How did you come to decide on your wedding date? Is there meaning behind it?
We decided that a destination wedding would be more appealing during winter months so our friends and family could escape a very cold Chicago. December 5th happened to be the day we first met (in 2012), and we loved that we could make it our official anniversary and celebrate with sunshine.
 
Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges?
We booked our wedding without seeing the resort in person, which was a huge leap of faith!  Because of this, we leaned heavily on the wedding coordinators based in Miami to give guidance and advice from previous Hard Rock weddings. The only challenges we faced were due to the changes put in place due to Covid-19.  We had originally wanted a buffet meal at the reception, but for safety we had to choose plated.  It actually made a lot of decisions easier because we only had 1 option instead of many (I suffer from analysis paralysis). A month before the wedding, the Miami coordinator transitioned us over to the wedding coordinators onsite in Cabo to finalize it all before our arrival.

Describe the booking process for your guests. Did they find that to be easy to navigate?
We sent our save the dates with information about our wedding website about 11 months prior to our wedding to encourage early booking and direct guests to the FAQ page.  Having all the information online (with our catchy domain/website name) made it so seamless to book, or at least bookmark the page until they were ready to book.
 
What were some of your biggest fears or things you worried about as your wedding date drew near? How did you get through this?
As our wedding date began to approach, the US was seeing rises in Covid-19 cases.  We had already lost a good number of guests because of the uncertainty of travel, and we wanted to ensure that it was indeed safe to travel while communicating to our guests that we were continuing on with our wedding as planned. The key to getting through it was continuing to email our guests our intentions, any research or data we had come across to highlight the safety protocols taken by airlines and the hotel and assure them we understood if they needed to cancel.  Luckily, we ended up with a solid group of 48 people!
 
Describe the meeting you had with the onsite wedding team when you arrived at the resort.
No detail was overlooked in the wedding process, and I was confident our onsite meeting would be seamless – and it was!  We arrived later in the evening, so our wedding coordinator planned a morning meeting with us the day after we checked in. They put up a picture and welcome note to us on their huge lobby projector when we showed up for the meeting. It was so thoughtful! 

We showed the coordinator all of the décor we brought from home: table numbers, placecards, frames, and other items for the reception.  I hadn’t had room for a gift/card box and they told me they could bring one for me – a relief! Then we ran through every detail with timing for our welcome party, ceremony, and reception. This gave us an accurate timeline to reflect back to our wedding party. Finally, we walked through each venue booked for welcome party, ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception.  Although I’d been curious enough to go check out the venues the evening we arrived, it was nice to walk through with the coordinator to know where the tables would be situated, which angle our ceremony would face in the garden, and that the grass would be watered and maintained before wedding day.
 
Were your guests wowed by the resort and the all-inclusive concept? What was their reaction upon arrival?
We had a mix of guests who had either never been to a Hard Rock resort (us included!) or an all-inclusive resort in general, so we were excited and a little anxious to hear everyone’s experience – especially knowing there were some restrictions in place due to Covid.  Every single guest raved about the resort. The food was delicious (and plentiful! Portions were not small). There were several restaurants at the resort plus unlimited in-room dining.  The swim up bars were closed at the pools but this didn’t affect anyone’s experience.  Masked and gloved servers everywhere taking your order and bringing to you directly in the pool.
 
How easy/difficult was it to travel with your wedding dress? Did you carry-it on, where did you store it? Did you get a lot of comments at the airport?
A friend of mine who had a destination wedding asked me how I planned to tote my dress to the wedding.  I hadn’t thought of it prior and just planned to bring the dress in the bag it came with, but she assured me I wanted something sturdier and let me borrow her dress bag. It folded up and was able to fit atop the carry-on bags in the overhead compartment on the plane, and I carried it like a duffel through the airport.  Since the bag was pretty inconspicuous, I actually didn’t garner any comments or attention at the airport – which I preferred!
 
Tell us about your wedding – did you have a traditional wedding with a cocktail hour, dinner reception and dance? What was different about a destination wedding compared to a wedding at home?
We chose a destination wedding for it to be a little less traditional than a wedding we’d host at home, but we still ended up with a pretty standard cadence of events on our wedding day.  Our ceremony was officiated by my husband’s father, lasted no more than 15-20 minutes, and we used music from Spotify for it all (low key!). After the reception, our guests were led up to our reception location for a cocktail hour with light appetizers. After that, the bridal party entered, we cut our cake, and were served dinner with speeches in between each course. Our wedding coordinator was insistent that we wait until sunset to start our first dance, so the dinner portion felt like it lasted quite a while but as soon as the dancing started – it never stopped!  We had no formal events or activities as soon as dancing started (no bouquet toss, garter toss, etc), but ended the night with a whole-group karaoke session which was the most memorable part of our whole wedding.
 
What was the best part of having a destination wedding?
This is a big question! Our original hopes for a destination wedding would be that it provided a vacation/relaxed feel for our friends any family.  Because so many people hadn’t traveled in 2020, it was even more appreciated, celebrated, and relaxed! The only real requirements for our guests were to attend our welcome party and reception, but the rest of their trip was completely up to how they wanted to spend time in Cabo!
 
