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The Very Best Wedding Blog

Real Wedding: Kyana & Logan at Dreams Riviera Cancun

5/21/2025

 
Wedding Date: May 3, 2025 ~ Resort: Dreams Riviera Cancun ~ Photographer: Adventure Photos ~ Bridal Salon: Tie The Knot Bridal Boutique ~ Tux Shop: Men's Wearhouse
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Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?

I'd say that Romance Travel Group chose us! :) We were looking at destination weddings, travel agencies, etc. and stumbled across social media/ ads for RTG. After looking at the reviews and their website and the process, it seemed like such a user-friendly company and the communication right away was seamless!
 
What led you to choose a destination wedding?
Logan and I moved to Florida almost 8 years ago. Most of our family resides in Wisconsin, however, our friends are scattered all over the United States (Minnesota, Florida, Arizona, Wisconsin, etc.) We knew that planning a wedding in Wisconsin when we don’t live there would be more stress on us, which we didn’t want. And we also realized that our guests would have to travel regardless if we had it here in Florida. So, why not have them travel just a little bit further and make a vacation out of it with an all-inclusive resort. Seemed like the best option for us that suited us well. 
 
How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
Selecting the resort was the hardest part of this entire process. We took into account the amenities that the resort had to offer. We also looked at the distance from the airport to the result, as we didn’t want our guests to have to travel for an extensive period of time after they already made the long trip to Mexico. We also looked into resorts that were kid-friendly and adult only, as that was something we battled for a while. And then most importantly, we looked at what wedding packages came with the resorts and what deals/rates they could offer us.
 
Were there any objections from your wedding guests about your decision to have a destination wedding? If so, how did you handle overcome those?

For a lot of our friends and family, it was their first time traveling out of the state- let alone country. Many guests did not have passports, some did not like traveling via airplane, there was a negative stigma about Mexico, etc. At the end of the day, we reminded guests that this was our choice and our wedding and is what made the most sense for us and our future. We didn’t want to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a wedding for 1 night (we would rather use that for a honeymoon or new house! I also was in my last semester of grad school and we rescued a puppy - we had a lot going on. I didn’t want or have the time to plan a wedding and I knew this was the best option for us to keep our sanity but also give us a celebration and vacation to look forward to. We made sure to validate our guests feelings and ensured that we were very understanding and recognized that if we did a destination wedding, we would likely have less people attend and that was okay for us.
 
What were some of your biggest fears about having a destination wedding?

Biggest fears of planning a destination wedding was the lack of communication or ability to have someone speak our language to best answer our questions. Additionally, not being in control of everything and knowing exactly what was going on behind the scenes. 
 
Did you invite guests in a unique way, like a themed save the date or announcement party?

We made our save the dates look like an airplane ticket!

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

I think the biggest challenge was that we felt we did not get connected to her until we were 3 months out. By that point, I had so many questions and thoughts and worries and fears and things I needed clarified. My husband had to remind me that they do this every single day for a living. They are not worried about a wedding 3+ months from now when they have one tomorrow. It was just a matter of my Type A personality needing some type of control and realizing that I needed to be patient and that truly it was out of my hands, so whatever was going to happen was going to happen regardless. At the end of the day, they truly are experts!!! Everything went so smoothly, organized, put together, better than I ever could have imagined. I went into it with little to no expectations and they exceeded it.
 
Tell us about your wedding attire – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How did you feel wearing your wedding attire?

Pinterest, Pinterest, Pinterest. I knew that I wanted my bridesmaids to wear different shades of green. I felt that with the ceremony being on the beach, me having green eyes, and it being a tropical wedding - the different shades of green would look amazing. As for the groomsmen, I went back and forth so much on what they should wear. But, I ultimately kept seeing similar outfits on Pinterest of the tan linen suits (looked so beachy and tropical) and that is what we went with! The groomsmen all wore green bow-ties to match the colors of the bridesmaid dresses. and the groom wore a green tie to off-set himself. The groom also wore the full vest and jacket- whereas the groomsmen wore suspenders, white shirt just the linen pants. 
 
Describe the booking process for your guests. Did they find that to be easy to navigate?

