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Affordable Destination Weddings: They May Not Be as Expensive as You Think

Phyllis Kauffman - Top Destination Wedding Specialist • Oct 08, 2019

A Destination Wedding May Not Be as Expensive as You Think

Of course the thought of saying “I do” on a beach somewhere far, far away sounds dreamy, but isn’t it expensive? From flights to resorts, costs seem to accumulate left and right, but is a destination wedding really more expensive than a ceremony back home? Stop mourning your weeping wallet and find out why a destination wedding may actually be more frugal than you think.


An All-inclusive Wedding?

Many resorts with destination wedding offerings are all-inclusive, so what exactly does that mean? Those two sweet little words allow the bride, groom and their wedding party to enjoy all of the food, booze and on-site activities that their hearts desire at no extra cost. That’s right, what you pay to stay at the resort includes all the good stuff. That means no paying for a swanky rehearsal dinner the night before (dine together at an on-site restaurant), no draining bank accounts on cash bars (because it’ll be included in the wedding package) and no expensive post-reception after parties (also included in the wedding packager, or just party at the resort’s night club!).

And when it comes to the venue, it’s important to keep in mind that décor, flowers and music are often organized and provided by the resort making them one less thing for the happy couple to worry about and one less extra cost.


Less Guests, Less Mess

While it might seem brutal to axe your second cousin Karen from the guest list, inviting less people to the celebration of the decade will result in a lower price tag. Plus, destination wedding venues typically have a guest cap, which is nice for couples who are trying to keep their event intimate with just their closest friends and family in attendance. It’s also worth noting that according to The Knot, destination wedding couples can estimate a 50 percent attendance rate so be sure to send save-the-date cards plenty in advance to make sure that the guests you really do want there can make it. 


Group Discounts

Speaking of guests, did you know that destinations, resorts and even some airlines offer group discounts? While you could wing it and try to find the best deal on your own, this is really an area where travel agents shine so we recommend working with a destination wedding specialist to help find the best deals.


Keep it Casual(ish)

Given the relaxing setting, many couples choose to dress it down when it comes to destination weddings. This can mean a flowy white sundress, Bermuda shorts and heck, maybe even flip-flops. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to go full glam with a traditional bridal look, but this is just one more way going all-inclusive can help your budget go further.


The Ultimate Combo

One of the best things about getting married in a tropical paradise is that the honeymoon can begin the second you say “I do.” Doubling down and taking advantage of the locale for your post-nuptials getaway will save money and valuable time that can spent be enjoying romantic sunsets and bottomless poolside margaritas. Also, resorts want couples to maximize their destination wedding experience by including a honeymoon and they’re willing to reward travelers for doing so. For example, some hotels offer complimentary honeymoon packages and even discounted stays to couples who get married onsite.


