Suppliers Share Their Top Tips for Your Destination Wedding Couples

While there are many benefits to booking destination weddings – lucrative commission, opportunities for new clients, etc. – there are also several obstacles. Travel advisors booking this type of travel know all too well that it’s not a walk in the park. Everyone in the wedding group isn’t always easy to work with, and unexpected setbacks can pop up at any moment.

Experienced advisors know one of the most important aspects to booking destination weddings is having solid relationships in place with suppliers. Whether it’s with a destination or a resort, strong partnerships make all the difference in your clients’ special day – not to mention, it makes the process easier on you. We’ve compiled seven of the best tips from suppliers for you and your destination wedding couples.

1. “We Believe Weddings are a celebration of love. A destination wedding should be that, and also the most amazing experience for the couple and their guests. Keep the focus on that and let the experts make the whole wedding experience easy, wonderful, awesome and memorable.”
   Ambar Molina, Regional Wedding Manager – La Colección Resorts By Fiesta Americana
2. “My best advice for wedding couples is to seek guidance from a local wedding planner. They are experienced in navigating the unique challenges that come along with a Caribbean wedding, leaving the wedding party free to focus on celebrating.”
   Johanna Gonzalez, Leisure Sales Manager – Discover Puerto Rico
3. “All of our new Wedding Collections are available at our 39 all-inclusive hotels in the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America, it makes booking one a very easy process and consistent, as a one-stop shop product. So no matter where the couple wants to tie the knot, there’s a RIU in the beachfront paradise of their choice.”
   Hugo Aguilera, Director of Partner Marketing & Business Development – RIU Hotels & Resorts
4. “We have in our slogan, we create Magic, because we will go beyond to make all unique and special for each bride. The top tip is to bring ideas and we will do our best to make it magical. The best tip is to choose a dry season, so you can have more options for the ceremony, reception and cocktail, and more if you have an idea to get married at the beach or just the view to the ocean.”
   Francisco Alvarez, Regional Weddings Sales Manager America – Palladium Hotel Group
5. “When deciding on a destination, keep in mind that it must be safe and have all of the resources you need. Plan a site inspection visit to meet with your wedding coordinator and vendors, and get to know the destination and resort. Make sure the resort does not offer more than 2 weddings per day.”
   Leticia Del Rosario- Garufi, Leisure Account Director - USA – Meliá Hotels International
6. “Understand the Marriage Laws: If you’re wanting to make this ceremony official, check the laws pertaining to your particular destination. Your home country may have specific regulations regarding a particular country and won’t recognize those certificates. If you’re only doing a symbolic ceremony, you’re in the clear.”
   Loreto Lazo, Director of Romance – Iberostar Hotels & Resorts
7. “Book your wedding early for best date and venue availability, especially if you want to have your ceremony over a weekend. We suggest 12-24 months prior.”
   Gina Johnson, Senior Manager, Destination Weddings & Celebrations – Hilton, All-Inclusive

About the Author

Codie Liermann is the managing editor of The Compass. She began her career in the industry as a travel advisor prior to working as an editor. With a passion for creating valuable content for travel advisors, she aims to develop meaningful relationships with all types of travel companies in order to share their unique messages with the travel agency community.