I barely heard about guests booking process because Romance Travel Group handled all of that for us. Which was amazing because those were the little details that we did not have time to deal with it and it took a lot of stress away from us- having them navigate the guests.

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

We met with our wedding team the day we arrived. We handed her all of the decor that we brought to Mexico and went through the timeline of the weekend, the events we had planned, finalization of numbers and food, and all the tiny details! Our wedding planner answered all our last minute questions and then walked us around the resort to show us where each event would take place. Meeting her the day of our arrival eased so many worries so that I could start to relax and enjoy the celebrations!
 
Were your guests wowed by the resort and the all-inclusive concept? What was their reaction upon arrival?

Our guests were so pleasantly surprised at the resort!! The grand entrance was so big and beautiful. Everyone was greeted right away with drinks upon arrival. We really felt like royalty. 

How easy/difficult was it to travel with your wedding attire? Did you carry-it on, where did you store it? Did you get a lot of comments at the airport?

We did not let the wedding dress or tuxedo out of our sight!! We had both items as our carry on and then we each brought a personal item and checked the rest of our bags. So many people complimented me at the airport, said congratulations, and asked if I was the bride. They put our wedding dresses and tuxedos in the flight attendants closets on the flights, which also made it feel so special!
 
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 everything a traditional wedding would have had. We had a welcome party to kick off the festivities on the second day of arrival ("Last splash"-- everyone wore blue for the "something blue"). We had a ceremony, cocktail, dinner, reception, and after-party in the resorts dance club that is open after-hours. The only difference was that I didn’t have to worry about anything or plan anything! We picked what decor we wanted, what food, the location of these events and we showed up and everything was magically just put together!
 
What was the best part of having a destination wedding?

The experience. All of our closest friends and family had 3+ days of making memories, being in a beautiful destination, and having so many fun activities together. A traditional wedding is just one night. We had 3+ days of events, activities and felt truly special the entire weekend long. When would you ever get to be in Mexico or on vacation with 80 of your closest friends and family!? That will likely never happen again and everyone was there because of us.

What is your most favorite memory of your wedding experience?

My favorite memory was my husband’s reaction as I walked down the aisle. It is something I will truly never forget. Another of our favorite memories was having one of our guests and best friends sing our first dance song live. It was so special and unique and was a big hit!

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

In every way possible. There was no way that we could have ever planned a destination wedding without RTG. From helping guests book rooms, to taking special requests of rooms (certain views, certain beds, rooms next to one another, etc.) to arranging all the flight arrival/departure times and guests travel to/from the airport--- they are MIRACLE WORKERS!! They did everything I never would have wanted to do which allowed my focus to be on other things.

What would you do differently? What advice would you give to couples just starting the planning process?


Do not wait until you get connected to the wedding planner 3 months before to start planning. Get as much done as possible beforehand. (place cards, seating charts, decor, bride gifts, bride pajama sets, guest food order, etc.) Create a Facebook page or group chat for your guests with all surveys and information to communicate. Makes it much easier!
 
What surprised you the most about having a destination wedding?

I was most surprised by how many people attended! We thought that because it was a destination wedding, a little more expensive, peoples fear of traveling, etc. that our number of guests would have significantly declined and we were wrong! We expected maybe 30-40 guests and we ended up having 80! People want to vacation and celebrate :) I was also most surprised at how fast and efficient the resort was. They put up and took down the decor so fast that I didn’t even recognize it happening. They had everything timewise down to a T. They had radios to communicate to one another. They really are experts at this and it made it feel so much more secure and real that this was a production they are used to doing every day.
 
Would you recommend Romance Travel Group to other couples who are considering a destination wedding?

1000000%

Real Wedding: Madison & Cameron at The Fives Beach

5/20/2025

 
Wedding Date: May 2, 2025 ~ Resort: The Fives Beach ~ Photographer & Videographer: Iheart Studio ~ Content Creator: Chic Click by Ale ~ Bridal Salon: Elizabeth Ann’s Bridal ~ Tux Shop: Men's Wearhouse
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Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?

After interviewing with a few other travel agencies, nobody felt like they took us under their wing like Romance Travel Group did. It felt like other travel agencies just wanted to sell us a vacation, rather than make our wedding the best day of our lives. We truly felt so supported by RTG and knew they had our backs if anything were to go wrong- spoiler alert, everything went super smoothly!
 