In what ways did Romance Travel Group make the planning less stressful for you?
All of the travel details!  I used to manage travel for consultants at work and I know the tedious nature of collecting information, sending updates, and orchestrating all the fine details.  Shelli and Heather were incredible through the whole process from information gathering, sharing pictures and videos of resorts, communicating with our guests, and even troubleshooting flight discrepancies while we were all at the resort.  They mail every guest a packet of travel documents before the trip with advice for packing, tipping, etc.  It was wildly helpful and really helped everyone focus on having FUN!
 
What would you do differently? What advice would you give to couples just starting the planning process?
I wouldn’t change a single decision!  Both Romance Travel Group and our wedding coordinators through the hotel made the selection process easy.  We didn’t have to “shop around” for vendors and negotiate contracts, nor did we have to spend time on a bunch of calls with separate vendors.  If you want a chill/lowkey wedding, this is the way to go.  And if you want an extravagant wedding, this is also the way to go!  The options are endless and it’ll always be beautifully handled no matter what you choose.

Why Romance Travel Group?
Our original wedding date was set for June 11, 2020. We had been planning our destination wedding since November 2019 with another travel agency. We had a terrible experience and I had felt as though I was basically planning the travel on my own. When we had to cancel the first date due to COVID, I knew I wanted to go another direction with my travel agent. When we began to replan for our second date, I researched online for a travel agent that would be suited for us. I came across Romance Travel Group on the wedding website theknot.com and it was clear they would be the perfect fit! I received quick responses from them and was set up with my amazing travel agent, Ashley Jackson.
 
Why a destination wedding?
Steven and I had talked about what wedding we wanted before we even got engaged. We both disliked that with traditional weddings, the focus is mostly on the guests and worrying with what they want. For us, it was especially important that our big day was about what he and I wanted every step of the way. So, we decided a destination wedding with our closest friends and family was perfect! 
 
Biggest fears about a destination wedding?
Steven and I had never flown internationally so our biggest concern was the logistics. Will our wedding be legal in the US, can I transport my wedding dress and decor safely, will we find a resort we feel safe at, etc. Then COVID happened and everything changed. Countries began implementing travel restrictions and had requirements of paperwork to do before traveling. Jamaica was no exception! The process was stressful but thanks to Ashley, we were able to enter the country safely and have the wedding of our dreams! 
 
Wedding coordinator at the resort?
For anyone planning a destination wedding I absolutely recommend Sandals resorts. I worked with a wedding planner remotely leading up to the wedding where I was able to detail exactly what I was looking for. Once we arrived on site with met with our wedding coordinator who was a dream come true! She walked us to our locations, discussed all our concerns, and went through every detail of wedding day. On the day of the wedding she was there the entire day, from starting our hair and makeup at 10am until after the reception ended at 8pm. She was there to pour us mimosas during our spa time and even helped carry my wedding dress train to the ceremony and reception areas (which were a bit of a walk between). She handled every detail of our big day flawlessly and I can’t say enough how thankful I was to have her! There were a few hiccups, but I never knew about them because she handled it all with ease.
 
Booking process for guests?
Firstly, I would like to say that thanks to my travel agent, Ashley, I was able to have the wedding of my dreams! Without her this would not have been possible. She helped Steven and I, and our ten guests book their rooms and flights with ease. She provided charts with room options and pricing so each person could choose a room that fit their needs. She also kept me updated on who had booked and who she was still waiting to hear from. Everyone was appreciative for her prompt responses, as we were all rebooking this trip due to COVID and it was exceedingly difficult for everyone to get ahold of our previous travel agent even before COVID. Ashley gave everyone tremendous customer service and made each person feel like they were her only client. Not only this, but Ashley was able to get everyone room upgrades because we had to change resorts three weeks before the wedding due to COVID as well. I can’t speak highly enough of her!
 
Biggest fears as wedding date drew near?
All my fears were COVID related, as the date drew nearer Jamaica began requiring new documentation and approval to enter the country. Each person had to be COVID tested within a certain amount of days before arrival and an online travel authorization form filled out. Once that was received, Jamaica would approve each person to enter the country. This was the most stressful part of the experience, as I felt responsible for all 12 people in my party. Once again, Ashley went above and beyond to relieve my fears. She spent countless hours on the phone with the Jamaican board of travel, even having multiple calls the day before our arrival to ensure our groups paperwork was all clear. I can’t say enough that without Ashley this wedding trip would not have been possible!
 
Guests wowed by all inclusive?
I can speak for my husband and I, as well as each of my guests when I say Sandals Montego Bay absolutely wowed us! For most this was a first all-inclusive vacation, and it went above and beyond expectations. We were catered to from the moment we arrived to our transport back to the airport. Not only was the all-inclusive perfect for our guests, it really made our wedding day top notch. For our guests who had previously been to an all-inclusive they said confidently those other resorts did not compare to the service, food, and amenities that Sandals offered!
 
Easy/difficult traveling with wedding dress?
I fell in love with an A-line gown that had a lot of volume and a long train. As such, I knew this wouldn’t be an easy gown to travel with. I couldn’t put it in a soft garment bag because the dimensions were too big so instead, I chose to fold it and place it in a carry-on. I was terrified to check my wedding dress so for me, a carry-on was the easiest way! The airline ended up making me check the bag at the gate because the dimensions were too big, but I informed them it was my dress, and they ensured it stayed safe.
 