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By PHYLLIS KAUFFMAN 13 Jan, 2021
In the past 10 years, my husband and I have been to St. Lucia five times and became St. Lucia Specialists. We cannot wait to return, and we love to stay at different resorts each time. There is so much to do, and we love the tropical mountain views as well as the iconic pitons! The fragrant aroma from the tropical plants is perfect for couples on their exotic St. Lucia honeymoon! We have stayed and/or visited many resorts in St. Lucia: Calabash, Coconut Bay, Holiday Inn, Windjammer Landing, Ti Kaye, Ladera, Jade Mountain, Sugar Beach, Hotel Chocolat, St. Lucia Grande, St. Lucia La Toc, and St. Lucia Halcyon. Sandals is one of our most popular St. Lucia resorts for honeymoon couples with the stay at 1, play at 3 resorts! This is hard to beat and provides three different beaches, or we say adventures. All three resorts are all-inclusive with complimentary shuttle service. But beware, taking the shuttles between resorts takes some adjusting to, as well as arranging dinners at different resorts. That is where we provide all the best advice so that our clients don’t forget or miss anything like using a helicopter for transfers to save time and have the ultimate scenic views! We love guiding our clients and giving them the best tips and suggestions. There are so many excursions included and some that are close to get to by taxi or through our preferred private tour guide. We also have now added helicopter transfers to our St. Lucia trips and never get tired of the breathtaking scenic views. Our 5th trip in August 2019 was one of our favorites, as we escorted a couple and customized the trip to meet their needs. We were so excited because it included European Resorts - meaning no all-inclusive. With Europe on our upcoming places to travel and share with our clients, we have been spoiled traveling to some amazing 5-star all-inclusive resorts, but no regrets at all. We have been to some of the best St. Lucia resorts and decided to stay four nights in two great areas of St. Lucia. Since check in is not until 3 pm, we had our preferred private driver escort our move with added excursions like snorkeling, waterfall, Sulphur springs MUD bath, and an iconic picture touching the pitons! It was perfect and we took care of many excursions so we could spend more time in our 3 wall resort to relax and/or take more adventures like hiking up the pitons, strolling in botanical gardens, or a sunset catamaran. As Oprah Winfrey states, “The Pitons is iconic and must be on your bucket list”! And as always, please make sure you book with your travel agent to protect yourself and provide the best amenities! If you do not have a personal travel agent, we would be honored to create the most amazing package for you while you sit back, relax and dream until it’s time to jet you to your adventure! We will continue to escort couples to St. Lucia at no additional cost and you get many extra perks while traveling with us. Let us know if you would like to join our next escorted trip which consists of 2-4 couples.
By PHYLLIS KAUFFMAN 19 Oct, 2020
Many of you are anxious to travel back to your special vacation spot but are leery of traveling internationally. The ocean breeze and salt air are proven to increase the quality of life and good for the soul. We want you to be able to make an informed decision on whether to travel or not. We are not encouraging you to make a travel-related decision that you are not comfortable with. We are just pointing out how safe we felt from our first international travel trip in Riviera Maya on July 13, 2020 for 11 days and 4 different resorts. We want to prepare you and make you feel comfortable in traveling so that you can move on when you feel you are ready. First and foremost, you must decide if you want to choose a destination that requires a COVID test. As a travel specialist, we have all the resources at our hand and updated personal knowledge to share with client. We will ensure that there are no surprises when you arrive. We know: • Which areas require the test • Which destinations have recently changed their COVID requirements • How that process works when you arrive You cannot always trust what you hear with the media and it is important for you to know the real, personal experiences by using a travel agent. Like us, some travel specialists do NOT charge a service fee, except in special destinations that require extra services with a lot of details. As the days led up to our 11-day trip to Riviera Maya, we checked our own temperature and oxygen levels daily and limited seeing large groups of people. We filled out and printed the online customs forms ahead of our trip, so we did not have to complete them on the plane. We packed extra washable masks and wore protective safety glasses with our masks at the airport and on the airplane. We were bothered the airplane was full, but we were confident we were prepared, and the safety glasses gave us the extra protection. The airline was great in announcing often that your safety mask was to stay on the whole time unless you were eating or drinking. They provided an extra cleaning wipe in case you wanted to personally wipe down your tray or seat belt. As we arrived at Cancun airport, the customs process was the same and ran smoothly , as if there was no COVID. Everyone had mask, and airport workers were constantly cleaning and spraying down areas around us. Because there was a thermo body camera that you walked through while personnel monitored passenger body temperatures, we never stopped, and the process was smooth. Once we exited the airport, we met the best transfer tour operator, Lomas. They have been in business for over 30 years and have trackers on every vehicle for passenger safety. We were excited and in vacation mode! Every resort visited provided the following with warm smiles: • Luggage hand cleaned • Hand sanitizer when greeted & a temperature check • Soapy floor mats for you to walk on prior to entering their lobby • All check-ins were done electronically, and we had to enter most of our information from our passports • Once we were in the resort, we could take off our mask, but all resort staff could not. The resort staff kept their mask on 24/7 and even in the pool and outdoor activities. • Most resorts had every item bagged in your room (i.e. Remote control, shampoo/soap bottles, glasses, etc.) or had a sign stating the full room was sprayed down and sanitized for COVID • Distances were kept while ordering drinks • QR codes with menus where provided or disposable paper menus We purposely chose a swim up and over the water bungalow at a few of the resorts so that we could enjoy the pool and ocean and not worry about social distance. Our experience in Riviera Maya was the safest, cleanest we felt during our trip, compared with our return to the USA- where not one person checked us. We kept our distance from others and avoided going out for 14 days just as a precaution. Overall, we prepared ourselves and so happy we experienced this for us and our clients. We would do it all over again and will plan another trip for sure. We do not want to travel to a country that requires a COVID test but if this is the new norm, we will step up and experience that as for our clients in hopes that the testing improves. As travel specialists, we are constantly joining ongoing webinars to gain the most up-to-date knowledge for each destination’s protocols. We are here to guide you and make you feel comfortable, so you are prepared and ready to travel. At 1 Luxury Vacation, our knowledgeable travel specialists are always here for you. “Sit back, relax, and let us take care of you!”
Destination Weddings
By Phyllis Kauffman, Sr. Destination Wedding Specialist 08 Oct, 2019
Destination Wedding Planning is our specialty and we love to find your perfect dream weddings as our Bride & Groom shown here in Los Cabos
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