Before we hop into my story – there are two major items you need to check off after your fiance pops the question.The first is selecting your venue and the second is setting the date. As the wedding industry continues to become more competitive, these two steps have become interdependent. Some couples book their venues more than a year in advance!! So, my advice is to select your season, general vicinity and venue style first rather than becoming tied to a specific date and venue. This allows you to be more flexible and find the perfect combination to arrive at your final venue and date.
So, after finding the “perfect” venue four or five times but becoming discouraged because the date or price point wasn’t right, I just about gave up and decided on going to the courthouse. Not that this is a bad idea at all, I’ve seen some gorgeous and memorable courthouse weddings recently, but it wouldn’t exactly accommodate our 200+ family and friends in the local area.
During a bridal show, I met a travel agent who informed me about the advantages of a destination wedding: 1) Less Expensive 2) Gorgeous Weather 3) Beautiful Backdrop and did I mention 4) Less Expensive? I tossed and turned for about a week, debating whether or not we should do a local or destination wedding.
After looking at the numbers again and talking with key family members to ensure they would be up to it, I decided that we would get married at the Dreams Cancun Riviera Resort & Spa in Mexico!!
What really sold me were the amount of rental options including acrylic tables, chandeliers and ghost chairs. I also love the natural backdrop and the variety in ceremony and reception locations. Destination weddings also come with other bonus items like a steel drum band, flamethrowers and even fireworks at reasonable price tags. We can also make a full weekend out of it!
Although we may not have the 200+ person guest list we would have in the states, we’re looking forward to a memorable weekend with family and friends! I can’t wait to share the fun designs (like this inspiration board) I’m dreaming up along with the wonderful team at Taylor + Hov events in the upcoming months. You can follow more of my pre-wedding meetings on my Instagram handle @SuitsandSequins.
*Images courtesy of Dreams Resorts*
