So, you just got engaged and you think to yourself immediately - DESTINATION WEDDING!
Next step, google “Destination Wedding” and you’re like whaaaaaa…hold up (la de da de da - please tell me you get this reference)…when more than 15 million results hit your screen. You think to yourself “wow, there’s a ton of info” and “where do I even begin” and “I’m already overwhelmed”. After you’ve clicked through a seemingly endless amount of websites, you’re more confused than ever. Where should I have the wedding? How expensive is this going to be? Where do I even start? Maybe I should just go to the courthouse..
If this sounds like you, then welcome! With so much information available, it can be hard to decipher what is what. This is where I come in! Hopefully, you had someone refer you in my direction, or maybe all your googling found me. No matter how you ended up here, I’m happy to have you and to help, so grab yourself a glass of wine (or champagne, this is wedding planning after all!) and read on.
PLANNING PROCESS
STEP 1: CHOOSE A DESTINATION WEDDING PLANNER
Your destination wedding planner (or destination wedding travel agent) will help you narrow down location, choose a date, negotiate rates and concessions for you, etc. In order to get as many of your “must-haves” as possible, we will take a look at your spending plan (or make one) to guide you to the right location or venue.
Where you start this process, will determine how fun or how much of a headache the planning process, travel, and wedding day will be.
STEP 2: LET’S DISCUSS
We will jump on a video chat and discuss all things relating to your wedding. This will take roughly an hour, so grab a glass of wine and get comfy on the couch and let’s discuss all your wedding dreams!
There is so much to talk about. Here are some examples of things that we will discuss..
What are your wedding absolute musts?
What kinds of activities do you want to have for you, your guests, or even on your honeymoon?
How many guests?
Are children allowed?
Is your wedding date flexible?
Are you looking for an all-inclusive resort or an off-site venue?
Do you want an outdoor or indoor ceremony and reception?
Do you want a legal or symbolic ceremony?
Are you planning on bringing any of your own vendors, like a photographer?
The biggest tip I can give is to BE HONEST! If you really want something or really don’t want something, you need to tell us about it or we won’t know (We don’t have ESP-N or something - lol). Another tip - and this is a huge one - please don’t lie about your spending plan! Most couples have a spending plan in mind, but instead of telling their destination wedding planner, they give us a much lower number to “see what magic they can do”. This is a HUGE waste of time, for both you and us. Give us the honest info and we’ll give you the best options we can find or we will tell you if that number just isn’t feasible for what you are wanting. Either way, honesty is the best policy.
step 3: DESTINATION WEDDING PLANNER GOES TO WORK
After we finish our video chat and you go relax, I get to work figuring out what locations and resorts work for your budget, guests, and wedding preferences. From here, we will narrow it down to a few options and I will reach out to the resort’s wedding department to inquire about wedding dates. This could narrow our search down even more as some of the resorts may not have your preferred date available.
Once we have 1 – 3 locations in mind that have your wedding date options available, we will put together room rates for you and your guests, based on the types of rooms that are available and the options you’ve asked for, and present them to you for review.
How does this happen? Sometimes, we reach out to the resorts directly and other times we work with something called a “tour operator”. A tour operator buys or owns a very high volume of travel components and will then package these components for travel agents to sell. In order to purchase or book this way, you need to be a travel agent (with a CLIA or IATA number).
Why would we use a tour operator versus booking directly with the resort, you ask? First, a tour operator books millions of dollars a year with these resorts, so when something goes awry, you have more than one avenue of complaining and being able to get a resolution. Second, they offer travel protection in the form of travel insurance to protect your investment. Last, the rates will be the same as when booking directly with the hotel so why not have a huge company backing your event to make sure that things go according to the way they are planned.
We then present these options to you and go over room rates, contract, wedding packages, etc.
STEP 4: CHOOSE YOUR VENUE
After reviewing all of the options presented, you say yes! to the venue! Once we get your approval, we will proceed with a contract to secure your wedding date and room block. Woot woot! Other than the legal stuff, this is super exciting!
How does this happen? Your destination wedding planner/travel agent will first re-contact the resort that you have chosen and ask them to proceed with a contract for the wedding ceremony date and time. The resort will need your exact names – very important – address, email, and phone numbers. A contract will be prepared with this information and emailed to you for a signature. Normally, there is a small window to get this contract signed and returned – usually 1 to 2 days. You’ll fill out the contract, signing each item, and return it. The resort will ask for your credit card or your bank information at this time and will charge you a small ceremony deposit – usually around $250 or so, but each location is different (here lately the ones that I have been doing are $1000).
Once the resort has received this information, they will email a confirmation of your deposit payment an you are officially on the books. Your wedding date and time is reserved and I will email over a confirmation receipt to you.
