How to plan the Destination Wedding of your Dreams

Posted byboundlessparadisetravelsPosted inDestination Wedding, Jamaica, Montego Bay, Uncategorized, Vow RenewalTags:,

For many brides, wedding planning can become so stressful that it will make you want to literally jump off of a bridge. Some people opt for destination weddings because they assume they’re hassle free; but if not planned carefully, destination weddings can cause even more stress and anxiety than traditional weddings. In my case, I planned a 10 year vow renewal in Montego Bay, Jamaica with 40 of my closest friends and relatives, hired local vendors, and managed to have the stress free wedding of my dreams. I’m not saying it was easy. There were some things I wish I had known beforehand that would have helped me along the way. Given what I’ve learned, my goal is to share those lessons with you so that with proper planning, you can have the stress free destination wedding of your dreams.

  1. Use a Travel Agent. If having your loved ones in attendance for your special day is important to you, consider using a travel agent. Travel agents can help you better manage your bookings, which will ultimately impact your guest count and the cost of your wedding. Because travel agents are usually paid by the vendor, they can offer group rates and flexible low deposit payment options at no additional cost to your guests. Using a travel agency made it easier to manage my final head count without relying on RSVPs.
  2. Offer Options to your Guests I chose the Ibersotar Rose Hall because it features three different resorts on the property. There’s the luxurious, adults only, 5 star Grand hotel, the 4.5 star Suites, and the 4 star, budget friendly beach property. Guest staying at the Suites have access to the Beach hotel, and guest who book the Grand have full access to all three. If you are not able to offer multiple resorts, offer room category upgrades for guests who want to enhance their trip.
    • Tip: Keep in mind, some people may want to attend the wedding and stay “off property”, which can result in additional off site fees for day passes. These prices can be outrageous, so if you don’t expect to cover these charges, be sure to communicate that to your guests before they start making travel plans.
  3. Make sure you fully understand what’s included in the Resort’s Wedding packages. Most resorts expect you to use their vendors. I handpicked all of my own external vendors and went with a cheaper wedding package. I hired local vendors including photographer, cinematographer, florist, makeup artist, and DJ resulting in steep vendor fees in excess of $250 per vendor. For me, it was worth the extra cost. Let’s face it, the resort photographer’s are great for capturing pictures at the resort, but they don’t specialize in weddings. Having my most precious memories not captured because I used a less experienced photographer was not a risk I was willing to take.
    • Tip: I saved money on the vendor fees by booking one-night hotel rooms for some of my vendors. The resort typically offers discounted rates for locals and it worked out nicely because my makeup artist was able to touch me up before the reception.
  4. Create a budget and try to stick to it. In the spirit of transparency, I failed miserably here. But that’s because I didn’t do step 3 and fully understand the extra’s that weren’t included. Before you begin selecting a resort and vendors, you need to know what you want, what you aren’t willing to compromise on, and then choose a resort that can accommodate you and your price point. To reduce cost, some resorts allow you to bring your own decor.
    • Tip: I purchased a $5 suitcase from Goodwill and loaded it with decor including chair sashes, table cards, and items to create welcome gift bags for my guests. Because I only paid $5 for the suitcase, I was able to leave it behind on my return trip home.
  5. Do your research before selecting vendors. I loved all of my vendors, and would highly recommend using any of them! Vendor profiles listed below.
  1. Go All Inclusive. All inclusive resorts are great for organizing group activities without breaking the bank. The day before the ceremony, I had an “all white” welcome reception at one of the specialty restaurants at no additional cost. Afterwards we gathered on the beach to enjoy a beach bonfire party and fire dancer.
  2. Plan to spend a couple of days at the resort before and after your wedding. This was essential because it allowed us time to go over last minute wedding details, do a walk through, and rehearse the ceremony ahead of time. The day after the wedding, I chartered a Catamaran to take us snorkeling in Negril and cliff jumping at Rick’s Cafe. It was incredible!
  3. Splurge on the Penthouse Suite on your wedding day. This was an excellent decision. The Iberostar penthouse was absolutely beautiful. I used it for my pre-wedding photo shoot and champagne toast with my girls before the ceremony.
  4. Trash the Dress. If you’re adventurous like me, do a Trash the Dress photo shoot. I booked Tensing Pen Resort so we could jump from the beautiful bridge. It was so much fun!
  5. Have Fun! Relax and have fun. Your special day will go by so fast, so enjoy it while you can.