You’re engaged and have decided you want to have a destination wedding at an all-inclusive resort. Good choice!

We love beach destination weddings in Mexico and the Caribbean because they’re fun, gorgeous and super affordable!

Here are 5 things to consider when choosing an all-inclusive resort for your destination wedding:

VENUE

Close your eyes. What do you envision for your wedding ceremony? Toes in the sand on the beach? A secluded garden gazebo? A sky terrace overlooking the ocean? A Catholic chapel? A platform over a pool? Also envision your wedding dress. Do you want to wear heels?

Your vision for your ceremony will influence your choice since not all resorts have sky terraces or Catholic chapels.

NUMBER OF GUESTS

Do you plan on having an intimate wedding with just a handful of guests? Or are you going to have a huge bash with 100+ guests? Come up with your wedding guest list. We find usually 50-70% of your invited guests will actually attend your destination wedding. It’s important that you choose a resort that can accommodate everyone. Your guest list will also greatly affect how much your wedding costs. More on that next.

YOUR WEDDING BUDGET

Good news: a wedding at an all-inclusive resort will be a fraction of the cost if you got married at home. Your money goes a long way at resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean. Not to mention you don’t need tons of décor since you’re getting married in paradise!

Most all-inclusive resorts have affordable wedding packages that include a specific number of guests (usually between 20-30). Once you go above that number there is an additional cost per guest. Some resorts are much easier on the pocketbook than others when it comes to large guestlists. It’s important to have an idea of how many people will attend before selecting your resort so you can stay on budget.

YOUR GUESTS’ TRAVEL BUDGET

This is one of the most important things to consider when choosing your resort. Can your friends and family afford to attend? You can help ease their financial burden by choosing an affordable resort in a destination that’s easy to reach. I mean, we’d all love to get married in Bora Bora, but unless your guests have $10,000 and a full week to travel, that’s probably not going to happen. Avoiding peak travel seasons such as spring break and festive season will also help keep travel costs down.

OVERALL RESORT VIBE

What kind of resort matches your personality? Do you plan to invite kids? Will your guests be upset if they can’t get premium alcohol at the resort? How do you feel about resort wristbands? Do you want a party resort or a boutique, quiet resort? It’s important to choose an all-inclusive resort that will WOW your guests, while also staying on budget and offering your ideal wedding venue.

Sound overwhelming? Not sure how you figure out which resort is best for you? No worries, that’s what I’m here for! As an all-inclusive resort specialist and Certified Destination Wedding Expert, I can help you narrow down your ideal resort options. Schedule your complimentary destination wedding consultation phone call with me today and let’s get your dream destination wedding planning underway!

Need convincing a destination wedding is for you?

Check out these 7 reasons to have a destination wedding! After reading this list, who wouldn’t want to get married in paradise?

BONUS CONTENT

Ready to dig even further into finding your perfect resort? Check out our free guidebook to finding your perfect wedding destination, resort and venue.