STEPS TO PLANNING A DESTINATION WEDDING IN 2023 and beyond!

Yay! You’re engaged and planning a destination wedding!!!

What’s next in planning your destination wedding?

Diving in and researching destination wedding locations and contacting destination resorts…

As a result, couples’ can quickly become overwhelmed….

Sound familiar?

Typically resort wedding departments’ do not respond very quickly and when they do respond, the information they send often leaves couples with even more questions.

Here are the first steps to planning a destination wedding.

1. The First step in planning a destination wedding is to decide on your budget.

This is ground zero and it is the first step in planning your wedding.

Who will be contributing to the budget?

If others are helping to pay for the wedding the couple should have a discussion with each person to find out exactly how much they are willing to contribute. Never assume that the budget is unlimited. Couples have come to me and told me that their family said they will be paying for the wedding… only once has that meant ….No budget…Generally, there is a limit to what people are willing to contribute.

Your budget will dictate the following:

the destination
how many guests to invite
the type of resort (all-inclusive vs. European Plan)
the overall style of the wedding
the activities you include
the décor
vendors

2. Step two, pick the Destination.

With the budget set, it is time to decide on the Destination for your Destination Wedding. Will it be Mexico, the Bahamas, Amalfi Coast?

Beach destinations are definitely the most popular Destination Weddings.

There are many tropical destinations to choose from.

Your budget and your guests’ budgets dictate the best destination to choose.

Choosing a destination that offers ease of travel will save time and money for your guests.

Choosing a destination that has access to goods will mean lower costs of rental items and décor.

3. Choose the destination Host Resort.

Once you have settled on the Destination, you can select the perfect Host Resort for your destination wedding.

NOTE: All resorts will require that the majority (often 80% to 90%) of your guests stay at the host resort in order to have your event there. Also, the lingering effects of the pandemic mean that many resorts are not allowing guests staying elsewhere to come onto the property to attend events.

Your budget and the guest count will determine the type of resort you choose. All-inclusive or European Plan.

What is the difference between a European Plan resort and an All-Inclusive resort?

European Plan resorts have a PER ROOM rate. Often these resorts charge more for the room if more than 2 people will be staying in the room.

European Plan resorts do not typically include any food or beverages in the room cost. Firstly, this means that your guests will need to budget for the cost of their food and beverages while at the resort. Secondly, resorts are not typically near towns where guests can go off-property to get something to eat. Therefore, the cost of all beverages, bar drinks, and food can quickly add up for guests at a European Plan resort.

All-Inclusive resorts charge a PER PERSON rate vs the per room rate. At All-inclusive resorts, most or all food and beverages (including alcoholic drinks) are included in the room rate. For instance, in the months leading up to the wedding guests are typically able to make payments toward their room. This way, once in the destination outside of tipping, spa services or excursions guests do not have any large expenses. Therefore, All-inclusive resorts are a great option for guests attending a destination wedding.

Still feel lost?

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the process, we are here to help!

FEATURE ARTICLE: 11 Easy Ways To Save Money on Your Wedding, According to Wedding Planners

I am thrilled to have been asked to contribute to this article on GoBankingRates.com.

11 Easy Ways To Save Money on Your Wedding

Your big day doesn’t have to come with a big price tag.

By Jordan Rosenfeld

A wedding is a momentous occasion in a couple’s life; you want it to leave a big impact on you and your guests, not a big dent in your bank accounts. The wedding industry will lead you to believe that weddings should be big, glamorous, pricey events, but in truth, you can have a perfectly lovely event on a budget that will leave you and your guests pleased.

Here, experts weigh in on 11 easy ways to save money on your wedding.

Let Guests Take Photos

Jim Campbell, founder and CEO of Honeymoon Goals, has a fantastic hack to save on the high cost of professional photographs, which also engages guests.

“Instead of hiring a wedding photographer, which can cost up to $3000, give all of your guests a disposable camera and have the photos printed the following day. You get so many great moments from your wedding that you wouldn’t have got to see, and everyone gets a say in how you remember your wedding.”

Avoid Favors

Though you may feel as though you need to put together a memento for guests, their memories of the event are more precious than any trinket you can buy. A simple way to save money on your wedding, according to Amber Sironen-Massey, owner of Epic Elopements, is to not give out favors.

“They are a waste and people never take them. Depending on the size of your event this could save you $500 (or more). If you really want to offer something, make a donation to a local charity or organization.”