What led you to choose a destination wedding?

We ultimately decided on a destination as we are lovers of travel and figured what better way to spend time with our family & friends than getting them away on a big friend and family vacation! After 3 visits to Mexico, we knew we wanted to get married there. It was a quick and easy flight for those who are weary of planes, with plenty of flight availability and times that made it easy for our guests to have options on when to travel down. Another big reason we decided on a destination wedding is the repetitiveness of the weddings we were attending. It felt like every wedding we were going to felt the same, and it was one day, one and done. With a destination wedding we had the whole week to spend with our guests! Destination weddings are also more budget friendly than weddings in our home state (Massachusetts). 
 
How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?

We wanted a resort that was family friendly, because we had guests traveling with kids, but we did not want the resort to feel kid-centric. We were okay with their being kids events and activities but we did not want it to feel like we couldn’t also be adults. There are plenty of areas at The Fives where they designate for adults only. We also LOVED the aesthetic of The Fives. It is not your typical beach resort with an ocean view- it feels like you are in the jungle, especially with the jungle walk and monkeys all around! 
 
I had also joined The Fives brides Facebook groups and looked back on previous reviews! I loved the look of the weddings they were putting on and the details previous brides were describing! I have always had the vision of a rooftop, ocean view ceremony that was private- and The Fives had exactly that. 

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

We were introduced to our wedding coordinator pretty early on in our planning. We were granted access to an online planner which allowed us to browse add-ons for our wedding (almost like a shopping website and we added things to the cart). This included decor, vendors, florals, candles, etc that we could choose from to include on our wedding day. The real decisions did not start until about 3 months before the wedding. Our coordinator was very clear in her email communication and kept great track of our chosen selections. Their communication was prompt and we never had an issue having any of our questions answered. 
 
Describe the booking process for your guests. Did they find that to be easy to navigate?

Romance Travel Group created a user-friendly personalized wedding website with a direct booking link. We included the QR code to this website on our save the dates and our guests could go on and place their deposit by our book-by date. RTG then sent out invoices and monthly payment reminders where they could then go back on and make their monthly payment. My guests were very satisfied with this process and thought it was very easy to navigate. 
 
What were some of your biggest fears or things you worried about as your wedding date drew near? How did you get through this?

We were very nervous to travel in a big group, especially with a lot of extra luggage for decor, etc. We have heard stories of couples paying hundreds at the airport in taxes for goods brought in because they were stopped and searched by customs agents. Abby gave some great pointers and encouraged us to stay in a large crowd- not just our family, and walk straight out of the airport after collecting our luggage. Nobody was stopped and we were smooth sailing to go out and locate our transportation company! We carried along a letter for the customs agent and receipts just in case. 
 
Describe the meeting you had with the onsite wedding team when you arrived at the resort.

This meeting eased ALL my nerves. We met with the wedding team the day after we arrived and went through the wedding day timeline minute by minute. They asked us to bring along all of our decor items and they made notes of where we wanted everything set up. We shared playlists even down to the timing of songs for the ceremony. I walked out of the meeting feeling as if they have a complete grasp on my vision. We opted for a walk through rehearsal of our ceremony and they were happy to make it happen!
 
How easy/difficult was it to travel with your wedding attire? Did you carry-it on, where did you store it? Did you get a lot of comments at the airport?

My husband had rolled his suit in his suitcase, as he had a linen suit that would have needed steaming regardless! I carried my wedding dress and veil on, in a garment bag. The flight attendants were amazing and had me hold onto my dress until all of the overhead bins were done being filled. They had an empty overhead bin available so my dress had its own space where we could lay it flat! Luckily, my dress was not very large, so when we arrived in Mexico, I was able to fold it up in the garment bag and put it in my large personal bag. I did not want to draw any attention to myself so this worked out perfectly! I received a lot of congratulations which was so sweet!
 
