Frequenly Asked Questions
You’ve got questions.
Our travel pros have answers.
Your destination wedding travel agent and destination wedding planner are generally two separate people with different jobs, and you’ll need both pros on your destination wedding team.
As your travel agent, we 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 we’re really good at solving problems. It’s kind of our superpower.)
Your destination wedding planner, on the other hand, is generally the on-site, resort representative who will help you figure out all of the ceremony and day-of details. We’ll be in touch with this planner, making sure we’re on the same page when it comes to your arrival, room arrangements, guest travel, and departures.
Both of us work together behind the scenes, making sure your wedding day is everything you imagined.
- You don’t have to juggle dozens of vendors (florists, caterers, bakers, photographers, etc.) along with the different payment methods and deadlines
- It’s a guilt-free way to chop your guest list down to a very small percentage of what it would be. You aren't obligated to invite all acquaintances and coworkers. You’re free to spend quality time with the people who matter most.
If you’d rather not stress about centerpieces or wedding favors, and instead focus on enjoying an experience with your better half and dearest loved ones, a destination wedding may be right for you.
As with any customizable experience, costs will vary.
When we discuss "packages" it’s important to remember that this does not mean some set, cookie-cutter wedding. Instead, a "package" is a combination of services that can be customized.
When you work with the right resort and the right wedding planner (we help you find them), everything can be modified and customized. Customization is the defining factor between a "good" destination wedding resort from a "great" one.
To give you an idea of cost, the average Alpaca Your Bags Travel client has between 40-60 guests and spends between $8,000 and $15,000 on their wedding and wedding events.
- 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
Depending on how much cost-effectiveness matters to you and your guests, this information can be used as a guide to help you plan the right time for you.
For American couples, the most popular destinations for all-inclusive weddings are:
Mexican Caribbean, including the areas of Playa Mujeres, Isla Mujeres, Cancún, 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
The Dominican Republic, including Punta Cana, La Romana, and Puerto Plata
Jamaica, including Negril, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios
St. Lucia + Other Caribbean Islands
Destination weddings usually come in two varieties:
- Legal ceremony
- Symbolic ceremony
A legal ceremony is, of course, legally binding. If a legal ceremony at your wedding site is a must-have for you, we can walk you through the requirements for different countries. Some are simple (such as in Jamaica). Others are more challenging – but not impossible.
In situations where a country’s legal marriage requirements seem too daunting to navigate, a symbolic ceremony is a great solution. With this option, you simply get legally married at home, either just before or just after your trip. Your guests will never know the difference – unless you tell them.
(Fun fact: More than 90% of destination weddings are symbolic ceremonies.)
A great benefit of symbolic ceremonies? Since the ceremony is not legally binding, anyone can perform the ceremony. You can choose a close friend or family member to be your officiant and make your destination wedding especially unique and personal for you.
An experienced travel agent will know exactly how to manage all of the “what ifs?” like…
- What if your guests don’t pay their deposits on time?
- What if your flight is delayed or canceled?
- What if you have questions about the ceremony or reception sites at different resorts?
- What if your guests are calling you the morning of your wedding asking for directions to the ceremony site?
- What if there’s a global pandemic and you have to reschedule everything?
A travel advisor will negotiate as many perks and benefits as possible for you and your group, getting you tons of amenities and freebies you may not have even known were possible. (Basically, if you DIY your destination wedding, there’s a greater chance of leaving money - and experiences - on the table.)
A travel agent who specializes in destination weddings works with connections it’s impossible to have on your own. 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 handles the nitty-gritty details of travel planning. We will communicate with your guests, answer questions, organize payment plans, accept payments, organize travel insurance, transportation, excursions and more.
A boutique travel agency can provide a personalized - not commercialized travel experience. 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.
Here are a few of the reasons we see most often:
You’re tired of wasting time.
You need someone to save you from the endless rabbit hole of researching a vacation. You’re ready for an expert who has already been trained in your destination, so you can cut through the junk and get exactly what you want.
You need expert help with the fine print.
A skilled travel agent knows the right questions to ask. They can help you make sure you’re not signing up for an overly attractive bad “deal.”
You don’t want to risk buyer’s remorse.
Travel agents have endless resources at their fingertips to answer any question you might have. Trust me, we’ve heard it all. Agents network and share resources. If we don’t know an answer, we will find someone who does so you go into your booking fully informed.
The ideal time to begin is 14-16 months prior to your event.
This not only gives us adequate time to select a resort and destination and finalize the group contract, but it also affords your friends and family enough time to plan and save for their trip.
Okay, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: those so-called “no-fee” services from big-box travel booking agencies. (You’ve probably seen a few of them.)
Here’s their secret: They’re less like travel agents and more like salespeople, focused on pushing high-commission resorts to A LOT of people. It's a churn-and-burn business as they’re usually working with 70-100 couples at a time for commissions from resorts (whether those resorts are the best choice for their clients or not.)
We like to do things differently. (We think you deserve better.)
As a boutique agency, we accept only a limited number of couples each year and because of that, we’re able to provide an extremely hands-on service.
We’ll answer your questions in a timely manner, do our best to honor special requests, and give you honest advice. It's an entirely different experience – and, according to our couples, worth every penny.
I'm so glad you asked! The first step is our process includes a free, no-pressure consultation call. There is no obligation and no fees will be collected for this conversation.
During this call, I can answer any questions you might have about our travel planning process. All you have to do is book your call to get started.
Book my consult
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