Resort Town

Ideas & Inspiration

Resort Town

Elisha Davis originally planned to get married close to home in Phoenix, but after some research, she realized that meant at least a $10,000 budget. The cost, and the fact that the bride and groom’s families lived on opposite coasts, making travel unavoidable, led her to a different option: Jamaica. Now she’s getting married at the Riu Ocho Rios resort on the lush, fern-covered north shore of the island—for half the price. “It’s going to be an incredible day for us and our guests,” she says.

Cost considerations
With fuel costs increasing and the dollar diminishing, a luxury destination wedding might not sound as feasible as one at home, but in fact, weddings abroad are often less expensive.
Food, drinks and venue costs make up a large part of most wedding budgets, but when you have your wedding at an all-inclusive resort, these costs are built into the rates both you and your guests pay. This means you don’t end up paying for everyone’s meals; when five or more rooms are booked, most all-inclusive resorts also provide a free wedding and sometimes a free reception.

While couples are only expected to pay their own way, many choose to treat guests to a rehearsal dinner, as well as to one or two thank-you meals, such as a post-wedding day brunch or a welcome dinner when everyone arrives. Besides finding discounted group airfares and room rates, a good travel agency with experience in destination weddings can arrange these other activities as well.

And spending less money does not mean you have to sacrifice luxury. Rather, having a destination wedding means being taken care of—whether you’re getting a facial at the resort spa or dozing on warm white sands while someone else worries about the wedding details for you.