Did you plan traditional wedding elements?
We had a traditional wedding that would have been like one at home. Our ceremony was at an over the water chapel, followed by a cocktail hour at our reception area overlooking the ocean. After cocktail hour we had a sit-down dinner followed by drinks and dancing. The entire day was an absolute dream!
 
Best part of destination wedding?
I loved that our wedding experience wasn’t just one day, it was for a week! Our guests also had an amazing all-inclusive vacation along with attending our wedding! We created memories with friends and family that will last with us for a lifetime. If I could go back, I wouldn’t change a single thing, this destination wedding was perfect!
 
How did Romance Travel Group make everything less stressful?
Romance Travel Group, and specifically my agent Ashley made the entire experience less stressful. She was always kind and prompt with responding to me, even when my anxiety was getting the best of me. I am so thankful I chose this travel agency to plan my destination wedding as they made my perfect day possible! She handled every detail with Jamaica’s COVID travel requirements, booking my guests rooms and flights, and ensuring we had all proper documentation for travel. She did a million other things that helped take the stress off me so I could look forward to the wedding of my dreams!
 
Would you recommend Romance Travel Group?
I will ALWAYS recommend Romance Travel Group to anyone planning a destination wedding. I can’t say enough how great of an experience I had, especially in comparison to when I originally planned with another travel agent. Ashley was with me each step of the way, and even in the middle of a pandemic I had full confidence she would make our big day happen. For any brides planning a wedding during COVID, the best decision you could make is to have Romance Travel Group by your side to make your dream wedding happen! 

Congratulations, Whitley & Steven!!!

Couple:  Kelly & Nick
​Wedding Date: August 29, 2020
Resort:  Unico Riviera Maya
Photographer:  Jessica Gattone Photography
​Travel Agency:  Romance Travel Group

Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?
Romance Travel Group was referred to us from a friend who had a wonderful experience attending her brother's wedding in Mexico planned by RTG, then they utilized RTG for their own wedding which we were lucky enough to attend in the Dominican Republic. It was clear after hearing about their experience that RTG would be the right fit for us as we planned our wedding in Mexico!

What led you to choose a destination wedding?
We loved the intimate setting that the beach provides for weddings, limited decorations are needed when you have such a beautiful backdrop. We are both lovers of nature and the outdoors and couldn't think of a better place. We also have family that lives all over the U.S. so travel was going to be a part of our guest's plans regardless of where our wedding was held.

How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
When looking at resorts we knew we wanted our ceremony on the beach so we searched for a beautiful beach, which is not hard to find in Mexico! Then we knew we wanted an adult-only resort with a unique feel. We looked at several chain style resorts but wanted something one of a kind with wonderful food and expansive pools, this led us to UNICO 20 87!

Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges?
Our on-site wedding coordinator Diana was absolutely amazing! She was kind, courteous, and compassionate. She offered suggestions to make our day perfect!

Tell us about your wedding dress – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How do you feel wearing your dress?
Searching for a wedding dress was harder than I expected. I am a very indecisive person and ended up going to 9 different bridal stores before finding my dress at Bridal Aisle Boutique in Osseo, Minnesota! My sister and maid of honor were with me! Once I put the dress on, I knew!

What were some of your biggest fears or things you worried about as your wedding date drew near? How did you get through this?
Planning a destination wedding is one thing, having COVID get in the way was a whole different playing field! Our guests were checking in all the time wondering if we were still able to travel to Mexico and wondering if our wedding was still on as planned. Thankfully everything worked out in the end and we did not have to change our date, location, or details but COVID definitely added some stress to the wedding process!

Describe the meeting you had with the onsite wedding team when you arrived at the resort.
We met with Diana the day after we arrived at the resort. She was organized and walked us through everything we needed to know. We still had some decisions to make about music and she was patient with us through the process. She went through all of our details to ensure her notes were accurate then she took us on a tour and showed us exactly where everything would take place.

How easy/difficult was it to travel with your wedding dress? Did you carry-it on, where did you store it? Did you get a lot of comments at the airport?
Traveling with my dress was a piece of cake. I ordered a trifold garment bag from Amazon that fit both my dress and my husband's suit and we carried it on the plane with us. Flying Delta airlines made it easy as they were only booking 60% capacity on their flights due to COVID so we were able to lay the bag flat in the overhead bin, but they did give me the option to hang it up in first-class too. We wore the stereotypical bride and groom shirts around the airport and heard a lot of congratulations as we walked through. The flight crew on Delta also congratulated us multiple times!

What was the best part of having a destination wedding?
We loved that it gave our family and closest friends a chance to get to know one another while we spent our week in paradise. It was an overall perfect opportunity for the people we love and care about the most to talk, laugh, and relax together.

In what ways did Romance Travel Group make the planning less stressful for you?
We loved that our guests had the option to ask us questions or if they felt more comfortable they were able to reach out to RTG. It gave them away to ask questions and be reassured without having to "bug" us. Romance Travel Group also made us feel more comfortable about planning a wedding at a resort we had not been to since we did not tour UNICO prior to arriving for our wedding, it was new for us but spoken highly of by RTG which was reassuring.

