Author:
Shelli Nornes
CEO/Owner
Publish Date: January 23, 2025
Last Modified: May 27, 2025
To help you narrow down all of the destination and resort options, start by asking yourself these 5 questions:
- What destinations am I interested in and what destinations do I want to avoid?
- Do I want a legal wedding, or will symbolic work?
- Do I like large resorts, or a smaller, more intimate setting?
- Can I do adults only, or do I have children that will be attending?
- Can my guests afford $1000 per person for a 3 night/4 day package?
Destination
Try to keep travel times within reason. For example, you won't want to plan a Hawaii wedding if guests need to fly for 9 hours and can only stay for 3 nights. Likewise, the more exotic islands can often require multiple airline connections to get there. Assume all guests will need a passport. The top destinations are Mexico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, but really, the possibilities are endless.
Ceremony Type
There are two types of ceremonies for destination weddings; legal and symbolic. Some locations are better than others for legal ceremonies. For a legal ceremony, you’ll need to follow all of the laws of the country you are traveling to. If you absolutely must have a legal ceremony, we recommend avoiding the Dominican Republic and Aruba. To have a symbolic ceremony, you would be legally married at home by your clergy or courthouse before you travel. At your destination wedding, you will celebrate your union as if it were your actual wedding with flowers, music, vows and other ceremony details. Your guests will not know the difference between a legal and symbolic ceremony. Approximately 80% of all destination weddings are symbolic. It is so much easier!
Resort
Do you envision something small and intimate, or something loaded with activities and energy? We highly recommend all-inclusive resorts that include meals and drinks. This makes it so much easier for your guests to budget for their trip. And, many all-inclusive resorts include a semi-private reception with their wedding packages, which saves you money. Perhaps money that could be spent on a nice upgrade to the honeymoon suite! Are you beach people, or pool people? Are you foodies? Are you super casual, or more refined?
Adults Only, or Family Friendly
If all of your guests are 18+, do adults only! The adult only resorts offer an elevated atmosphere and experience for your wedding day. Some resorts have an adults only “section” while the rest of the resort is family friendly. These often make a great compromise for wedding groups.
Budget
Consider how much you're comfortable having your guests pay for a 3-night vacation. Typically, budgets start at approximately $1000 per person for a 3 night, all-inclusive vacation including air, hotel, transfers, meals, drinks, tips and taxes. Remember though, you get what you pay for.
Of course, the absolute best way to find the perfect destination wedding resort is to enlist the professional guidance of a destination wedding travel specialist like the ones at Romance Travel Group. The RTG specialist will listen to your wants and needs and provide you with a list of hand-chosen resorts that fit your style. Because our specialists travel to the destinations several times a year, they know the ins and outs of each resort better than anyone else, and can accurately compare the pros and cons of each with you. Why not give us a try? You'll be so happy you did! Call us at 507-237-6133 or email us at [email protected]. Hope to hear from you!