Photography by Junior Cruz Weddings
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DESTINATION WEDDINGS
You know you want a destination wedding (yay!). And you know you don’t want to plan it alone (double yay!).
So you know you need to hire a travel agent to help. Or is it a wedding planner you need? Or is it … someone completely different?? In the world of destination weddings, there’s a whole range of wedding pros you can hire—some more helpful than others. We know all the different terms you’ll encounter can get confusing, fast, so we’re breaking down the most common types of destination wedding planning assistance below:
Travel Agent:
A travel agent can help book you and your guests at your destination wedding resort—but that’s about it. A travel agent isn’t a destination wedding specialist; they’ll usually book any type of vacation for any client. That means they don’t have the specialized knowledge to provide you guidance on where to host your destination wedding, plus all the “insider” tips to make your experience even more special and seamless. Travel agents only book travel—they don’t help with planning the destination wedding or associated events. They typically offer their services on a complimentary basis, but because they’re operating more more like a booking “factory”—handling tons of bookings from all kinds of clients—they usually do not have the bandwidth to give a destination wedding couple and their guests the personalized attention they deserve. Resort Wedding Coordinator: When you book a destination wedding package at a resort, you’ll be assigned a resort wedding coordinator as a part of your package. This person does NOT help you or your guests book travel. And while they may do some very basic event design, they can be hard to get a hold of. Instead, their main focus is on making sure the day-of destination wedding event goes smoothly—for your vendors. They’ll be on hand to coordinate vendor arrivals and set up, a crucial job. Their primary job isn’t to make you, the couple, more comfortable—they generally do the bare minimum when it comes to making sure you’re where you're supposed to be and managing all the big emotions that bubble up on your big day. Local Wedding Planner: You could hire a wedding planner in your destination—if you do, their focus will be on bringing your specific wedding day vision to life. They can provide guidance on your wedding day design and timeline and will usually be on hand the day of for support. Because they’re specifically hired by the couple, they’re focused on making sure the couple feels comfortable and happy during the event. Keep in mind, though, that while a local wedding planner may help you determine the right resort and assist with securing your room block, they're totally hands off when it comes to actually getting your guests booked and prepared for travel. A local wedding planner works on retainer and will charge a fee for their services, which varies depending on the services provided. Destination Wedding Travel Advisor: Like a travel agent, a Destination Wedding Travel Advisor works on the travel side of things, getting you and your guests booked at the resort and arranging transportation. But there’s a BIG difference between the two: this professional is specialized, not a generalist. They focus their business on destination weddings, so they know the business inside and out. That means they can offer expert guidance on which resorts to pick, assist you with navigating your package options, and may even have cultivated personal relationships with resort staff so things run even more smoothly. Event planning isn’t a part of their role, but they’re usually able to step in if you need support here. This type of travel advisor has often earned certifications in the industry that indicate their specialization; for example, at United Travel, we hold certifications from Destination Wedding University and AIC, among others. A Destination Wedding Travel Advisor also typically charges a retainer fee for their services (unlike a more generalized Travel Agent)—this allows them to give more personalized attention to every client. Destination Wedding Architect: Okay, we’ll admit we made this “term” up … but that’s because there’s nothing really in the industry that describes this last role! There are some destination wedding specialists out there—like United Travel—who fulfill the hybrid role of being both your destination wedding travel advisor PLUS your wedding event planner (see us in action HERE). We take care of all the travel bookings for you and your guests. And we help you bring your wedding day vision to life, coordinating with vendors and your resort to make it all happen. Basically, a Wedding Day Architect builds your dream destination wedding from the ground up, offering a “one-stop shop” experience—we can even be on-site at your wedding event to offer day-of coordination! You have a single point of contact for all your destination wedding needs, whether it’s a question about floral arrangements or transfer, so your planning becomes super streamlined. Like a Destination Wedding Travel Advisor, a Destination Wedding “Architect” will charge a fee for their services, which will vary depending on the level of service a couple needs. At United Travel, we offer a range of planning services, from that of a Destination Wedding Travel Advisor all the way up to Destination Wedding “Architect”—all depending on your needs. You can check out our different tiers of service right here.
The cost of a destination wedding varies a ton—but we’re here to help you figure it all out with just a few quick questions! Take this short quiz about your destination wedding vision to find out how much you can expect to spend to bring it all to life:
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QUIZCurious how much a destination wedding costs? Take our quick quiz to find out what to expect. JOHN & JENN
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