7 Pros to an All Inclusive Destination Wedding

The reactions from friends and family in response to telling them you’re doing a destination wedding is like plucking a duck from the Duck Pond game at an amusement park. You don’t know what they’re going to say, and sometimes, the reactions aren’t exactly “winners.”

Let me start by saying that for our destination wedding, we knew people weren’t going to come before we ever even made a guest list. What we didn’t know, was that people would actually think that we’d be offended by them turning it down.  People–if someone is gutsy enough to have a destination wedding, they are (or SHOULD be) willing to hear the words, “we won’t be able to make it.” And it’s totally fine.

I am NOT saying that destination weddings are for every couple. Also, I am NOT saying that destination weddings are better than traditional at-home weddings. What I am saying is that it seems as though some people think ‘destination wedding’ and the thoughts of less elegant, more expensive, no planning, and confusion all float into their heads. For our wedding, I think we proved this to be so far from true, seeing as though we somehow had seventy friends and family with us at ours in the Dominican Republic in April 2014!

..Drum roll..

7. Guests can swim in the pool (or the ocean) until 4pm on the day of the wedding.

How many weddings have you been to where you are in the pool or at the beach until 4pm on the day of the wedding? None – unless you’ve been to a destination wedding.  Females can attest to this more, as I don’t know the last wedding I went to where I didn’t have to get up early to get ready, and drive to somewhere for the ceremony. This is also under the assumption that you would want an evening ceremony, which you most likely would, since the sun/heat would be brutal at high noon.  Point being, if I were the guest, I’d rather sit in the pool until 4pm, go to my room to get ready, and walk less than 5 minutes to the ceremony. How could you not agree?

 

6. You get to see AND talk to the people at your wedding.

How many weddings have you been to where you’re lucky if you got to say even a handful of sentences to the bride and groom on their big day? Whoever started the unwritten rule that the bride and groom need to walk around to all of the tables – bah humbug.  We didn’t do it. We didn’t have to. We spent a week with our friends and family that traveled far and wide (and who would have traveled far and wide even if the wedding was in PA). I’ve heard so many couples say that the reception went “SO FAST” due to “having to walk around to tables all night.” Of COURSE you want to talk to your dear friends and family. It just.. shouldn’t feel forced?..

5. You don’t have to have a rehearsal dinner.  Unless by choice.

No one will care that you didn’t have one. Well, let’s face it – Rehearsal dinners are nothing more than another good reason to get together with the friends and family out of town that came in for the weekend and/or for both families to get to know each other even more in anticipation of the celebration. At a destination wedding, you can eat, drink, and be merry the entire week. No Rehearsal dinner needed. Money saved for everyone. Spend it on an excursion together to Saona Island (Bachelorette Season 10) instead!

4. No one has to drive anywhere.  Unless by choice.

See #7 above for guests can stay in the pool until 4pm the day of the wedding. They don’t have to drive anywhere. They can also walk to the ceremony, since it is typically where you are staying. If the ceremony/reception is off resort, you hire someone to get your guests there.

3. No guest has to clean up or set up anything.

For us, it was included in the ‘decoration fee.’ Which was still far less than we ever would have paid in PA. I refuse to have my family or friends cleaning up when they are supposed to be having fun. Our wonderful wedding coordinator at our reception venue had everything packed up that we were taking back home with us. #amazing

Bego at Kukua Beach Club was incredible at her reception planning and styles.

2. There is no bar tab.. for ANYONE!

We are the exception to this, but this technically is another “by choice” item. We did not have our reception at our All Inclusive resort. If we had, there wouldn’t have been a dime on ANY tab, bill, etc. for alcohol for our guests. Fact:  Bar tabs are typically the largest portion of the reception bill.

1. Anything goes.

I’m pretty sure a Violinist, Fire Dancers, and Carnival service would be a ridiculous cost otherwise, at least in the United States.

It’s time to put a new spin on weddings and bring the traditions into the 21st century. What do you think? No matter what you decide to do, or where you decide to have your wedding, I can assure you one thing,  it will be beautiful. The world is your altar!