Downsize Your Cake

People don’t come to weddings for the food. They come to celebrate your special day. Sironen-Massey said when you buy a big cake there is often too much leftover. “Scale back on the cake. Yes, a big cake is beautiful, but you are spending hundreds to throw it in the garbage. Talk to your cake maker about possibly putting in a Styrofoam layer.”

Be Flexible on Your Date

Wedding venues and vendors often offer different rates for each season and also alternate their rates by the day of the week, according to Retno Dwinika, founder and lead wedding planner at Amora Bali weddings. Flexibility is key to savings. “Often, you’ll pay less on weekdays and more on weekends. Being flexible with the wedding date can save you a lot of bucks when seasonal price differences can save you a lot on your vendors or venues.”

Reduce Your Guest List

One of the biggest wedding costs is the number of guests you invite, said Amberly Odom, a wedding planner with Wrennwood Design. Venue and food often add up the more people you invite.

“Each guest for example may cost $500 to attend,” she said. “The cost will increase depending on how luxurious you want the day to be.”

“Other than the number of guests, you can opt for a buffet over a plated, seated dinner. The cost of the food itself isn’t necessarily decreased, however, the amount of staff needed is not as high as a buffet.”

Downsize Your Bridal Party

If you’re not able to scale down the total number of guests, you could try to decrease the number of members in your bridal party, which will save you a considerable amount of money, Odom suggests. “This means you’ll spend less on bridesmaids/groomsmen gifts, personalized flowers or custom dresses or outfits.”

Go With a Signature Drink

If you are paying for alcohol at your wedding venue, Odom recommends “You can opt for a single signature drink that can be batch made or serve beer and wine versus a full open bar.”

Use Secondhand Decorations

Before you spend a mint on brand new decorations and more, Lindsey Nickel, owner of Lovely Day Events, recommended couples look at secondhand sources for items such as “reserve signs, favor signs, and any other signage that doesn’t have a specific name or wedding date on it on secondhand shopping sites like Facebook Marketplace.”

Other items you can find second hand might include picture frames, votives, candles, a card box, or basket to put your cards in. “Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box and look inside your home for items like a tray for cards or decor on your bookshelf for your welcome table.”

Send Electronic Invitations

Not only can you save money but also trees for your wedding by using electronic invitations, Nickel said. “This trend has been on the rise and I highly encourage it. Also, some of my clients have opted out of printed paper programs for their ceremony in lieu of one giant sign–which can also be purchased secondhand, along with the easel to place it on. Or they’ll opt out of wasteful, paper-based items altogether.”

Serve a Family Style Dinner

Instead of a sit-down, plated dinner, consider having a family-style menu, said Tracy French of The French Connection Events. This would look more like meal items put on platters in the center of each guest table so guests can pass them around. “[This] will often be less expensive over a plated meal as your caterer will not need as much staff to serve each guest.”

However, she cautions, “You will need to limit your table centerpiece size when doing this to accommodate the family-style food service but the payoff is a more interactive reception while saving dollars.”

Elope Instead

Though you may have dreamed of a big wedding, if your budget doesn’t allow it but your heart can’t wait, the most affordable way to save on a wedding is to elope, Dwinika said.

“As opposed to throwing a party just because of the social pressure of your friends and family, eloping would make your day with your partner so much more meaningful. As an alternative for a $34,000 wedding, you could elope in a beautiful destination, where you’ll also celebrate your Honeymoon. Share the pictures with loved ones afterwards. Whether they are there or not, I promise you, they will still be happy for you.”

Destination Wedding Invitations – Paper vs Electronic

Printed Wedding Invitations vs e-Invites

Over the years of planning destination weddings, I have seen a shift in the way couples spread the word that they are planning a destination wedding.

Traditionally couples would mail a printed Save The Date and then a few months later follow up with a printed wedding invitation.

Today couples are opting for the ease of the electronic Save The Date (e-invite).

Why do we like this?

Services such as Paperless Post offer Electronic Save The Dates which allow for the host of the wedding to be able to track when the e-invite was received by the guest, opened, and RSVP’s all in one area.

Also, sending guests reminders and follow-ups is very simple with just a few clicks allowing you to easily message all guests who have not yet responded or booked their accommodations.

This ease of use is a game changer for destination weddings!!

What about guests who do not know how or cannot receive e-invites?