Would you recommend Romance Travel Group to other couples who are considering a destination wedding?
ABSOLUTELY!

Congratulations, Kelly & Nick!!! 

Melissa & James were married at Hard Rock Vallarta!
Photo credits go to Nick Vaquerano @NickVaquerano on Instagram
​Wedding Gown from Chantilly Place in Chelmsford, MA
Travel coordination provided by Romance Travel Group

Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?
To be perfectly honest, we had no idea where to start when we started planning this. I googled “destination wedding planners” and came up to another wedding planner. I started off by saying I knew NOTHING about this but this is what I had in mind. They were super condescending and after that first call, to this moment almost two years later, still never received their quote. I didn’t need to though, I knew I didn’t want to hear back from them. Romance Travel Group was a website I had stumbled on while looking for resorts so I looked into my history to find them. That’s when I reached out and scheduled a call with Shelli. Again, I told her I knew absolutely nothing about wedding planning or destination planning and she said “that’s okay! Tell me what you want to know.” I knew then that I’d be working with her through this process.
 
Were there any objections from your wedding guests about your decision to have a destination wedding? If so, how did you handle overcome those?
Yeah, definitely. No one really *said* anything about it directly, just dealt with more “it’s so expensive” remarks. Shelli set up our website super early (August 2018 to be exact) and so when guests came to our engagement party (we invited the same people we were going to invite to our wedding) we had this whole set up talking about where to go to book. One of the biggest things I guess I didn’t realize was such a big deal until like yesterday when I went to book my cousin’s wedding was that Romance Travel Group offers you the ability to pay the wedding off slowly. From the date of our engagement party to the final payment due date, there was exactly 12 months. That was plenty of time for people to make payments. So we let everyone know that they could book online, pay a small deposit and then make monthly payments. For our loved ones that still couldn’t swing it, we just told them we totally understand and would miss them there. At the end of the day, it’s our special day and we were doing it our own special way.
 
How did you come to decide on your wedding date? Is there meaning behind it?
I honestly never thought I would choose a wedding date so close to Valentine’s Day- the 14th and my birthday- the 17th. But when we started talking about dates, James brought up that his late father’s birthday was February 15. We looked at the calendar and realized it was on a Saturday. I swear it just felt like it NEEDED to be on that day. It’ll be a little hectic for James every year around that week but I’m sure we’ll always find a way to make it special.  
 
Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges?
The coordinator at the resort was actually fantastic. Edmundo was swift, incredibly helpful, personable and just overall a pleasure to work with. I had no challenges with him. However, I did have a challenge with the person that comes before Edmundo. I don’t want to name any names so we won’t do that but there was someone who worked offsite (the first person related to the Hotel company itself that you’ll talk to.) As part of the contract with Hard Rock, we were able to use “number of room nights booked” as a benefit towards the wedding; for example: 40 room nights booked gets you a two-hour reception and then you pay for the additional hours. Well, after weeks of not hearing from the coordinator and final payment date having come and gone, I reached out to try to get the last minute details ironed out and get a total. Well, for months she quoted me that I could use 1 of my hours towards cocktail and 1 towards reception and then pay for additional hours of reception. Fantastic, right?! Not so fast- that day, she tells me she can’t honor what had been told to me for months (by her.) She ends her emails for the day saying I would have to pay out of pocket for the cocktail hour ($800) and there was nothing else she could do. Anybody who is planning a wedding knows they are counting every dollar! I was shocked! Fortunately, after pushing it up to Shelli, she escalated it to Hard Rock and they were luckily able to honor it. That whole ordeal was super super stressful so my advice to anyone doing a destination wedding and looking to take advantage of the perks: don’t delete emails.
 
Tell us about your wedding dress – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How do you feel wearing your dress?
Ah, my favorite subject! I found my dress at Chantilly Place in Chelmsford, MA. I went in with a whole different perspective of what I wanted than what I actually got. But when I put that dress on, words honestly cannot describe it. I went with my maid of honor, my mom and my aunt/godmother  My mom is probably the least emotional person in the world but when I saw her crying I knew I found the one. It’s beautiful. It flowed. It held me in where I wanted to look snatched. I felt like an angel in that dress. I actually bought extra lace and “designed” a special dress for my daughter to wear too. I don’t know that anyone even noticed it was made of the same material, but I knew and I loved it.
 
Describe the booking process for your guests. Did they find that to be easy to navigate?
It was actually really easy through the website Shelli set up for us. I mentioned this a little before and I will again now - having it go through Romance Travel Group was so much easier than the other ways we’ve seen it (having to do it directly through the hotel’s website with a block code.) Trips are a big deal and they take financial planning. Being able to make monthly payments towards it (even for the bride and groom) is so much more convenient for your pockets than having to pay it all upfront.
 
