5 Biggest Destination Wedding Mistakes to Avoid

Jan 26

Planning a destination wedding is like embarking on a romantic adventure—it's thrilling, filled with dreamy expectations, and has the potential to create memories that last a lifetime. However, as with any grand voyage, there are pitfalls that can turn your dream celebration into a stressful escapade. Fear not, lovebirds, because in this blog post, we're dishing out the ultimate guide on the five biggest destination wedding mistakes you absolutely must avoid.

#1 - Not Consulting with an Expert

Have you spent hours Googling “Destination Wedding Locations” or “Destination Wedding Resorts”? If so, it is time to step away from your computer and get solid advice from an expert. When you work with a Travel Advisor (aka Travel Agent), you’ll be able to get advice from someone who has been to top destination wedding resorts, is familiar with the process, and has relationships with wedding planning teams. They’ll also help you narrow down your options and they’ll take care of all the details for you. Instead, you can spend your time Googling wedding dresses, custom cocktails, etc. (which is way more fun!).

To get started, schedule a complimentary consultation with Travel Advisor and Destination Wedding expert, Andrea Norfolk. During your video consultation, she’ll share information on our process and ask you questions about your ideal wedding. Andrea will then follow up with a destination wedding proposal, which will include several resorts that will meet your needs.

Lastly, a Travel Advisor will also handle booking reservations for all of your guests! It can be very time-consuming answering questions from guests and providing room options. Our team will also make sure your guests know their options for travel insurance, transportation, and excursions.

#2 - Not Having a Room Block

If you're planning a destination wedding or organizing a sizable group getaway, securing a room block is an absolute necessity! Opting for a room block ensures both you and your guests have guaranteed accommodations at your chosen resort. By establishing a room block, the resort reserves a specified number of rooms as outlined in your contract, safeguarding them from being booked by others. For instance, if you designate 30 rooms for your room block, your group is assured these rooms at a prearranged rate until a specified date. This not only secures accommodations for your guests, but also ensures everyone pays the same agreed-upon rate.

We recommend creating a room block as early as possible to get the rooms and pricing you want. The longer you wait, the higher the chance that the rooms you want won’t be available. There’s a better chance of getting the rooms you want at a lower rate for your guests if your wedding date is flexible. However, if you’re planning your wedding during a high season, we recommend blocking rooms a year in advance.

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Schedule a Complimentary Destination Wedding Consultation

#3 - Choosing a location hard to get to

Although your guests will be flying to your Destination Wedding, we still recommend considering where most of your guests will be traveling from and how easy it will be for them to get to your destination. For example, if most of your guests are traveling from California, it will be MUCH easier for them to go to Mexico instead of Jamaica. Once you make your guest list, note where everyone will be traveling from and where they can get nonstop flights to.

Some of our favorite destinations for weddings are Punta Cana, Turks & Caicos, Cancun, Los Cabos, and Jamaica.

#4 - Not giving your guests enough Notice

Unlike typical weddings, you’ll need to give your guests advance notice allowing them to request time off from work, save funds for the trip, check their passports, etc. We recommend giving your guests 9-12 months notice, which includes giving them all resort booking information. Once you book your resort and finalize your contract, our team will create a custom wedding website for you to share with your guests. Your website will include resort information, room categories available, travel insurance information, excursion options, and more.

WORK WITH US!

✔ Customized proposal
✔ Contract review & room block recommendations
✔ Custom wedding website
✔ Guest reservation management
✔ Discounted resort site visits prior to your wedding
✔ Transportation & excursion recommendations
✔ Access to “The Vault” filled with wedding planning tips
✔On-site representation*

*Based on room block size. Contact us for details.

Schedule a Complimentary Consultation

#5 - Not considering marriage requirements

Every country has different requirements for a legal wedding ceremony. If you plan to get legally married in another country, you’ll need to understand what steps and paperwork are needed. For example, if you want to get legally married in Mexico, you will be required to provide specific paperwork and have a blood test done in Mexico 48 hours before marriage.

Most of our couples choose to get legally married in the U.S., but then have their commitment / symbolic ceremony with friends and family. Typically, guests don’t know that the ceremony they are witnessing at destination weddings are symbolic (shhh!). Most destination wedding couples choose not to tell their guests that they aren’t witnessing their legal wedding ceremony, but that is a personal decision for every couple.