Five Steps to Planning a Flawless Destination Wedding

Planning your destination wedding can feel daunting. First there is choosing a location and then trying to find a resort that will please everyone [and their pocketbook] and then there is the communication with your guests not to mention finalizing all those details that make it yours.

We hope these steps can help bring some clarification for you. Happy Planning!

Beach Wedding

ONE

Choose a travel agent who specializes in the destination where you want to have your wedding. “So many couples we work with have no idea some of the complexities that can arise when planning their destination wedding.”

Says Katie Ellickson, owner of Heart of the Caribbean, a travel agency specializing in all-inclusive vacations. “We start by getting to know you through an introductory call. This is where we talk about what you’re envisioning for your special day, how we can assist and from there we can both mutually decide if we’re a good fit to work together”. Check out this article that goes into more detail about what questions to ask when hiring a travel agent.

TWO

Narrow down the resort that will be the BEST fit for you. If you’re a client of ours, we have a REALLY simple rating system that will help us understand exactly what you’re looking for in a resort –from the type of room you want to the location you want the ceremony. From there, we’re able to make 3 recommendations that fit your desires.

THREE

Lock in your wedding date with the resort. Most resorts have a wedding coordinator who will work closely with you to plan out the details of your special day.

FOUR

Decide if you’d like to move forward with a contracted group or a flexible group. If that sounds like a foreign language, you can learn more about those options here. Once you decide the type of group works best, your travel agent will reach out to their preferred suppliers to lock in the best pricing for your contracted group or request specifics for the flexible group (most of the time there is a code given that will link your guests together).

FIVE

Invite your guests! Work closely with your travel agent to put together an invitation. You’ll want to include language explaining the importance of booking within the group so that you can get all the “freebies” and everyone will be accounted for. Your travel agent will keep track of all of the bookings, payments, due dates and reminders for you and your guests.

Are you still on the hunt for a destination wedding travel agent? Let’s chat! Get started here.