By Kim Goldstein

Selecting the perfect honeymoon or destination wedding location is a big job.  After spending hours looking at gorgeous pictures with beautiful suites, private pools and butler service, how does one decide what works best for them?

The most important details to focus on are what is most important to you and your fiancé.  You should discuss how you expect your honeymoon or destination wedding to go.  You need to start with a general idea of a budget, room expectations, and dates of travel.

Honeymoons

While each resort and couple is different, there are some resorts that are perfect for honeymoons.  Most honeymooners are selecting an adults-only/couples only all-inclusive resort.  So many all-inclusive resorts are now focused on the luxurious, romantic experience, which means there are a lot of resorts to choose from.  Some of the most popular honeymoon resorts are Sandals LaSource Grenada, El Dorado Casitas, Sandals Regency La Toc, and El Dorado Maroma.  These resorts exemplify the romantic vibe that most couples are looking for during their honeymoon.

Sandals LaSource Grenada and Sandals Regency La Toc are couples only resorts located in Grenada and St. Lucia.  Sandals Resorts is the industry leader in honeymoons.  Their resorts feature a variety of room categories, complimentary honeymoon amenities, butler service in certain room categories, and gorgeous rooms and suites to fit every couples’ taste and budget.  Many of the rooms include private pools and seclusion, which is perfect for honeymooners.  The luxury package not only features all food, drinks, airport transfers, resort activities, but also a full water sports area including stand up paddle board, kayaks, snorkel, and scuba.

 

El Dorado Casitas and El Dorado Maroma are very unique yet authentic Mexican resorts located in Riviera Maya, Mexico just outside of Cancun.  El Dorado Casitas has large, round suites featuring an outdoor shower, Jacuzzi tub, and some feature infinity pools.  Each room comes with concierge service to assist with every need, and the quality of food at El Dorado Resorts is top notch!

At El Dorado Maroma, honeymooners can experience the Palafitos, which are over the water bungalows, in the ultimate luxury without the long flights.  These suites feature a glass bottom floor, private infinity pool, private butler, outdoor shower, and indoor Jacuzzi overlooking the beautiful Maroma Beach.  Guests of the Palafitos can also use the over the water spa and restaurant.

Destination Weddings

Destination Weddings

When looking for destination wedding locations, the main focus should be selecting a resort that meets your expectations but is also easy to get to and reasonably priced.  Most couples select a resort in Jamaica or Mexico for these reasons.  Many resort chains feature complimentary wedding packages with significant bonuses for the number of rooms filled, such as a complimentary room and/or upgrade for the bride and groom.  In addition to that, many resorts will also give you a complimentary private cocktail party and dinner depending on the number of rooms you fill.  Many couples end up spending less than $5,000 on their entire wedding if they bring lots of friends and family with them to celebrate.

The wedding packages by the resorts are often created by celebrity wedding designers, such as Colin Cowie for Hard Rock All Inclusive, which feature many different wedding designs including Indian wedding packages to make planning simple and fun!  If you’re the type of couple who wants a gorgeous wedding without spending hours on planning and tons of money, then you should definitely consider a destination wedding.

Destination Weddings
El Dorado Casitas Royale

A travel agent can assist you with all of the components of your trip from selecting the destination, booking the airfare, arranging the ground transfers, and obtaining travel insurance, not to mention assisting with the extras like booking tours, private candlelight dinners, and spa appointments.  Most travel agents don’t charge fees to book, so you won’t pay any more than you see online!

Certified Destination Wedding and Honeymoon Specialists spend countless hours researching, training, and visiting destinations, so that they can best understand which client is the best fit for them.  They may even meet with the General Managers to establish a rapport with them to ensure that each guest has a flawless vacation.  This helps ensure that YOU receive the best service when on property!

Destination Weddings
El Dorado Casitas Royale

So, pack your bags and grab your passports, we’ve got a honeymoon or destination wedding to plan!

Kim Goldstein is a certified destination wedding & honeymoon specialist at Journeys Inc. To learn more about how she can help plan your dream honeymoon or destination wedding, please visit www.kimgoldstein.com.