With every wedding, couples have a few guests that simply do not like or know how to receive or respond to an e-invite. For this group of guests, I recommend sending traditional paper wedding save the dates and invitations. Couples can save if they are not sending paper invites to their entire guest list but only to the few who prefer this method.

What about tradition?

We have a handful of clients that still want me to create paper invitations for them. I love this as I am a bit old-fashioned and think that sending your wedding invite is a lovely tradition!! I like to think of it as a little gift and glimpse of your wedding that you are sending their way.

When to send your Save The Dates and Invitations?

When planning a destination wedding, the more time you give your guests to plan and save the better! So as soon as you have your destination wedding location and resort selected it is time to spread the word by sending either your Electronic or Printed Save The Date!

If you plan to also send a paper wedding invitation, for a destination wedding, this should be done 4-6 months before the wedding.

Don’t forget to include!

I always recommend having a wedding website when planning a destination wedding. This becomes the hub for all of the information your guests will need to plan to attend your wedding away.

What to include on your Save The Date:

Full names of the couple. One time, I received a Save the Date with only the couple’s first names, which left me wondering who I knew with those names that could be getting married??

Wedding Date

Location

Wedding Website

Brief instructions for attending.

All other necessary information can be added to your wedding website.

What to include on your wedding website:

Wedding Date

Location

Passport Reminder

Detailed attendance instructions should include the airport guests should fly into, how they will book their travel and how to book their stay at your host resort.

Host Resort information.

Weekend Itinerary so guests can plan how many days they will celebrate with you.

I can’t wait to say hello!

Tips to having a “cheaper” Destination Wedding

I am frequently asked, are destination weddings cheaper? or Are destination weddings less expensive?

The good news is YES!

Tulum, Mexico Wedding

Tulum, Mexico Wedding Details

Destination weddings can be less expensive and cheaper than a wedding in the US. (more…)

Double Wedding in Mexico

photos by: Casey McCarty

Not so long ago, I was interviewed to potentially be the wedding planner for a very unique event! Not only was it going to be a destination wedding but there would be two couples getting married at the same time! The client’s dream for the special day was ocean view (toes in the sand), all-inclusive and stress free. Specializing in all-inclusive destination weddings made these requests easy for me to take on. The couple’s hired my services and while I searched for the perfect destination they came up with a name for the double wedding. They decided on The Double Knot.

The couples originally said they did not want a wedding in Mexico as they had recently attended a family member’s destination wedding in Cancun and they wanted their day to be different. After learning more about the couples and what they each were envisioning, I felt that Cabo San Lucas, Mexico would be perfect for them. I am particularly fond of Mexico because of the ease of travel and the variety of amazing all-inclusive resorts to choose from. I suggested Los Cabos, as it has a completely different feeling from Cancun. The climate is completely different in Cabo from Cancun, it is arid and dry vs tropical, it is truly a completely different taste of Mexico with all the benefits of having a wedding in Mexico. I knew that the weather would be amazing in Cabo in February!! I recommended 3 different properties for the couples to choose from. They settled on Dreams Los Cabos Resort. While this newly renovated property is not a huge resort, it is nicely spread out and has great spots for a picturesque wedding! After booking the resort, room blocks were quickly set up and save the dates were sent!

Throughout the next year, many details would be thought through and planned out. Reception meals were selected, ceremony floral was designed, excursions were planned and welcome bags were assembled. Being a travel agent in addition to wedding planner, I was able to help all 60 guests with room reservations and coordinate with the resort transportation to and from the airport. With all of the thoughtful details from custom koozies to escort card bottle openers and the important aspects like a photographer and flavor of cake, the Mexico destination wedding came together at a remarkably low price. We were able to plan a double wedding for 60 guests for a budget that was 1/2 the cost of what an average wedding in the US would run. This included hiring The French Connection Events destination wedding planning services!

What makes planning weddings so satisfying is the gratitude clients have for helping them make their dreams come true! Both couples were busy professionals with conflicting schedules, not allowing them time to sit down and plan every aspect of a wedding. Not knowing “where to even begin planning a wedding in Mexico,” I was trusted to bring their dreams to reality.

The Double Knot Wedding was a dream come true for so many people. I will forever remember the time spent working with both couples to achieve such a beautiful wedding. A destination wedding is like a mini-vacation for all those attending to celebrate the love between two people or in this case, four! One thing I always tell people is “no one ever says they HAVE to go to a destination wedding” this is because it is more than just a couple of hours celebrating. It is truly an experience!