There are many opportunities to see just what a Destination Wedding looks like, but, trust me, a LOT goes into one.  The intensity of planning is a personal choice, a monetary choice and what your vision is.  How inclusive will it be? Where, length, sharing of expenses, Bridal Registries to perhaps contribute to the event. So much to think about.  I thought I’d offer-up so thoughts and ideas to help brides and grooms in sitting down and talking together about that vision, a budget and of course WHERE you want to hold this cherished event.  How many people to include? Planning far enough in advance and working with someone at location and/or a travel advisor, who can help relieve the stress of THE DETAILS…collecting money and talking with the guests can be awkward if personal info is needed for suppliers, whether a resort, an All-inclusive, location is definitely a factor.  Working with an on-location advisor, can avoid so much regarding local restrictions, requirements and the like. 

I remember planning a destination for a very small group, actually only 6 people, but big or small, there can be issues. I’ll discuss some of that later.  I’ve had the opportunity to work with large groups, 60-80 people.  Thinking about the size of the list is one thing, but so much more.  Are you going to include children under 18? Will any of the guests need extra attention, for instance, handicapped or dietary restrictions? This is important for both location and transportation options. This is something that comes up all the time in groups, usually as a surprise additional stress, task or disappointment to have to focus on during the planning, if you are planning on doing the entire thing (planning) on your own.  There will also be differences of opinion and so much more.  What about the details like: Music. I had an issue one time where the mother of the bride was paying for the wedding and insisted that a song be played during the ceremony, preferably as the daughter was walking in.  Goodness, the daughter made it clear she didn’t want the song played during the ceremony….What to do?  I’ll tell you about that later in this article…leaving you in suspense HA. 

To begin a serious journey with your bride or groom, let’s talk about the TYPE of wedding ceremony you might want.  Many couples prefer to have a SYMBOLIC ceremony.  This is a choice made when the couple marries state-side and departs for the honeymoon as a group, a fun thing. This allows for the majority of planned guests to actually attend the religious or legal ceremony, and inviting any or select guests to join the honeymoon/vacation.  IF the wedding is done at a location that is international, a symbolic ceremony might be the best choice. Why? Because, there are legal issues and requirements in where and kind of ceremony matters. 

It would be very difficult to include everything in this one article, but, I am going to attempt to just emphasize the importance of some choices, AND, still encouraging the couples out there to not deny themselves an opportunity. There are so many options that can assure that it is possible to have a dream wedding/ceremony.  

Talking about the TYPE of wedding will depend on your personalities, so important to talk about this together.  For fun, I’m going to share some thoughts to help you get started.  The devil is in the details to go more specific right now. Soooo, I want to make this a fun article with lots of food-for-thought. O.K.?

My latest opportunity to help a couple just came last week and that is why I am writing this today.  I got to thinking that it certainly is about the right time to plan for a 2025 wedding of size, at an international location.  Setting the date is most crucial if you plan a legal wedding at a location with so many rules, making it necessary to take time in planning. However, a symbolic one is basically choosing a date when you want to go.  

Now for the fun part: Food for thought as you go about planning your wedding/honeymoon and or any vacation really. Sharing this info with an experienced travel advisor is important to be able to approach a successful getaway that you can afford, be your vision and also understanding if those traveling together have the same goals. I grabbed this information below from several sources and offer it for a fun exercise for those of you reading this. It really is a guide for the advisor who is going to attempt to service a traveler – any traveler really.  I suggest that all of you think about yourself and your significant other who plan to travel with you. 

What TYPE of Honeymooner are You?

DO-IT-YOURSELFER
       Tend to plan and book their honeymoons themselves. Anyone with a budget of less than $2,000 should be considered a potential Do-It-Yourselfer. This type is the most time-consuming because the limited budget greatly affects and narrows choices. It is most imperative to charge a fee for your time and knowledge and charge an appropriate service charge as your time and knowledge is valuable.

BUDGET ALL-INCLUSIVE
       The Budget All-Inclusive couple is aware of the all-inclusive concept and will shop around to find the best deal. Generally the range is $2-3K range.
*Ask if they already have prices from online providers (this will save a tremendous amount of time).
*Be prepared with whatever ‘deals’ are out there and about to expire. This client could cost you money in the long run if they are being unrealistic.  Generally speaking there isn’t a preference as to where or type of experience – just bottom line price or cost – not value.

COMFORT COUPLES
Comfort Couples choose honeymoons that are less by the type of vacation experience, than by the comfort and quality. They tend to know exactly what they want, whether it is total relaxation or an active-adventure honeymoon.
*Have realistic budgets between $3- 5K
*Appreciate value within the parameters of a well-defined experience
*Are more brand-conscious than the Budget All-Inclusive.

LUXURY LOVERS
Luxury Lovers want creature comforts and personal service and are willing to spare no expense to get what they want. They are generally well informed and resourceful and place high value on their own time. They will judge your recommendation and levels of service to meet their high standards.
Depending on the length of stay – their budgets tend to be $5K and up. Their interest span from romantic beach resorts to intimate ski lodges.
*Tend to appreciate unusual travel suggestions
*Want to be the first in their social circles to have the experience.

ADVENTURE SEEKERS
It is the sensation provided by the adventure that defines Adventure Seeker’s. Creature comforts are secondary to the adventure itself.
The nature of adventure travel tends to put adventure seekers into higher budgets.
*Look for the unusual but listen closely to their ultimate goal and definition of adventure: i.e. Light or heavyadventure experiences.

CULTURE VULTURES
       Culture Vultures place a high priority on cultural aspects of the honeymoon: i.e. ancient ruins, museums, architecture, gastronomy, and sightseeing. Budgets start at $3,500 for Domestic and more for International travel accommodations and transportation.
*Packages tours good value but not independence.
*Experienced travelers will look for boutique hotels

I hope this exercise was a fun one.  Now, whether you are planning a Destination Wedding, a Honeymoon or whatever….lots to think about that are specific for wedding planning.  There are a multitude of options out there at resort level even, to work with many types of travelers. Some of the resorts have Wedding packages from a few to hundreds of guests.  Many of them will share selected color schemes, inclusions and ceremony locations.  The hard part is choosing the destination. Research about the legal requirements of that destination is cruicial IF the plan is to have a LEGAL ceremony.  Most actually choose to have the legal ceremony stateside and then have a symbolic or renewal experience at the destination. Which reminds me, yes, I have worked with many couples who have chosen to return to their honeymoon location for renewal of vows.  This is really popular. 

Hope this gives food for thought to all of you. Important to recognize where you individually fit in a spectrum of vacationers style or vision or budget.  There is a saying in the industry for the reader here to think about:

“You will not remember what you paid for your vacation, really, but you will always remember the experience, and how it made you feel.”

Happy Travels