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 symbolic ceremony at 4:00 pm. We had my husband's sister marry us and our ceremony lasted about 20 minutes. We then had a 2 hour cocktail hour where they served passed Mexican bites and an open bar. We took advantage of cocktail hour to have our pictures taken and still were able to catch the last 30 minutes of cocktail hour. Our reception started at 7:00pm and went until 11:00pm. We had our grand entrances, first dance and then invited guests to join us for 3 fun songs before sitting to eat. Our dinner was international family style that way our picky guests had plenty of options! We did speeches, father/daughter, mother/son dances and then the dance floor opened! It was a big party the whole time! Our guests raved about how they loved that they did not have to worry about transportation to and from the wedding events. They were able to drink and enjoy themselves knowing that they have a room waiting for them a walk (or golf cart) away.
 
What was the best part of having a destination wedding?

Having a big vacation with all of our favorite people, with the perk of having them there to celebrate our wedding day! It truly felt as if I could enjoy the days leading up to the big day and take in all the time with my guests. I only had 1 full day dedicated to our wedding and getting the planning meetings over with early on let me sit back and relax! 
 
What surprised you the most about having a destination wedding?

We were surprised that a lot of our guests were willing to travel to celebrate our wedding with us! We had invited about 100 guests, and were thrilled to have 46 people attend! A lot of my guests had never traveled to Mexico before, but were so eager to experience the culture. This gave them the opportunity to get their passports and hopefully spark some more travel interests!
 
Would you recommend Romance Travel Group to other couples who are considering a destination wedding?

Absolutely!! They did not push anything and completely guided us rather than force things onto us. They let us make decisions for our group for the benefit of our wedding! They made the whole process so easy and I did not have to think twice about my guests’ bookings/travel plans.
 
Congrats to you, Maddie & Cameron! Best wishes always!

Real Wedding: Jamie & Jared at Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana

5/2/2025

 
Wedding Date: December 5, 2024 ~ Resort: Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana ~ Photographer: Marasco Photography ~ Videographer: Unveiled ~ Bridal Salon: Rhylan Lang Bridal Omaha ~ Beauty: Posh ~ Tux Shop: Jerry Ryan's
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What led you to choose a destination wedding?

Ever since I was little girl, my mom always talked about how she wanted me to get married on the beach. Now decades later, as someone who works in the wedding industry, I know just how stressful planning a wedding can be. I knew when it came time to planning my own wedding I wanted to make it stress free as possible. 

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

Abby at Romance Travel helped us SOOO MUCH in this process. She asked us so many questions to help figure out what was important to us. “Are you beach or pool people? If you had to pick, would you rather have a newer modern resort or crazy beautiful view? Does it need to be close to an airport? Family friendly or adults only?” The list goes on and on! She came up with a list of resorts she thought we would be interested in and then helped us narrow it down from there.

Did you invite guests in a unique way, like a themed save the date or announcement party? 

We had the coolest invites that we ordered from @herethereweddings. They looked like passport books! We got so many compliments from our guests and said that they showed all their friends and were going to keep them because they were so fun and unique. 
 
Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges? 

I worked with Paola and she was so sweet. Everything was done over email which at times wasn’t my favorite, butit was nice to be able to look back and find what I was looking for in writing. Response times were slow in the beginning but picked up as we got closer to our wedding date. 

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

All of our guests loved being able to book with the travel agent! For me personally I loved not having be the one in charge of everyone’s reservations. Heather sent me an updated list every week with who had booked their rooms and that was always a fun email to see come through. 

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 a typical bride I stressed about all the little details; which as much as people tell you to relax it’s sooo hard. But now looking back, everything went so smoothly. We couldn’t have had a better team of ladies helping assist us.
 
Were your guests wowed by the resort and the all-inclusive concept? What was their reaction upon arrival? 

We still having people telling us how much fun they had. So many of our guests said hands down it was the best all inclusive they’ve ever been too. The food was fabulous, the staff and service was top notch, and we were able to move between the family friendly resort and adults only resort so smoothly it just felt like one huge resort. 

How easy/difficult was it to travel with your wedding attire? Did you carry-it on, where did you store it? Did you get a lot of comments at the airport? 

We brought the dress and suit in a carry on suitcase. We opted to not carry a garment bag and just folded everything nicely. Once we got to the resort, our wedding coordinator took it all to get steamed and pressed for us!

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? 

