close for destruction, or if COVID-19 returns and forces cancellation at your resort, or even when a snow storm shuts down the airport where half of your guests are now stuck? Did you make your reservations through an online website – will someone be there to assist if an unexpected situation occurs? These situations are just a few events I have personally dealt with as a destination wedding travel specialist. While everyone dreams of the most perfect wedding day, sometimes things just don’t work out as planned and it might be valuable to you and your guests to have someone on their side for such an important event. Planning a wedding can become quite involved. Remember, you are planning an entire wedding in another country thousands of miles away, plus a new life together, and not to mention your daily routine with work and life in general. There will be a hundred things to do outside of the travel arrangements, especially as society moves forward in our new normal after COVID-19 and the new requirements for travel. If you have any guests that are not well-traveled or ever been out of the country, they tend to want to know the tiniest details to feel more comfortable, so you will want to decide if you have the time or want to even take that on. While you can certainly join a destination wedding Facebook group to ask questions and help you find the destination, resort and plan the wedding, but you’d be surprised by how inundated you will be with all the responses and personal opinions. Keep in mind that what destination or resort was perfect for one couple (or your Aunt Sally), may not be up to the same level of standards that will be a good fit for you or your guests. Reviews, opinions and suggestions are based on a person's own style, budget, experiences and expectations, so while photos may look appealing, or the fact that the hotel website states they are a “luxury, 5-star” property, that can just be smoke and mirrors with good marketing and not always factual. There is a variety of 5-star resorts out there, but the service level, quality of food, inclusions, room amenities and comforts can vary greatly between the vast resort brands. What was amazing to someone else, may be unacceptable to you. On top of trying to understand the brands and the different quality and service levels you get; you will also need to consider your time and how quickly you need to make your decision. Do you have the extra hours it can take to filter through all the wedding forums and websites to research the destinations, resorts and if there are any seasonal environmental factors that could affect your day (turtle nesting season, sargassum seaweed locations, seasonal temperatures of ocean, etc)? Don’t forget you will need to check where the resort is located and how it's facing to ensure the sun sets on that side of the island if you have always dreamed of a sunset wedding. Do you have any requirements you need to be aware of such as, if the local government bans fire pits on the beach that you wanted to set-up for your welcome party? The list goes on. Finally, you will also be in charge of tracking your guests’ flight arrival/departure for the transfer arrangements to/from resort, the reservation numbers and every guest name booked in each room to provide the wedding coordinator for room location and wedding planning. Who will take care of your parents if they get delayed in Dallas on the way over or your cousin gets denied boarding for not knowing the proper documentation needed to enter the country PRIOR to flying? It is a lot of work to track and provide all the requirements needed to know for travel. Even if you love planning your own vacations - there is much more to it when organizing a group wedding. Especially if you plan to have a group of 5 or more rooms – which may get you additional benefits for the wedding or complimentary nights to stay – but then that requires you to track all the contracted dates related to signing-up, releasing unused inventory so you aren’t penalized, and also ensuring all guests have made their final payment so you aren’t on the hook or their room gets cancelled for non-payment. Don’t worry! Your passion for planning will still be put to use with the fun details of the actual wedding and events, but when you use a travel professional instead of taking this on your own, you don’t have to worry about the minuscule details and logistics with the travel. You will even still have control of the resort and destination you pick, but by partnering with an expert that you trust, who can listen to your vision and match you to the most ideal options to fit what YOU want, not what others like, you can ensure you are making the best decision for your wedding. To avoid disappointment upon arrival, if you are taking a recommendation from a forum or family acquaintance, it’s highly recommended to take a few days and head down to the destination to check out some resorts before committing. I find it beneficial to schedule a meeting with the onsite wedding coordinator to give you a good starting relationship and be able to walk through the locations (and back-up options), as well as, taste the food. Doing this first will help you be prepared when making decisions once the planning begins. You will also set your mind at ease and it will be less stressful when you have seen and tasted your options beforehand. You can read more about how to select the best destination for your beach wedding to continue your research as you move forward. I hope you found some valuable insight. If you feel overwhelmed or would like assistance to narrow down the perfect destination or resort, we are here for you! This is what we do every day!
