A Destination Wedding at an All Inclusive resort can be a great way to leave the stress at home.

Unlike a traditional wedding, there is no juggling dozens of vendors (florists, caterers, bakers, photographers, etc.) along with lots of payments and deadlines.

With a Destination Wedding, you aren't obligated to invite hundreds of guests. many who you will never speak to.

At a Destination Wedding, you can spend quality time with the people who matter most, your dearest friends and family.

In short, a Destination Wedding can be a one-stop shop.

​Instead of stressing about centerpieces or favors, you can focus on what truly matters .... your better half and your guests.

Traditional Weddings are expensive. Period.
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Think about it this way: When you have a traditional "at home" wedding, you're actually having several events. You're probably planning a rehearsal dinner, the ceremony itself, a reception, a morning after brunch, a gift opening, a bridal party dinner, a parents dinner.. the list can go on and on.... On top of the wedding events, you're also dreaming of a tropical honeymoon. When you start to add up the costs for all of those "must haves," the figures can get overwhelming.

With a Destination Wedding at an All Inclusive resort property, you can SAVE MONEY by combining several events together.

You can save big time by having all of those wedding events in one spot! In just a few days, you can have a vacation, a wedding and a honeymoon, all rolled into one!

When planning a Destination Wedding, there are two costs to consider: (1) The cost of your travel and your guests travel; (2) The cost of the wedding ceremony, reception and other events.

To break it down, here's where a Destination Wedding is so affordable when compared to an "at home" wedding.

When you have an All Inclusive resort Destination Wedding, guests pay for their own travel. Guests love All-Inclusive because they only have to budget for ONE amount. Plus, if you bring enough guests and book enough rooms, you can earn FREE travel for yourself, eliminating this expense.

The best all inclusive resorts have come a LONG way with wedding packages. At the best properties, you can now purchase an affordable, inclusive package that covers almost every detail. When you work with the best properties, you can find packages that include hair styling, makeup, bouquets & boutonnieres, ceremony decor, wedding cake, a private cocktail hour, a private reception, music, photos and more.

Like any major life event, costs vary based on the simplicity (or complexity!) of the event. In the most basic form, a Destination Wedding with a handful of guests can cost anywhere from $0 (yes, free!) up to a few thousand.

A note on the word "package": don't think of "package" as a set, cookie-cutter wedding. Instead, think of a "package" as a combination of services that can be customized. When you work with the right resort and the right wedding planner, everything can be modified and customized. This is probably the single thing that separates a "good" Destination Wedding resort from a "great" one!

​The average Alpaca Your Bags Travel client has between 40-60 guests and spends between $6,000 and $12,000 on their wedding and wedding events.

The time of year has a significant impact on Destination Wedding costs, both for the couple and their guests. Throughout Mexico and the Caribbean (the most popular destinations for Weddings!), there are 3 main seasons:

Peak Season (Highest Cost): Mid-January through Easter, plus all Holiday weekends

Mid Season (Average Cost): Easter through August, early January

​Low Season (Lowest Cost): September through Early November, just before Thanksgiving

Using this information as a guide can help you plan the most cost effective time for you and your guests

For American couples, the most popular destinations for all-inclusive weddings are:

Mexico: This includes the areas of Playa Mujeres, Isla Mujeres, Cancun, Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Punta Maroma, Puerto Aventuras, Cozumel, Akumal and Tulum

Western Mexico, including Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo and Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit

Dominican Republic, including Punta Cana, La Romana and Puerto Plata

Jamaica, including Negril, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios

The Lesser Antilles Islands of the Caribbean: Saint Lucia, Barbados, Grenada

Destinations growing in popularity are:

Off-the-Beaten Path Mexico, including Isla Holbox, Huatulco

Costa Rica, particularly the Guanacaste region

An all-inclusive resort can be a fantastic setting for your Destination Wedding. Why? Guests LOVE all-inclusives because it allows them to budget for one price with no unexpected extra costs.

Today's all-inclusive resort is a far cry from the properties our parents visited. All-Inclusives can range from affordable, family friendly options to 5 Star luxury properties with all the bells and whistles. Not all resorts are created alike! An experienced travel agent can help you cut through the clutter to find the perfect property for your group.

For Destination Weddings, you can choose a Legal Ceremony or a Symbolic Ceremony.

A legal ceremony is exactly that, legally binding. A symbolic ceremony is a great workaround when the legal marriage requirements for a country are difficult or expensive to navigate.

