Destination Wedding – Say “I Do” in an Exotic Destination

Destination Weddings are growing in popularity. They account for 16% of all weddings and $16 billion in annual spending according to About.com. Many couples are looking to add an "exotic twist" to their special day in the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii and many other destinations. In turn, resorts around the world are listening by catering to couples to help them plan a perfect wedding day away from home. “A couple can be married at a beautiful resort on the beach with their toes in the sand, in a decorative wedding gazebo with the beach in the background or even at a small chapel,” states Shawnee Doster, owner of Palm Travel Group, a travel agency that specializes in romance travel.

Properly planned, a destination wedding can not only save you upwards of $20,000 off the cost of a traditional wedding, it can also turn your wedding day into an unforgettable "mini-vacation" for you and your guests. The average wedding cost as much as $28,000, where the cost of a destination wedding can be as little at $6,000 for a week in paradise…including the wedding.

Planning a Destination Wedding
Using the services of a Destination Wedding Specialist will help the couple navigate through the Destination Wedding planning process. A specialist will have experience with the legal requirements for specific destinations, location information, and information on specific resorts as well as their wedding packages and pricing. The idea is to make this a stress free process for the bride and groom.

Resorts have wedding packages in place for brides and grooms to choose from but these are also customizable. The resorts have wedding departments staffed with wedding coordinators to handle the pre-wedding details and on site coordinators to help with the wedding day activities.

Choosing the destination, the resort and securing the wedding date and time are the top three decisions to be made. Optimally, this should be handled approximately 12 months in advance to make sure they are able to secure the wedding date and time they desire.

Choosing a resort with an all inclusive package is a benefit to the bride and groom and their guests. At an all inclusive, everything is taken care of for the guests such as food, alcohol, activities and entertainment. Some resorts even offer free wedding packages to the bride and groom.

There is a value in groups and a Destination Wedding Specialist will negotiate group pricing for friends and family at the resort. Travel arrangements for all guests are handled by the specialist so that the bride and groom do not have to worry over the details.

Most resorts have photographers on staff or a list of photographers they recommend. The ability to bring your own photographer is allowed at some resorts but usually requires approval of the management.

Flowers, hair appointments, make-up assistance, spa treatments for the wedding party and private events are all options available to the couple. Many resorts even have a bride room for the bride to use for wedding preparations.

Décor for the actual ceremony varies by resort and the package chosen by the bride and groom. This can range from something rather simple to more complex décor, such as some of the pictures shown.

For more information on Destination Weddings contact Shawnee Doster, owner and Destination Wedding Specialist at Palm Travel Group in Jacksonville, FL, log onto http://palmtravelgroup.com or call (904)322-7123 to plan your romantic honeymoon or Destination Wedding.