Congrats you are getting married! How exciting! So, here begins all the crazy planning. What type of wedding are you looking to have? How many guest are you thinking of having? What time of year are you thinking? Maybe you are very religious and what to be married in a church? Or maybe you are thinking of a fun way to share your nuptials? Many couples are starting to think of Destination Weddings, rather than the Traditional Weddings. However, how do you go about planning a Destination wedding? How much does it cost? Will your guest be willing to join you? Does it really save you money over a Traditional Wedding? Well, I want to give you the the real scoop on Destination Weddings, the ins and the outs.
About a year ago, I started looking into Destination Weddings myself. I was married once before, but I’ve always said that my next marriage, we would have a wedding on an island somewhere. I began my research and came across many websites that offered me great Discounts, Free packages and Resort perks. However, I wanted to know how much it was going to actually cost me. I had to email a few websites that specialized in Weddings and I wasn’t getting a price, I only received questions asking things about location, how many guests, and time of year, and then several wedding packages with numbers, none of which gave me a total price of what I wanted to know. I came to the understanding that I couldn’t find a dollar amount and I was curious as to why this was.
This year I became a Travel Agent and decided I would get to the bottom of this question and I was going to learn everything I could so I can help others. I became certified in weddings and was ready to dip my feet in the Destination Wedding waters. I learned how the total number doesn’t exist. It becomes frustrating for my clients I’m sure, but I still believe that a Destination Wedding is the way to go, and here is why.
Destination Weddings are at many beautiful Locations, Jamaica, Mexico, Dominican Republic, they are even offered on Cruise Lines. Many of the resorts offer all-inclusive and many different styles of weddings. Each resort also offers a wedding coordinator, who will get all the arrangements in order for you. Just think, you can fly into a beautiful resort, enjoy the location after the wedding is over, you don’t have to wake up the next day to jump on a plane and get to your honeymoon, you just have to wake up in your beautiful upgraded Honeymoon suite. So there are many great perks about Destination Weddings, but most are worried if their guest will pay too much, if their guest will be able to afford to join them. I have learned that the ones who want to join you in your celebration, will make it.
So how do you get started? How much am I looking at paying and how much are my guest looking at paying? So here is what I can give you for numbers? All-inclusive is going to be your best option because everything for you and your guest are included, and many of them specialize in weddings so they give great discounts and many free wedding packages, honeymoon upgrades and resort credits for massages. The only thing is that all of these discounts are based on how many guest you have and how long of a stay they have. There is a one important thing to think about though, are you thinking of having children attend or would you like it to be adults only? Resorts that are adult-only will be more expensive then the ones that are family friendly, so please keep that in mind.
The steps listed below are the steps to follow when you are considering a Destination Wedding. So, do not get discouraged because you can’t get a final number, juts know in the end you will have a beautiful wedding, and honeymoon for much cheaper than a Traditional one.
Here's the scoop about Destination WEddings
- where
Pick a place that you would like to get married in. Maybe Jamaica, Mexico, or on a cruise. When thinking of your place, keep in mind, when you book a destination wedding, you can have your honeymoon there as well.
- When
Think about a date you would like to get married. Maybe you would like a wedding during spring time, or maybe a winter wedding. Selecting your date is important. When choosing the date, think of Holiday’s, school vacations and long weekends. When planning a destination wedding, its always good to think of your guest and if the date would be conflicting or work.
- Who
Now you have your place, your date you need to think about your guest. Who do want to include to your magical event? Do you want kids to be invited? Do you want to invite that crazy aunt, or that favorite uncle? Come up with a list of people that matter to you and your partner.
- Contact
When you finally have it all together, this is the fun part, contact your Destination Wedding Specialist to help you begin your wedding planning. Your Agent will find the resorts that will work for you, confirm the date is available for you at several resorts and then contact you so you can compare the resorts.
- Group rate
Once you choose a few of the resorts, your agent will then reach out to get a group rate for you. A quote per person, type of room and length of stay will be provided for you. This is the part that you compare prices and what would work for your guest.
- Deposit
You have now selected a place, and you are ready to book the resort and secure the date of your wedding. Each resorts requires a deposit, and each are different. This is also the time you give your guest the option of which quote will work for them and have them also place their deposit. Once deposits are made, the wedding planning starts with the Resort Wedding Coordinator.
- planning
The Wedding Coordinator will give you all the information for the wedding ceremony. Things like, which style ceremony are you looking for, which wedding package works for you, and prices of the package.
- Keep in mind
When all of your guest have paid, and depending on the length of stay will save you a lot of discounts. Many resorts will offer you a complementary wedding if you have 5 or more guest rooms booked and stay for 4 days.
- Enjoy
Have fun an enjoy your wedding!