What were some of your biggest fears or things you worried about as your wedding date drew near? How did you get through this?
I think honestly my biggest fear was that the wedding was going to be too simple. We opted to go pretty simple with the decorations because it was an outdoor wedding and really what’s more beautiful than being able to see the beach and the mountains in the same view? We didn’t go crazy with the tables - white linens, white chairs and a flower centerpiece to match the colors of the bridal party. I have to say, I’m so glad I was wrong about my concerns. As simple as it was, it was absolutely perfect. The color changing columns were awesome as it got dark out. Hard Rock did an amazing job making simple look so elegant.
 
Describe the meeting you had with the onsite wedding team when you arrived at the resort.
It was pretty simple. Edmundo met us when checking in and introduced himself. We set up an appointment to meet the following day to check out the sites. The following day, we met as planned. He took us to the sites (the gazebo.. just wow.) and to the salon. He explained to us how everything would work, what time he’d come get us, our guests, and so on. It was actually pretty cut and dry. No stress there, at all.
 
Were your guests wowed by the resort and the all-inclusive concept? What was their reaction upon arrival?
Every single person who went for our event commented about how incredible of a resort it was. The food was FANTASTIC. That’s honestly not something either one of us can really say for any other resort we’ve been to. We were impressed with every single meal we had. Every restaurant was included, they didn’t try to upsell you on food when you got in which was impressive. The lobby was amazing. The memorabilia was breath-taking, the staff was so helpful. At the end of it, every person said they wanted to come back. In fact, I’m pretty sure my sister-in-law and two aunts pre-booked their next trips through the staff there. We got comments the whole next day about how fun the wedding was. Overall just so happy with the experience.
 
How easy/difficult was it to travel with your wedding dress? Did you carry-it on, where did you store it? Did you get a lot of comments at the airport?
It was actually easier than I thought. We carried it on. Once we got into the airplane, I asked the attendant at the front if I could store my dress in the closet. All four flights (two there, two home) I was told I could. So many people asked if it was our wedding and congratulated us, I loved that part.
 
What was the best part of having a destination wedding?
If I’m being honest, I think the best part of the destination wedding was the whole vacation with everyone you love. At one point the day after the wedding, everyone we love was sitting around the pool party all interacting although many of them hadn’t met until that weekend. James’ best friend was hanging out with my aunts, my childhood best friend was back around my family like time hadn’t skipped a beat. It was enjoyable to see.
 
What is your most favorite memory of your wedding experience?
Honestly all of it. I’ve gone to so many weddings and one thing I’m always told is to enjoy it because it’s gone in the blink of an eye so I did just that. At points, I sat back and watched my family dance. I also danced the night away. I watched my bridal party get ready, we popped champagne, we took pictures, we laughed and all around celebrated. I feel like I took so much of that day in that I could replay it all.
 
In what ways did Romance Travel Group make the planning less stressful for you?
Many ways. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: guests. will. appreciate. payment. plans. But besides that, having someone to escalate issues like the one I had with the Hard Rock planner was a huge help. And I think without even trying to, Shelli helped me save like $800. She sent out what I would assume was a mass email about photographers that are willing to travel to do weddings. I had no idea that was an option, I thought we had to hire the one at the resort. Because of that email, we were able to contract someone James actually knew and saved a lot in doing so. Plus, they’re my favorite pictures ever.
 
What would you do differently? What advice would you give to couples just starting the planning process?
I don’t know that I would do anything differently, but I definitely have some advice:

• Go through Romance Travel Group, trust me. It is ALWAYS better to have someone to speak up for you who has a relationship with the hotel.
• Choose the hotel/destination you fell in love with, not the one everyone else is telling you to choose. It’s YOUR day, do what YOU want with it
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions on how to save money. This is a big day and there are a lot of costs associated with it. You can make it perfect on a budget.
• Choose a centerpiece based on the design you love, not the color scheme. They can work the color scheme around what you want.
• Enjoy it. Photograph the moments leading up to it, not just the wedding. One day it’ll be a memory, make sure you can remember it.
• Most resorts give you perks if your guests book through your block. Whenever possible, help your friends and family do the math of wedding guest passes and so on so they book through your block.
• Eat. All. The. Food.

​Would you recommend Romance Travel Group to other couples who are considering a destination wedding?
Way ahead of you, I already have and will keep saying nothing but good things about you guys forever more.

Is there anything Romance Travel Group could have done to make the experience even better?
Not at all. You were so helpful throughout the entire process. Not a single regret.
​

​Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?
Romance Travel Group was recommended to me by a friend who also had a great experience.  Having a team local to MN was super helpful as well! 

How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
My (now) husband and I always knew we wanted a destination wedding so picking the resort was the hard part!  We asked Shelli for recommendations of places she or her team stayed at…as we picked our resort sight unseen!  Crazy, I know.  Our deciding factors were being a middle-of-the-road price point for our guests, family friendly and a good location. We read a TON of reviews.  The Riu Palace Cabo hit all of those notes after lots of back and forth.

What were some of your biggest fears about having a destination wedding?
Some of my biggest fears relate to the earlier question…when you plan a destination wedding you HAVE to accept from the get-go that not everyone is going to make it.  We talked to those we knew we needed there first (my grandparents, the Maids of Honor, Best Men, immediate family etc…) and once they were on board, we went full steam ahead!  There were of course a few people important to us that couldn’t make it and we knew early on we had to be good with that.  If you don’t visit your resort first (like us) there was a huge nervous factor of what if we hate it…but we still went with it.  I also brought my own stylist.  I was TOO nervous to put my hair/makeup in the hands of someone I have never met.  I also have very difficult hair and don’t wear a ton of makeup so I needed to make sure my hair/makeup and I would be on the same page on one of the best days of my life!  

Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges?
The wedding coordinator was INCREDIBLY responsive.  For our particular resort the wedding coordinator only answers a ton of your details 6 months ahead of time.  I am a big planner/organizer so that was hard for me.  However, you can ask a certain amount of questions per month before that.  I can honestly say I have ZERO complaints about our wedding coordinator at the resort.  Lupita was amazing.  She also helped advise on certain questions I had and changed our location based on our number of guests. They don’t tell you what you need to be doing every step of the way though.  You do need to be a proactive person to make it through this phase.  If you are someone who is waiting for everything to come to you first, that will not happen. Just reach out to them and they will help with everything.
 
Tell us about your wedding dress – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How do you feel wearing your dress?
Well this is such a fun and at times frustrating part I think!  I chose a dress that was (in my opinion) incredible for a destination wedding.  I would not have chosen the same dress if I was doing a church wedding in Minnesota.  One thing you HAVE to think about is a travel-friendly dress!  I went multiple times of course.  The first time I just brought my mom and sister…then I brought 4 of my best girlfriends and then the final time was my mom, sister, future sister in law and mother in law (after I narrowed it down)!  I had 2 final choices and then selected my final with my family.

Describe the booking process for your guests. Did they find that to be easy to navigate?
I think it was pretty simple!  I know Shelli reinforces this to BOOK EARLY but for some reason we had to reiterate this many times…so that part I put on my guests, no one else. aving Shelli send you everything in one form, arrange the transportation to and from the airport etc…was amazing.  Knowing we could go to her with any issues was amazing.  We were married in Cabo where the resorts are a bit of a drive from the airport so the transportation was extra helpful. 

Describe the meeting you had with the onsite wedding team when you arrived at the resort.
It was great!  We met with everyone the day after we arrived in the lobby.  We went through all of our selections, changes etc…one amazing thing about our resort was that you could change pretty much anything once you arrived.  After you see things in person it might change a few selections (other than flowers).  They were able to show us any changes they thought should be made,  etc…turns out they’ve done a wedding or two so they have great insight…and they do it without you feeling any pressure.  The biggest thing is I felt like we had someone the entire time…I knew I could ask for my coordinator and I would get a response, but they also reminded you and allowed you to have a great/relaxing time.  I should note although I’m a type A planner I was pretty laid back for my wedding, that is how I wanted it though. 

How easy/difficult was it to travel with your wedding dress? Did you carry-it on, where did you store it? Did you get a lot of comments at the airport?
My dress was very easy to travel with.  I had an extra large garment bag from my friend who had her destination wedding a few months before.  On the way down I was allowed to hang it up and on the way back they didn’t have a hanging area but they let me put it up in first class carry on that wasn’t full.  I would say telling people it was my wedding dress definitely helped. 

Tell us about your wedding – did you have a traditional wedding with a cocktail hour, dinner reception and dance? What was different about a destination wedding compared to a wedding at home?
We had a semi-traditional wedding.  We had our wedding on the beach and dinner reception and dance.  I’ve never had a wedding at home vs. destination so I can’t imagine the differences.  So much of it is that there is a ton out of your control…you don’t know exactly how things will look, exactly how the food will taste, exactly how the flowers will be etc…and I was great with that.  I was so excited to spend multiple days with the people that meant the most to me in an incredible location.  If you aren’t okay with some ambiguity, I would not recommend it.  Everything went amazing for us though.  Our dinner was great, decorations, our DJ was great…I enjoyed every second but it did go too fast!  I think everyone says that though.  

What is your most favorite memory of your wedding experience?
The entire planning and actual wedding trip!  You get stressed in the moments, want things “to be done” and before you know it, it is all done.  This is another reason I recommend a destination wedding – you might be busy but you get to spend 2,3,4,5,6 etc…days with your guests. 

In what ways did Romance Travel Group make the planning less stressful for you?
Oh my in so many ways – having resort recommendations, insider info, having everyone’s travel docs and booking ready to go….basic travel questions, their email reminders, their payment choices, their final travel docs all being in one place, transportation info etc…

What would you do differently? What advice would you give to couples just starting the planning process?
The ONLY thing I would do differently (and remember I was a super laid back bride) is bringing your own photographer.  Romance Travel Group started a partnership like this after we were married but that would be my only change.  Different countries have a different idea/styles of pictures, and by having someone you know you can see their pics beforehand…and can understand if your styles are similar or not.  Oh yes and as I did – definitely bring your own hair/makeup or do it yourselves.  Invite all of these people to your wedding so you don’t get the “outside vendor” fee. 

Would you recommend Romance Travel Group to other couples who are considering a destination wedding?
Yes I would recommend them for sure.  Despite what you tell them or what Romance Travel Group tells them, guests will still contact the bride/groom for travel questions.  We directed them back to the Romance Travel Group as much as we could..I think there was only 1 case where I had to “get involved” and it was more so for my guest to feel support even though I knew Romance Travel were doing all they could. 

