500 Wedding Ideas
How do receptions work at destination weddings?
I do not see reception costs listed for all-inclusive resort weddings (e.g. Sandals). They may say "cocktail reception for bride & groom" or "bride & groom and 2 others." How do you plan a reception at a destination?
Public Comments
- famous resorts usually have their own wedding/ party planner. if you don't see a cost listed it's probably included but any modification will require extra fee. talk to the party planner if you want to know. each place is different there is no way to tell for sure.
- An All-Inclusive resort means all food & beverages (alcoholic & non alcoholic drinks) are included in the price of the room. Be careful of the word 'semi' all inclusive in USA as due to Liability Laws, alcohol is sometimes not included in the package. The resort usually has wedding planner(s). They take care of the flowers, decorating the Gazebo/Alter, chairs, florist, officiant, music, reception decor/food/beverages. They help you with the marriage paperwork, but due to Privacy Laws you must finalize this yourself. Cocktail reception means they will provide a bottle of champagne and glasses immediately after the ceremony, but it is more as a romantic prop for pictures ... champagne on the beach!! A.I. wedding resorts are not created equal .... read the contract carefully, especially in the USA. As so many people are 'sue happy' including an open bar in the price is rare. Congratulations and Good Luck
- It's best to get in touch with someone who plans them for a living. For example, this company offers complimentary help planning destination weddings and has experience with Sandals resorts: http://www.myparadiseplanner.com/#/destination-weddings/4548735499 Usually what happens is you book your room through your destination wedding planner. Then your guests call or email and book through them as well (all of your guests need to book with your planner, not with the resorts or it could end in a disaster, trust me). Then once everyone is booked you'll have a final number for your reception. The planner will coordinate with the resort to make sure everything is in order, the prices are accurate, and nothing is missing from the package. Any problems or concerns you or the guests have go directly to the wedding planner (taking all the stress off of you and your soon-to-be bride or groom). There are other things that go on in between but that is the gist of it. Also, some planners actually come to the wedding if you'd like them to (they don't usually charge you for this either) and will help make sure it is 100% perfect. The planner is there to help you figure out specific pricing, what you do and don't need, keep everything within your budget, and make sure the resort isn't forgetting anything important. They know all the ins and outs and can make it a much smoother process. Either way it's MUCH easier to plan a destination wedding with a professional destination wedding planner.
