Do I Need a Destination Wedding Travel Agent OR a Destination Wedding Planner?

Your destination wedding travel agent and destination wedding planner are generally two separate people with different jobs who work together to make your big day unforgettable.

Learn about the role each will play in your destination wedding!

You’ve decided on a destination wedding… Yay!

Planning a destination wedding or looking for destination wedding ideas? Congratulations! And welcome to Alpaca Your Bags Travel – your home for all things destination wedding ideas, logistics, travel arrangements, and advice. (And if you’re nervous about planning a destination wedding right now… I totally get the fear. But I’ve also got 10 really good reasons you should still plan a destination wedding.)

So let’s get to it!

You’re engaged (yay!) and thinking a destination wedding might be just the thing you and your partner are after. You love adventure! You want your closest friends and family to celebrate with you! You want to get married on soft-as-velvet sand with the sun dipping into the turquoise ocean behind you! 

All of that – and more – is possible. You just need the right team on your side. And chances are that team is going to include two crucial people: your destination wedding travel agent and your destination wedding planner. They might sound similar, but these are two different jobs with two different key roles in making sure your wedding day in paradise goes smoothly.

Your Destination Wedding Travel Agent

Oh, hello there… this is me! As a destination wedding travel agent, I handle all of the travel details involved in your destination wedding.

I work with wedding couples to:

• Help you choose the perfect destination wedding location based on price, climate, personal preferences, and included amenities
• Book your travel and handle all travel issues
• Negotiate with properties to get you the best deal (and sometimes awesome things like free upgrades, group incentives, and more) 
• Book your destination wedding resort
• Deal with all guest questions and travel issues
• Coordinate with the on-site wedding planner to make sure the actual ceremony is in order
• … and so much more!

Tell me more about this travel agent thing…

The beauty in working with an independent destination wedding travel agent like Alpaca Your Bags Travel is that we know the ins and outs of so many resorts! I’m not associated with a specific resort or brand, so my recommendations come from years of personal experience with locations and pairing you with the destination wedding resort that best fits your needs.

I’ve been helping couples exchange vows and celebrate their love in some of the most gorgeous spots on earth for over seven years. I know which sand is the softest, which water is the bluest, and which all-inclusive resort makes the best margarita. I also know other important things like which resorts love hosting weddings and will go above and beyond to make your day special, where you can find the best deal for your guests, and where it’s easiest to travel to from the US.

And when it comes to traveling, the last thing you want to do on your wedding weekend is worry about cousin Larry missing his connecting flight in Albuquerque, am I right? 

As your travel agent, I handle all the travel details! That means we’re in charge of chasing down guests for required payments, keeping everyone’s flight information in order, and fixing problems if they pop up. And I’m really good at solving problems. It’s kind of my superpower.

Your Destination Wedding Planner

A destination wedding planner is generally going to be an on-site, resort representative who will help you figure out all of the ceremony and day-of details.

As your destination wedding travel agent, I’ll be in touch with this planner to make sure we’re all on the same page when it comes to your arrival, room arrangements, guest travel, and departures.

Your destination wedding planner works with you to:

• Choose your décor for the ceremony and reception
• Plan your menu
• Select music and lighting
• Pick the perfect wedding cake
• Coordinate with other local vendors you may need

Destination wedding planners play an important role in putting your destination wedding ideas into action for your ceremony and reception. But please note: an on-site destination wedding planner isn’t going to help with arranging your travel, negotiating contracts, booking group rooms, or solving travel issues. 

Your destination wedding travel agent and on-site wedding planner work together behind the scenes to make sure your wedding day is everything you imagined. You need both pros on your destination wedding team!

Can I just plan my destination wedding myself?

Well… yes and no.

Technically, you can find a resort online and physically book your wedding dates on your own.

But planning a destination wedding isn’t like taking any old trip. (BTW I actually still recommend working with a travel agent for any international travel, even if it’s just a regular vacation!) 

For a wedding group, there are numerous perks and price advantages to working with a travel agent:

• We can help you get group rates, which are generally some of the best prices
• We can help you bundle in transportation so no one worries about logistics
• We can help you get benefits like free room nights (oh hey!), free upgrades and discounts on your wedding package

In addition to the financial perks, we can also help with the “what ifs?”  If you choose to not work with a destination wedding travel agent – do you know what to do when:

• Your guests don’t pay their deposits on time?
• Your flight is delayed or canceled?
• You have questions about the ceremony or reception sites at different resorts?
• Your guests are calling you the morning of your wedding asking for directions to the ceremony site?
• There’s a completely unexpected global pandemic and you have to reschedule everything? (In January 2020 I would have thought this was a gross exaggeration, but we’ve all seen how quickly everything can change!)

what kind of experience do you want to have?

Chances are, you’re choosing to plan a destination wedding because you and your fiancé want to focus on your love for each other and celebrating your commitment with your closest loved ones. You’re not usually planning a destination wedding so you can feel stressed out and overwhelmed with managing international travel arrangements for you, your partner, and 45 guests!

If you want a destination wedding location that is specifically chosen based on your needs, wants, and preferences – you’re gonna want a destination wedding travel agent!

If you want a destination wedding that is stress-free and easy – you’re gonna want a destination wedding travel agent!

If you want a destination wedding that you’ll enjoy without the fear of travel issues or global pandemics ruining your big day – you’re gonna want a wedding travel agent! 

And if you want to work with a destination wedding travel agent who is focused on getting you and your partner exactly what you want and making sure your destination wedding travel experience is unforgettable… you’re probably gonna want to book a (free!) call with me to discuss how I can help make your destination wedding travel dreams come true.

Click here to schedule a Free Planning Consultation!

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