If a legal ceremony is a must-have, we can walk you through the requirements for different countries. Some are simple (such as Jamaica), others are more challenging but not impossible.

A symbolic ceremony is a great solution when the legal requirements seem too daunting. This option will require the wedding couple to be legally married at home, either just before or just after your trip. More than 80% of destination weddings are symbolic ceremonies.

Your guests will not know the difference between a legal and a symbolic ceremony unless you tell them.

A great way to make your symbolic ceremony special is to choose a friend or family to be your officiant. This is a memorable way to make your destination wedding unique and personal. Since the ceremony is not legally binding, anyone can perform the ceremony.

The short answer? A travel advisor will negotiate perks and benefits (including FREE TRAVEL!) for you and your group.

If you DIY your destination wedding, you are probably leaving money on the table.

​An travel agent who specializes in Destination Weddings will negotiate a group contract, getting you lots of amenities and freebies for you and your guests.

At Alpaca Your Bags Travel, we have built relationships with the BEST resorts and destinations for your destination wedding. We leverage these relationships to build an amazing, unique and personalized experience for our clients.

A travel agent will also help with the nitty-gritty of planning. We will communicate with your guests, answer questions, organize payment plans, accept payments, organize travel insurance, transportation, excursions and more.

At Alpaca Your Bags Travel, we will treat your guests as if they were our own friends and family. Each and every guest is important to us, just as they are to you.

The ideal time to start planning a Destination Wedding is 10-12 months prior to your event.

This give adequate time for selecting a resort and destination, finalizing the group contract and allowing enough time for your friends and family to save for their trip.

This is an EXCELLENT question! There are many amazing travel agents who will do a great job with a vacation.

There are also agents who will do a great job with a Destination Wedding. One of my favorite parts of working in the travel industry is the amount of talent around in our field.

I believe in collaboration, not competition. There is more than enough business for all of us; travel agents should support each other and not undercut one another.

When searching for your Destination Wedding specialist, the trick is to find the perfect travel agent FOR YOU.

You are a unique couple with specific wants and needs. Since you'll be working with your travel agent for as long as 10-12 months, I advise couples to seek out the agent that is talented and experienced, but also someone who is a good personality fit.

I compare finding an agent to finding any other service provider, like a real estate agent or a hair stylist. You're going to spend a lot of time with this person. You obviously want a smart cookie, but make sure that person is someone you enjoy speaking to!

That said, I do think Alpaca Your Bags Travel is unique. I'd love to share my philosophy with you!

Here are a few specific reasons why I believe I will do the best job for your upcoming wedding:
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I was a Destination Wedding bride myself; I understand what you are going through from every angle. I know what it's like to be excited, nervous and scared all at the same time! Just like you, I also woke up at 3am and thought, "Am I really going to ask 60 people to come to Punta Cana just for ME?!" The answer is yes, I did and you will too!

I treat each and every couple like you are my own friends and family. In fact, many of my clients become friends during the planning process. I've been so excited to see wedding groups turn into family reunion groups and more. I book repeat trips for nearly all of my wedding couples.

I'm incredibly responsive, some say I'm a workaholic. I recently read an article on The Knot that shared that nearly 40% of wedding vendors do not reply to inquiries... that BLOWS MY MIND! My dedication to my clients translates to excellent service for you. If you have a question, you will absolutely know how to reach me and you'll have an idea of the response time. I do not leave people hanging.

I'm tenacious. In my former pre-travel life, I was a negotiator for several advertising firms. This led to me being very persistent with vendors and suppliers. I am not afraid to ask for off-the-shelf ideas and I'm not afraid to ask partners to go above and beyond. I strive to create lasting partnerships with my resort and wedding partners so that my clients get the best possible experience.

I love technology. Unfortunately, the travel industry can be a bit archaic. Have you ever noticed the dot matrix printer at your airport? I love to experiment with new technologies to make the process easier. I love to use things like Trello, Appy Couple, Google Docs and more to give my couples a great experience.

I'm a big ol' nerd. Hello, the name of my business is a pun! If you clicked on my website because of the name, we are probably destined to meet!

If any of this sounds good to you, it's time for us to get on the phone (or Skype, or Zoom, or Facetime!) and start talking. Click that orange button below to get started!

I'm so glad you asked! The first step is our free consultation call. There is no obligation and no fees will be collected for this conversation.

I'd love to spend 45 minutes with you (or both of you, if you're both free!) to answer any questions you might have about Destination Weddings.

On our call, I will also explain how I work, what my services include and how I can help you bring your dream wedding to life. Click that button to get started!