Destination Wedding FAQ's
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions. Please review these all along with the destination wedding page and then book a call at a time that is suitable for you!
1) We are considering a destination wedding and we want to work with someone who is experienced. What can you offer us?
A little bit of history about me… I was a destination bride in 2013 before I became a travel agent. My husband and I got married at Dreams Puerto Vallarta (now it’s Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta) and had a beautiful wedding with 36 of our closest family and friends. Two years later I decided I want to join the travel industry and become a travel agent. Since then I focus my business on groups, destination weddings, and all inclusive vacations. I have finessed my process over the past 9 years and found the best way to manage groups. For the 24'-25' wedding season I have 12 different wedding & leisure groups booked, and counting! I bring a wealth of knowledge to the table since I have experience from both the bride and agent’s perspective.
2) What fees do you charge to help plan our destination wedding?
Planning, researching, and booking a destination wedding takes a lot of time and effort. For this reason, I have implemented a non-refundable Plan-to-Wed fee for new destination weddings & inquiries. Please call to discuss your wedding plans, and after our initial consultation if you wish to proceed with hiring me for your group needs I can present these fees to you at the end of the call along with the next steps.
3) What is the first step when trying to plan a destination wedding? We don’t know where to begin!
The first step is to narrow down your destination, and secondly filter through hundreds of resorts in each destination. Trying to do this on your own would be nearly impossible! Thankfully I have a lot of experience with groups and weddings and have been to all of these destinations myself so I can help qualify you and work through the questions to help decide the best destination/resort for you. This is easiest to do over the phone, as there are a LOT of factors to consider when choosing a destination. Once I have qualified you, I will typically suggest 2-3 resorts that I think fit your wishlist and budget and are catered to YOU. Once you’ve taken the time to review those resorts, I will ask that you narrow it down to 1 (2 max) and then we proceed with the next steps.
4) We researched your suggestions and have narrowed it down to our favorite resort. What’s next?
I will request group quotes from the major suppliers (Sunwing, WestJet Vacations or the hotel direct) to ensure we get the best rate possible. I will then present the quotes to you in a full contract with the deposit deadline, final payment deadline, and all of the terms and conditions. The rates we get from the tour operators are the same for all agents, and typically all agents have a similar mark-up (commission) for groups. Meaning it’s better to find an agent you trust and want to work with, and be open and honest with them about what you like or dislike about the options presented. Communication and honesty is key!
5) We like the quote and want to move forward. How does this work?
Once you’re happy with a group quote, we need to secure a wedding date with the resort first. I will do this on your behalf and reach out to the wedding coordinator at the resort, and check on availability for your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice for dates. Once the resort has confirmed that a specific date is held for you there could be a fee to secure the date (terms vary from resort to resort), and I will arrange that between yourself and the resort. Once the date is booked/confirmed I will get you in touch with the on-site wedding coordinator at the resort via email and you will work together to plan the wedding package details. At this point you would sign the group contract electronically and send it back to me.
This is also the point where I create a Google Form for your group, which acts as a "save the date" for your guests, and allows us to gauge the interest of your group. The responses will be saved in a spreadsheet that you will have access to so we get the most accurate idea of how many rooms to hold and which categories interest people most. Here is an example.
6) We have a wedding date booked and we signed the contract- what happens at this point?
I will collect your non-refundable deposit of $300 each and your booking information using my online form, and request the group seats from the tour operator. Usually it takes 1-3 business days to get a group booking number from the supplier. You will be able to hold 30-40 seats for 90 days with just your 2 deposits. This gives us time to get the information out to your guests, and gives them a chance to decide if they want to book in with a deposit or not.
7) How do we get this information out to our wedding guests?
I will design a custom wedding invite for your group specifically. It will be a double-sided postcard style invite with all of the details about the resort, pricing, dates, and my contact information. I will print 50 of these invites free of charge, your only responsibility will be to mail them out to your guests. I also send you a digital copy of the invite in .jpg and PDF formats so you can send it to your guests many different ways. Check out many examples on the destination wedding page.
8) What happens when our guests want to book into our group?
The QR code will link to a 4-6 page PDF prepared just for your group. It will have ALL of the details about the booking, as well as the terms and conditions, and a link back to the online booking form where they can submit their information when they are ready to book. Their deposit will also be $300 per person to book in to the group. I take care of all payments, invoicing, requests, and answer any questions your guests might have. I will track everything in a spreadsheet and update you on total numbers as the deposit deadline draws near.
9) What happens if people want to join and they live in a different city from us?
They would still inquire with me via email or phone, and I would pull a group rate for them to join your group and fly from their city. If the group rate happens to be higher than the online rate at that given time then I can simply book them at the online rate (outside of the group) if the difference was substantial.
10) When will everyone have to pay in full? When will you send everyone their edocs?
Final payment is typically 90 days prior to departure (a reminder email is sent 2 weeks in advance), and edocs are sent out 21-28 days prior to departure provided full payment on the group has been made. Your guests can also make additional payments prior to final payment if they would like to do so- they simply need to send me an email.
11) I heard about other couples getting group credits or free trips, is this true?
Yes, there are typically free passenger credits available to the bride and groom if certain minimums are reached. The amount of these credits and how many guests that are needed to achieve these credits will change from resort to resort and also change based on the time of year. Free passengers typically still have to pay taxes and fees. The details of the credit you’re entitled to will be outlined on your contract, and the exact amount will be calculated by the tour operator AFTER all of your guests have paid in full. The discount will then be taken off your final invoice and you will pay the outstanding balance.
12) How many people do we need (minimum) to have a destination wedding? What if we end up with more than 30/40?
You need at least 10 people traveling on the same itinerary to the same resort to have a group. Sunwing lets you “grow your group” at the existing rates to 50 guests provided they still have space at the hotel and on the plane. WestJet honors the original rate for up to 40 guests. Anyone that joins beyond the 40 would need to be quoted at the time they inquire.
13) What happens to the extra seats we held if we don’t get 30/40 guests booked into our group?
After the 90 days are up, any seats that haven’t been claimed by a deposit would be released back to the tour operator at no cost to you.
14) How far in advance should we plan our destination wedding?
As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to plan 9-12 months in advance. Planning any further out makes it more difficult to secure pricing from the tour operators (they can send requests to a costing team to quote out-of-scope groups as far as 18 months in advance, but sometimes those rates can be quite high). The best tax saving promotions are usually released in February - April for the following winter.
15) Do you have any tips when deciding a wedding date?
Flexibility is key, and have a realistic budget. Most destination weddings cost on average $2,400 per adult with many being higher than that. You get what you pay for! Keep in mind that most of your guests would rather spend a little extra $ and have an amazing week, than to get the cheapest resort and suffer through their holiday.
If you are looking for the most affordable time to go, then consider November or December (before Christmas break). The next most affordable time to travel would be January. February/March/April are typically similarly priced, yet more expensive than January. Winning out for the MOST expensive time to travel is Christmas, New Years, and school breaks which are typically double in price compared to the rates in November/ early December.
16) This information has been so helpful. How do we contact you to get started?
The best way to qualify you and narrow down options is to book a call with Ashley. Use the link below and book a time (and type of call) that works for you. Include in the notes that your call is about a Destination Wedding. You will be able to choose from a traditional phone call, or Zoom. Alternatively you can message my page or email me at ashley@doelltravel.com