Destination Weddings
Destination Wedding are just large groups in our eyes, with a little special touch. Most destination weddings are held in Mexico or the Caribbean at All Inclusive Properties. Most of all inclusive properties will cover the room, basic meals & beverages, on site activities, some recreational activities, and more. The wedding packages offered at these resorts will usually be attractively priced and your clients can sometimes earn perks and discounts on their wedding package and travel dependent upon how many rooms are booked for the wedding.
There are EP (European Plan) properties in the Caribbean that are great wedding properties as well. These properties do not offer all inclusive packages (they are very much like booking a hotel here in the United States). They charge separately for all services above and beyond the use of a room by clients.
Most couples are attacted to certain destinations based on the beauty of the destination, the prescence and location of the beaches, the climate in the area (a winter wedding in Cancun is much different than a winter wedding in Chicago); and based on previous visits to the destination.
Some of the most popular destination wedding destination hotspots are Cancun, Mexico; Los Cabos, Mexico; The Bahamas, The Dominican Republic; & Jamaica.
SYMBOLIC vs. LEGAL MARRIAGES
Most all of the destination weddings are symbolic weddings. In most countries if you get legally married there there fees, waiting periods, and sometimes even blood tests. Encourage couples to get married at the courthouse here in the states and then have their ceremony at the destination.. They then can send the marriage certificate to the resort, and the resort will perform a symbolic ceremony (where the bride and groom are already married, but they have a ceremony on another date).
There will be some couples that will want a symbolic ceremony but they are worried that everyone will know that they are already married. The resort will not inform others outside of the bride & groom about the marriage. The difference in a legal ceremony vs. a symbolic one is usually in the wording by the wedding officiant. In most cases, instead of saying “I now pronounce you husband and wife” he or she will say something along the lines of “I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Smith.”
Now back to Legal Marriages. Legal Marriages will require that you check out the requirements for the country that your clients are getting married in. This can involve extended periods of wait, blood tests, background checks and fees. Some couples will want a legal ceremony. If they do, you can usually refer to your wedding coordinator at the resort and he or she will guide you in guiding your guests. You can also check with tourism offices where your clients are getting married for assistance on guidelines for legal marriages.
Many consumers are choosing to get married in Mexico, Hawaii, the Caribbean, on Cruises & the South Pacific because the resorts generally give the clients a lot of options for their wedding in a beautiful setting for much less than they would pay here in the United States.Most of your clients will choose to get married in the Caribbean at All Inclusive Properties. Most of the all inclusive properties will cover the room, basic meals & beverages, on site activities, some recreational activities, and more. The wedding packages offered at these resorts will usually be attractively priced and your clients can sometimes earn perks and discounts on their wedding package and travel dependent upon how many rooms are booked for the wedding.
There are EP (European Plan) properties in the Caribbean that are great wedding properties as well. These properties do not offer all inclusive packages (they are very much like booking a hotel here in the United States). They charge separately for all services above and beyond the use of a room by clients.
Most couples are attacted to certain destinations based on the beauty of the destination, the prescence and location of the beaches, the climate in the area (a winter wedding in Cancun is much different than a winter wedding in Chicago); and based on previous visits to the destination.
The Couple – These are the 2 people who are getting married. They may have sought you out themselves or a family member or friend may have contacted you to begin working with them for their perfect day.
The Destination Wedding Consultant & Their Team – This is you (the travel consultant) and your team. Your team may just be you or it could be you and others in your agency that help you to service destination weddings.
The Supplier/Hotel – This is the company that you book the rooms (and airfare + transportation if you are doing this also) through. You may book your wedding direct with the hotel or resort vs. using a supplier
The Destination Wedding Coordinator – This is the off-site person (usually) that works with the bride & groom on the details of their wedding via phone call or email.
The On-Site Destination Wedding Team – This is the team that can sometimes include the wedding coordinator that makes all of the plans put on paper by your bride & groom come true on their special day.