Destination Wedding FAQ’s
WHAT IS A DESTINATION WEDDING?
A destination wedding is when you travel to a destination other than your or your fiancé's home town to celebrate your wedding. A destination wedding is any wedding held in a location in which you and your guests must travel to get there. Many couples will choose a destination that has special meaning to them, while others may choose an entirely new location that neither person has visited.
SHOULD WE BRING GUESTS ALONG?
This is completely up to you, but I say the more the merrier!! Some couples dream of eloping and reciting their vows just the two of them, while others will invite 100 of their closest friends and family to join them. There are no set rules when it comes to destination weddings. However, if you do intend to invite guests, most couples will discuss their wishes with their closest family and friends ahead of time to make sure that the most important people (parents, brothers, sisters, best friends) can (and will) travel with them.
IS A DESTINATION WEDDINGS CHEAPER THAN A TRADITIONAL WEDDING?
Yes and No. This really depends on the time of year, destination, resort, and number of guests attending your wedding. Often destination weddings are less expensive because there tend to be less guests to accommodate. However, your destination wedding can be as elaborate and expensive or as simple and inexpensive as you'd like. There is a destination wedding for every budget and I will be assist in planning on that is consistent with your budget and your vision.
DO YOU CHARGE ANY ADDITIONAL FEES TO PLAN OUR WEDDING?
Typically, I do not charge any additional fees for my professional services beyond the quoted price of your group travel package.
On occasion, if I deem the request to be complicated and feel that the request would require a large amount of research and planning, I may charge a $150 non-refundable planning fee. This planning fee would be applied to your final payment. If you decided not to go forward with me as your travel agent, this deposit would be retained for my services rendered. Please note the request for this fee would be given to you after our initial consultation prior to any work being completed.
SHOULD WE BRING OUR OWN VENDOR FROM HOME (DJ,PHOTOGRAPHER, ETC.)?
Most resorts will provide all of the vendors that you may need for your wedding. Typically, you will not have to bring your own vendor from home; however, some couples do choose to bring their own if they are a family member or good friend. It is important to keep in mind, though, that many resorts already contract these services out to local businesses and may charge you a vendor fee if you bring your own vendor. This fee varies from resort to resort and from destination to destination. If the vendor is a guest of yours and is booked in for a minimum number of nights then the resort may waive their vendor fee, although this is not always the case. It is best if you (or I) check with the resort in advance of making a decision.
HOW DO WE SELECT THE RIGHT DESTINATION?
There are many fantastic destinations to choose from throughout the Caribbean, Mexico and beyond. Choosing the right destination is probably one of the most difficult and time-consuming decisions that you will make during this process. Based upon your wish list I will help to guide you to the right destination.
HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD WE PLAN OUR DESTINATION WEDDING?
Most commonly, destination weddings are booked anywhere from 12-18 months in advance. If you are planning on inviting friends and family this will also give them time to plan for time away from work or babysitting (if required) and it also gives them time to finance the trip.
WILL THERE BE ANOTHER WEDDING AT THE RESORT ON THE SAME DAY AS MINE?
More than likely there will be another wedding on the resort on the same day as yours, but don't let this deter you or make you feel as though your wedding won't feel special! There are a few resorts that will host only one wedding per day, but most resorts perform up to three weddings per day and sometimes more on special occasions. Because they have so much experience, however, you will feel as though you are the only bride in the world
HOW DO WE NOTIFY GUESTS?
Some brides will send out "Save The Dates" with basic information (e.g. wedding location, date and website information), while others will send out detailed invitations including wedding location, date, pricing, deposit date and amount. Typically, you will want to inform your guests as early as possible so that they will be able to make the appropriate arrangements early on.
CAN GUESTS NOT STAYING AT OUR RESORT STILL ATTEND OUR WEDDING?
For guest who plan on attending the wedding, but will not be staying at the same resort, a day guest pass will be required to be purchased. These range in price from $65 to $100 depending on the resort. You may opt to purchase these for your guests or you may want to let them know up front if they chose not to stay with your wedding group that there will be an additional cost for them to attend
CAN WE STILL PLAN A HONEYMOON AFTER OUR DESTINATION WEDDING?
Most definitely! Many brides and grooms will choose to stay an additional few days or even a week after their wedding. If you have a larger wedding group attending, you will definitely want at least a few days to enjoy yourselves as newlyweds. Some brides and grooms will remain on the same resort at which they were married, while others opt to change resorts (e.g. change from a family-oriented resort to an adults-only venue).
WILL I NEED A PASSPORT?
If you are planning a destination wedding within the U.S. or a U.S. territory, a passport is not needed. For all destination outside of the U.S. a passport is needed. For closed look cruises leaving from U.S. ports, passenger may travel with a certified birth certificate (with raised seal) and a valid government issued I.D.
HOW DO WE CONFIRM OUR WEDDING DATE?
Once you have decided on your destination, resort, and wedding date and time, I will confirm that the date and time are available at your chosen resort and will book this on your behalf with the on-site wedding coordinator.
WE WANT A DESTINATION WEDDING! WHAT’S OUR NEXT STEP?
Complete the schedule a consultation form and Anika will contact you shortly to schedule a consultation.