We spend most of our vacation time touring resorts, meeting with the wedding coordinators and training for destination weddings, so we can make it very simple for you. We save you time by filtering out all the bad advice and countless options for you. Let us take the guesswork out and match-make you to the destination and resorts that fit your style, vision and budget the best. Together we will find your most perfect wedding resort and we take care of the logistics after that. All you have to do is the fun wedding planning and creating an unforgettable event your friend and family will remember for a lifetime! Schedule your free consultation to see how we can assist and learn more about our services! Congratulations on deciding to celebrate your love with a destination wedding! Now it’s time to set out a plan and delve deeper on how to pull off the event of your dreams from a few thousand miles away! Don’t worry, I’ve got your back! First, you want to have a brief understanding of the factors you will need to consider. I will help you out with more specific details later on, but for now, a rundown is a great starting point before you move forward. This should give you a variety of questions to think about as you start to envision what you want for your destination beach resort wedding! 12 Items to Consider Before Planning your Destination Wedding1). Budget Not only for your own travel and the wedding cost, but for your guests and what it might cost them to travel to the wedding. If you have always dreamed of a St. Lucia wedding, keep in mind where your family and friends will be flying from. Flights can in the upward $1000-1800 per ticket from many US destinations. The travel cost can quickly add up for families and you could end up accidentally ruling out a lot more people that you really wanted to be with you. 2). Legal vs. Symbolic Ceremony You will want to discuss what makes sense for you and your situation. Destinations differ in requirements and easy of legality, so you will need to be aware of what the requirements are to marry in the destination(s) you are considering. Just to name a few - are there required witnesses, blood tests, translation of documents, or wait times you need to prepare for? Some destinations have a residency requirement – ranging from months prior to 4 days before or only 24 hours). Also, be aware that it could be up to 6 Months to receive your actual legal wedding certificate after the wedding from that country. Lastly, keep in mind that no records will be kept at your local courthouse, so if you ever need a certified copy of your license, you must go back to the country you were legally married at. 3). Destination What is the best destination for your wedding? Unless you have your heart truly set on a specific destination, this is where a lot of research and knowledge is going to come into play, as well as the fun part... starting to envision what your dream wedding will look like! Are you at a luxurious all-inclusive resort being pampered like royalty? Do you want the sunset directly behind you with the sun dipping dramatically into the sea in the background of your pics? Do you want water so clear you can see all the way to bottom? Do you want the option to shop nearby, zip-line through a jungle or explore hidden waterfalls and lagoons? Are you saying "I Do" in a cliff-side gazebo, on the beach, tropical garden or over-the-water? Once you start laying out the specifics of your vision, you will find it a lot easier to select the perfect destination! 4). Destination Entry Requirements This is separate from the legal wedding requirements mentioned above. This is regarding the country requisites to enter the country. Did you know that some countries will deny your entry if you have any legal issues or past criminal convictions (including but not limited to: DUI, Child Support, or other IRS and Tax issues). While you might not have any issues - think about your guests and make sure they won't be affected and not allowed to travel with you. Depending on you or your guests citizenship, you will want to check the country's official government site to learn what documentation is needed to enter their country. 5). Weather or Ecological Events You might be thinking of the perfect Spring Wedding or a Summery Tropical Luau, but you will need to pay close attention to all kinds of things before planning your dream wedding for July in Costa Rica (it’s rainy season!) On top of different weather patterns and seasons in different locations, you will also come across ecological factors. In a lot of areas, at certain times of year, turtles nest/hatch on the beaches and for environmental laws placed by the government, beaches are often out of bounds during this time or after a certain hour. All of a sudden that dreamy boho beach reception and dancing in the sand with fairy lights will no longer be an option. That is definitely not something you want to find out after you put down your deposit! Likewise, if you have visions of a tropical paradise in your starry