Congratulations, Lindsey & Scott!! We are so happy for you!

What led you to choose a destination wedding?

Our families and most of our friends are split between LA and Chicago, so at least half of the group was already going to have to travel for the wedding regardless. So, we thought it would be fun to have a vacation together with all of our favorite people!  Having a destination wedding was helpful in limiting our guest list, since both Mark and I have big families and lots of friends.

How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?

We weren’t able to visit any of the resorts before deciding, so I did a lot of research on a variety of sites. Using the list of proposed resorts from RTG, I read resort reviews on The Knot, Wedding Wire, Trip Advisor, Yelp and Google. I also watched walk-through videos on YouTube and looked at hashtags and geotagged pictures on Instagram! I was very nervous about making sure it was going to be a good choice for all our guests, so I even did keyword searches on the reviews to make sure there were no reports of bed bugs, food or alcohol poisoning, etc. I went to great lengths! But this all made me feel comfortable and confident in my selection of Now Sapphire!

Were there any objections from your wedding guests about your decision to have a destination wedding? If so, how did you handle overcome those?

So many, from the unlikeliest people! Our immediate families were our top priority, so we asked them almost a year in advance if they would be ok with a destination wedding. They all agreed, but then did complain a bit about costs and not being in our hometown where our extended families could attend. To overcome this, we explained that it was very important to us to share this day with the people that we are closest to, and who truly care for us. Also, since we knew that attending our wedding required some planning and saving on everyone’s part, we sent save the dates with location 10 months in advance, so that everyone had time to coordinate. We were thrilled at how many people were able to make it happen!

What were some of your biggest fears about having a destination wedding?

I was nervous about all sorts of things! In the beginning, my biggest fears were 1.) not filling the room block we agreed to because I had no idea how many people would actually travel for us; and 2.) not being able to see all the details in person, like picking the menu and decor. I was extremely pleasantly surprised that we surpassed our room block! It helped to start with a conservative amount of rooms, and then RTG was amazing at helping book the remaining rooms without having to increase the room block! Regarding my second fear, all the research put me at ease, and everything turned out beautiful and delicious!

Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges?

It was amazing, our coordinator Denisse was so proactive at sharing information and was extremely timely and responsive to all my emails. We exchanged emails a few times when the planning began, and as we approached the 4 month mark before the wedding, we were communicating more frequently as details were being sorted out. The last month, I felt like I was emailing her questions and last minute changes almost 3 times a week, and she always had a quick response and solution. We really didn’t have any challenges, she was spectacular!
 
Tell us about your wedding dress – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How do you feel wearing your dress?

My dress was so special to me, my mom made it! I am fortunate to have a very talented mother who is a dressmaker, she has made every dress I’ve worn for every special occasion of my life! We had general ideas of what the dress would look like but wanted to narrow it down, so my mom, sister and I did visit some dress shops to have a more typical dress shopping experience, which was a lot of fun! This helped confirm the silhouette I was looking for and to get a feel for how light/heavy I could handle wearing on the beach! Then I set off to go fabric shopping in the LA fashion district, where I had my “say yes to the fabric!” moment!  I picked a beaded lace, and since we love sparkles, we cut additional beaded lace flowers to hand sew throughout the skirt! It was such a fun experience to have together. The result was a dress made especially and perfectly for me, and I was so happy wearing my mom’s creation. I felt great and so proud of what we created together!

Describe the booking process for your guests. Did they find that to be easy to navigate?

The guests were so pleased with the booking experience, the site was easy to use and had clear information and instructions. The payment process was easy, and the RTG team was so helpful and responsive whenever anyone had any additional questions. The follow up emails with information and tips were greatly appreciated, and the goodie boxes with travel mugs and luggage tags were such a hit!

Tell us about how you chose your bridal party and asked them to stand up with you.

This was really fun for me! I wanted to keep it small since I have so many close friends, so I kept it mainly family, and my 2 best girlfriends. I had 6 bridesmaids total. I chose my sister and best friend to both be maids of honor, because I could never pick between the two! I also had my two new sisters (sisters of my husband), my sister-in-law and another of my best friends who in the end was unable to attend due to her family growing by 1!

When I asked the girls, I sent them cute boxes filled with some beach themed goodies - a waterproof bag for either bathing suit or to use as a makeup bag, a waterproof phone case, a fun inflatable drink floaty for the pool, and of course some face masks! Each came with a small bottle of champagne and a card popping the question!

Describe the meeting you had with the onsite wedding team when you arrived at the resort.

When we arrived, the coordinator met us at check-in which was really nice. She showed us where we would meet her for our walk through of the site the next morning. For the meeting on Thursday morning, we sat with her to re-confirm every detail of our wedding questionnaire (which had everything from chair styles to flower colors to menu and schedule). This was reassuring because then everything was top of mind as we went to do our walk through of the ceremony and reception space. She showed us where we would start our walk down the aisle, where the cocktail hour would be organized, and then we were able to show her exactly how we wanted the tables set up when we were finally on the beach terrace (reception space) for the first time. She took note of everything and then everything was all set!

How easy/difficult was it to travel with your wedding dress? Did you carry-it on, where did you store it? Did you get a lot of comments at the airport?
 
