Legal Ceremony
A legally recognized destination wedding may require specific documents, translations, witnesses, residency periods and local government procedures. Check our Wedding Requirements page for specific requirements in each destination.
Destination Wedding Planning
Destination Wedding Planning Guide
From choosing the destination to selecting the resort, guest rooms and wedding style, we'll help you think through the decisions that make your celebration work.
Start With These Decisions
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Choose your destination
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Set your wedding date
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Estimate your guest count
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Compare all-inclusive resorts
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Plan guest travel and activities
Before You Book
Start With the Big Picture
Destination weddings can be surprisingly simple when the major decisions are made in the right order.
Picture the wedding you want, think about who will be traveling with you, and then compare destinations and resorts that match that vision. Planning early gives you more options and gives your guests more time to organize their travel.
Ready to Get Started?
Speak with a Destination Wedding Specialist about resorts, group rooms and guest travel.
Request Wedding InformationLegal vs. Symbolic Ceremony
There is a big difference between Legal and Symbolic Ceremonies.
Symbolic Ceremony
Complete the legal marriage in your home country before you leave. A Symbolic Ceremony is a stress free symbolic exchange of vows abroad without residency or translation red tape.
Step 1
Start Planning Early
You have decided to have a destination wedding and may be wondering where to begin. Start by picturing your dream wedding and thinking about the destinations you have always wanted to visit.
Research the destination, speak with your travel consultant and compare resort options. Consider airport distance, seasonal weather, room choices and what each resort includes.
Next, choose your wedding date. Avoiding major holidays and peak travel periods may help reduce travel costs.
Think about where your guests are traveling from and their approximate budgets. Caribbean destinations may work well for many East Coast travelers, while Mexico offers a variety of options from the Riviera Maya to Los Cabos.
Planning early gives you and your guests more time to reserve the resort and travel arrangements that work best for everyone.
Step 2
Decide What Kind of Wedding You Want
Choosing the destination is important, but so is deciding what type of celebration feels right to you.
Are you planning a casual beach ceremony, a formal event or something in between? Will it be an intimate wedding or a larger gathering?
Also decide whether children will be invited or if you prefer an adults-only celebration. These choices can significantly narrow down which resorts fit your plans.
Step 3
Choose the Right Resort
Your resort affects everything from guest experience and room pricing to the ceremony and reception.
Wedding Experience
Select a resort experienced in hosting weddings and capable of coordinating ceremony and reception details.
What's Included?
All-inclusive resorts generally include meals and beverages, which can make the guest experience and budgeting simpler.
Know the Age Policy
Some resorts are adults-only or couples-only. If children are invited, make sure the resort welcomes guests of all ages.
Guest Travel
Customize the Wedding Travel Package
All Inclusive Resorts can help organize resort accommodations, airfare and airport transfers for your guests while your dedicated travel specialist assists throughout the planning process.
Finishing Touches
Create a Wedding Weekend Itinerary
Share arrival information, excursions, spa appointments, welcome events, wedding details, reception information and other scheduled activities so guests know what to expect throughout the trip.
Why Destination Weddings?
Why a Destination Wedding May Be the Right Choice
Less Stressful
Many resorts have on-site wedding coordinators and established wedding packages that can simplify ceremony and reception planning.
Cost Effective
A destination wedding can combine the celebration and honeymoon while keeping much of the experience at one resort.
More Time Together
Instead of seeing guests for only a few hours, spend several days relaxing and reconnecting with friends and family.
A Setting You'll Remember
Celebrate against real beaches, tropical gardens and Caribbean or Mexico scenery instead of recreating that atmosphere at home.
Start Planning
Ready to Plan Your Destination Wedding?
Tell us about your wedding and let an AllInclusiveResorts.com Destination Wedding Specialist help compare resorts, guest accommodations and travel options.