eyes, you will want to steer well clear of certain areas of the Caribbean in the months where the Sargassum Seaweed comes in stronger. Mother Nature is a wonder, but sometimes it’s best not to have all those wonders washed up brown and smelly where your altar is meant to be. While there is no guarantee this will never happen at any time during the year, as it's called "sea"weed for a reason - there tends to be better months where you can reduce your risk. 6). Kids or No Kids It is totally okay to say no… many guests may choose not to bring them anyhow, so they can enjoy some vacation time and not worry about watching their kids or having to go to bed early. But if you really want your nieces and nephews – make sure it’s a good family resort that will keep them entertained. There are some resort brands that offer an adults-only area within the family-friendly property. You may even want to look at the resorts that combine an adults-only resort next door to their family resort brand, allowing you to enjoy the adults-only atmosphere if you dream of, but don't have to leave out the kids. 7). What is your Guest's Age and Health Does anyone have special needs, major dietary restrictions, or accessibility issues? Does that perfect sky terrace where you want your cocktail hour have an elevator or is grandma going to need to be tossed over someone’s shoulder to make the ascent? You may need to ensure the property itself is up to the standards with amenities available needed to accommodate your guests concerns. 8). Travel Time and Connections If you have a lot of kids or elderly that will be traveling, it may be best they have a short flight or limited connections. Does anyone require special assistance with flying or are unable to fly long distances? You may want to consider if the location is easy to get to and not require overnight connections, otherwise, guests may need to allot additional days out of their work schedules that won’t even be spent with you in the destination or they may just not be able to make it at all. 9). Distance from Airport for Transportation After the flight time, is another two-hour drive to transfer to the resort sustainable? If you have lots of little kids or elderly, you might want to concentrate on resorts that are closer to the airport so your guests don’t get tired, grouchy or irritated (to themselves or others around them) 10). Group Size Focus on the resorts that will offer accommodations for your group size. Are there enough rooms to block at your bouquet resort? Is there a large corporate group that may cause limited space at your resort of choice during the same week? You want to ensure there is availability in room space first, before booking the wedding. 11). What type of Resort Based on size of group, do you want a mega or larger resort with lots of activities, OR do you envision a smaller property or boutique type hotel that is more intimate and easier to stay together? Do you want a more party-vibe resort with lots of nightlife OR a more relaxed environment to just hang out together? Does it need to have kid-focused activities? Are you looking for a regular hotel or prefer an all-inclusive resort? 12). Advance Notice Don't forget to think about others are you pick a date. You should give you guests have plenty of time to consider their options, look for day/house care, ask off work, and of course save for the trip. In general, a typical destination wedding is planned approximately 11-13 months prior. What you might not realize are the due dates associated with all aspects of the wedding planning, such as how long a room block can be held before you have to release the inventory, when you need to pay for your wedding (which is normally based on headcount), and the final payments that will be due on the room reservation. It may take longer than you think to select the perfect destination wedding resort, obtain the confirmations, and gather the information needed to make your official announcement. You have to keep in mind that communication overseas is not as swift as we traditionally like, so it can take longer to get things secured. I hope you found some valuable insight to get you started. If you feel overwhelmed or would like assistance to narrow down the perfect destination or resort, we are here for you! This is what we do every day!
We spend most of our vacation time touring resorts, meeting with the wedding coordinators and training for destination weddings, so we can make it very simple for you. We save you time by filtering out all the bad advice and countless options for you. Let us take the guesswork out and match-make you to the destination and resorts that fit your style, vision and budget the best. Together we will find your most perfect wedding resort and we take care of the logistics after that. All you have to do is the fun wedding planning and creating an unforgettable event your friend and family will remember for a lifetime! Schedule your free consultation to see how we can assist and learn more about our services! |