It was only difficult because I had to travel with my honeymoon clothes since we left from Mexico to Europe. The dress took up a whole carry on! I didn’t want to check it, so I checked my bag with honeymoon and wedding week clothes and carried on my dress. I figured if my luggage got lost I could buy new clothes while they found it, but my dress could not be replaced! I folded it neatly and with a little bit of cushion from the tulle skirt, so it didn’t get wrinkled. It helped that the lace was all beaded, you couldn’t see any wrinkles when I took it out! Once I arrived at the hotel, my mom laid the dress out in her room and hung the tulle skirt so that it would be ready for wedding day.

Tell us about your wedding – did you have a traditional wedding with a cocktail hour, dinner reception and dance? What was different about a destination wedding compared to a wedding at home?

It was pretty traditional in terms of the events - we had a cocktail hour with small bites, dinner during which we had a few speeches and toasts, and then dancing for hours! I’d say the difference was that everything felt more fun and light, since we were by the beach and everyone was in vacation mode. Our vows were actually pretty funny, and the guests interacted with laughs and reactions. It was actually really special! There were parts of it where we focused only on each other, but it was really special to feel the energy of the guests during our ceremony. It was not how I envisioned it from being a spectator at other weddings, but it was beautiful!

What was the best part of having a destination wedding?

The best part of a destination wedding was the ability to make so many special memories over the course of the weekend. Due to the travel, we had a wedding weekend rather than a wedding day, and all of the guests were staying in the same place, so we were able to enjoy everyone’s company and spend time with family and friends leading up to the wedding and the day after. This helped us enjoy the wedding itself even more! Since we had been greeting and hanging out with guests the days before the wedding (including a group excursion to Tulum!), Mark and I were able to enjoy the dinner and dance all night! Since our guests had become friends already, everyone was on the dance floor the whole night and it was amazing seeing all of our different groups of friends come together.

In what ways did Romance Travel Group make the planning less stressful for you?

RTG took care of so many things from beginning to end. From the time we began looking for resorts, Shelli was helpful and honest in making suggestions, which made me feel at ease that we would make a good decision together. During the booking process, our room block was filled at the last minute and Shelli made sure to book additional rooms for everyone, patiently working with people emailing for quotes and booking requests - all at the booking deadline! Everyone was able to successfully book and it was a painless process for Mark and I, which we really appreciated!

Leading up to the wedding week, RTG sent emails with information and reminders, and a travel package that had all of the details of each traveler’s booking and transfers to/from the airport to the resort. Our guests felt so special and taken care of!

What would you do differently? What advice would you give to couples just starting the planning process?
 
It was really a pleasant process! I highly recommend destination weddings to everyone, especially if you want to take a more relaxed and stress-free route. I still made all the big decisions and was able to customize things exactly how I wanted them, but didn’t have to deal with various appointments or vendors.
The only thing that I wish I would have done differently is very standard to most brides - a hair and makeup trial! Typically, when your stylist is local to you, you have this trial well in advance. Since I didn’t visit the resort prior to the wedding and had a very tight travel week leading up to the big day, I decided I could just trust the professionals and instead enjoy more time with our guests. On wedding day, I wasn’t 100% pleased with my makeup, and my hair came undone pretty much as soon as I went outside. This was also due to the humidity and wind, and I wasn’t entirely prepared for all that. So, if I could do anything differently, I would have arrived at the resort a couple days earlier to feel out the effects of the humidity on my hair, and have a full trial. In the end, I felt so beautiful in my dress and was so filled with joy and gratitude for everyone, that the hair and makeup didn’t bother me. Other than that, every other detail of the wedding exceeded my expectations!

Fast forward 2 years, my husband, 18 of our friends and family members, and I trekked on down to the Riu Palace in Cabo. It was a beautiful resort. The wedding ceremony and the service were better than I ever could have dreamed. I spent months and months before obsessing over details and planning, but none of that was really necessary. The setting by itself is beautiful, and the staff there is really skilled at putting on a great wedding. Romance Travel Group had assisted with our airport transportation, and when we arrived we were offered a private special transportation as the bride and groom, and then upon arrival at the hotel, were given an upgraded room (better view) on the 4th floor. The food was excellent, the staff was wonderful. Unrelated to Shelli, there were a few hiccups in the room and the return transportation back to the hotel; however the Riu staff and Amstar staff corrected them without much effort on my part. 

Hair, make-up and photography were provided by guests of the wedding and there was no additional hassle for that either (Thank you Tiffany Gunia and Nikki B Photography). Alaska Airlines was also wonderful in arranging a group discount code for my guests and rescheduling flights as needed. Great Customer service all around! While in Cabo we went on an “Outdoor Adventure” excursion with Cabo Adventures, a Migrino Beach ATV tour with Amigo Tours, and a glass bottom boat tour with Roger’s Boat Tours. All were wonderful. My husband said to me “We do one thing that is fun, and then the next thing is even better.” All of my guests had a really great time in Cabo and I could not have pulled this off without the help of Romance Travel Group. I sincerely recommend them for booking any kind of travel and hope to use them for future travel plans as well!

Many Thanks!
​Marci