Once the resort has secured your ceremony date and time, you will, in most cases, be assigned an “on site wedding planner/coordinator” from the resort.
I pride myself on being super responsive to emails and messages. If you’re like me, then this is a super important message for you! Once your contract is signed and your date is reserved with the resort, communication from them will typically slow down significantly. This might drive you crazy if you let it (just like it does me!), but realize that they are on island time. As your wedding gets closer, the response time will get better and better. Just make sure to cc me on all of those emails and we will make sure that everything gets taken care of! *wink* This does not mean that you aren’t important! They just have a lot of Brides that they are working with that may have wedding dates sooner than yours.
step 5: set up your room block
After your on-site destination wedding planner receives your wedding confirmation, we send it on to the tour operator. They then proceed with the contract for the room blocks for your guests. If you’d like more clarification on setting up room blocks for your wedding, or why you should do so, check out part 2 in my destination wedding series that explains it.
The room block contract will be sent via email and again you’ll have a short window to sign and return it with the initial deposit. We can schedule a quick call with you to go over the contract and discuss any questions you might have before signing if needed. The room block contract will show the deposit amount, when it is due, all of the payment milestones along the way, and the date for the final payment. Any other costs associated with the travel - travel insurance, attrition rates, etc - will also be listed.
How much is the deposit? The deposit varies with each room block. It could be as little as $50 – $100 per room to 50% (or even the whole amount) of the room rate. This just depends on the resort you choose, how many days before your wedding you book, and a number of other factors. Normally, the further in advance you book your room block, the more agreeable the deposit.
Don’t forget, up until you have signed the contract on any part of your wedding – room pricing, ceremony details, airfare – the rates are subject to change. Travel components can change VERY frequently. There is such a short window to sign the contract because, until signed, the rates can change at any time!
Once your room block contract is signed and returned with payment, your destination wedding planner will receive a confirmation email. which we forward onto you.
STEP 6: SAVE THE DATES AND YOUR WEDDING WEBSITE
We set up your wedding website where you will send your guests. This will have all of the information about the wedding – the location information and photos, time of events, how to book their rooms and travel, info on transportation to and from the location, passport information, and just about anything else that guests need to know. You can fully customize this site and can also post information about yourselves, like how you met, photos of together, registry information, a timeline or itinerary, dress code, etc.
This will be the place where you can send guests that gives them all of the information and help eliminate a ton of texts and calls to you asking about anything and everything under the sun. You can just tell them to go to your website and if they still have issues give them my email and we will get it worked out!
At this point, you will compile a list of your guests and give it your wedding planner/travel agent -very important!
STEP 7: VISIT THE RESORT
If you have the time, and you’re able, I’d recommend taking a few days to visit the resort you’ve selected to check out the ceremony locations and chat with their on-site wedding coordinator. Once you’ve selected a specific resort as your wedding location, some will offer discounted rates or other perks for you to visit. This way you can taste the food, check out the resort and surrounding area, meet with your on-site coordinator, look at the ceremony options, come up with a Plan B option just incase, and then just relax and have a little fun.
Your destination wedding planner can help you set up a meeting with your on-site coordinator and book your trip or “site visit”. If you’re not working with a full service wedding coordinator, the on-site coordinator at the resort will be your contact for anything involving the actual ceremony and reception. He or she will take all your vision for your wedding ceremony and reception and assemble the on-site vendor team to make it all happen. If you do have a full service destination wedding planner, the on-site resort coordinator will still be available to you, if needed, but your full service wedding planner will be the person that is most in contact with the on-site coordinator.
STEP 8: GET TO PLANNING!
Between now and the wedding, you will be getting all of your plans in order (cake, decorations, photographer, DJ, etc.). Your destination wedding planner will be connecting with all of your guests and helping them to confirm their travel arrangements and answer any questions that they may have.
45 days before the wedding: All of your on-site ceremony and reception items will typically need to be chosen by 45 days or more before the wedding. Also, this is typically when final payments will be due for travel and wedding related items.
30 days before the wedding: The countdown is on at this stage of the game! Now, a new person will be assigned from the resort – the onsite wedding planner. I know it is unnerving to feel like you’re starting with someone new so close to the wedding date, but don’t stress. This is just the way most resorts work. Once your on-site coordinator passes you along to the onsite wedding coordinator, they will confirm all the services you’ve hired and they will be assisting you once you get to the resort.
2 days before the wedding: 48 hours prior to the wedding, you (the couple) are almost always required to be on site at the resort. If possible, play it safe and arrive to the resort 3 days before the big day so you can consider the possibility of any weather or other delays. After arriving, you will meet with your on-site wedding coordinator to confirm all of the details of your wedding ceremony and other events.
Step 9: sit back, relax, and get ready for an awesome day!
Ready to get started planning your dream wedding? Book a consultation today!