Tuesday night we did a rehearsal dinner with our immediate families at one of the restaurants that our wedding coordinator was able to set up for us! Wednesday we did a cocktail party at the martini bar to welcome and thank all of our guests for coming to celebrate us. Thursday was wedding day. Our ceremony was at 4:00, cocktail hour was at 5:00, and reception was from 6-9. We did everything on the beach and had the best time. Our guests loved being able to take their shoes off and dance in the sand. Saturday we did a group catamaran  and it was honestly one of the highlights of our trip. People are still talking about it.  

What was the best part of having a destination wedding? 

I don’t know that any trip will ever compare to our wedding. We were literally on vacation with 70 of our closest family and friends. It was just one big party with people to always go eat or do activities with. So much fun!

What is your most favorite memory of your wedding experience? 

Our group catamaran trip after the wedding will probably be one of my lifelong favorite memories. We were able to relax and just have a great time with all of our guests. 

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

1000%! The ladies at Romance Travel Group are top notch and made the planning experience enjoyable and took care of everything!

Congratulations, Jamie and Jared! Wishing you a lifetime of love!

Real Wedding: Tianna & Brandon at Hard Rock Punta Cana

4/18/2025

 
Wedding Date: March 13, 2025 ~ Resort: Hard Rock Punta Cana ~ Photographer/Videographer: JJ Studio ~ Bridal Salon: The Altar Bridal Littleton ~ Beauty: Posh ~ Tux Shop: Men's Warehouse
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What led you to choose a destination wedding?

We live out of state from most friends and family. We both wanted a beach wedding but lived nowhere near one. And we wanted more than just a wedding, we wanted a vacation too.

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

We wanted to make sure there was something for everyone, all inclusive, and family friendly. Also with several cost options for affordability.

Did you invite guests in a unique way, like a themed save the date or announcement party?

I made passport style invites with boarding pass! The guest loved them and I provided a timeline to the wedding.

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

We started with an offsite coordinator who helped introduce the vendors, what was included and what we earned based on room count. She was very informative and was never pushy, we were able to plan and stay within our budget. The onsite coordinator was amazing, she answered final questions prior to our arrival.

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

Our guests found it very easy to book and contact Shannon with any questions or issues regarding booking.

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

We chose a small bridal party as we didn’t know who would be attending for certain. We chose our best friends and sibling to stand up. We asked them with a groomsmen/bridesmaid box with a small gift. They loved it!

Were your guests wowed by the resort and the all-inclusive concept? What was their reaction upon arrival?

All were so amazed, for many it was a first time experience. The staff at Hard Rock was amazing from the start. They loved that there were so many options for food and drinks.

How easy/difficult was it to travel with your wedding attire? Did you carry-it on, where did you store it? Did you get a lot of comments at the airport?

We put all attire I carry-ons, we were concerned with bag delays and don’t want to risk. We used carry-on bags and as soon as we arrived at the resort steamed and hung everything up. It worked great!

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 were a "less is more" kind of wedding. We used the complimentary ceremony set up on the beach with no additional decor, the setting right on the beach was more than enough for us. Our friend/groomsman was our officiant as the wedding was symbolic. We wrote our own vows. We earned a cocktail hour and 3 hour reception. We added simple centerpieces, a decoration for our sweetheart table, and then brought pictures and signs some signs from home. Reception was buffet style and we had a bar for guests with two signature drinks we chose. We had the best servers and bartender! The best part was being able to walk outside the reception gazebo right to the beach! We did three hours of photography with JJ Studio, a preferred vendor. I got my hair and makeup done at Posh inside the resort, they did such a good job! We rented equipment for music and created our own playlist to play. We had a friend who is also a DJ manage the music and then play us a set for the second half!

What was the best part of having a destination wedding?

That it was a wedding and vacation with some of our closest friends and family.

What is your most favorite memory of your wedding experience?

Being with so many friends and family. We got to meet with people at various restaurants and pools and bars throughout our stay. The best was wedding day of course, it was truly a magical day and more than I could dream of.

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

The booking for the group. The scariest part of planning a destination wedding for me is how to work with the resort and get everyone to book through us so we get benefits. The website made it easy and I never had to worry about a thing related to the resort. Our agents handled keeping track of important release dates and sending reminders to our guests!

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

Absolutely!! Shannon did such a good job taking care of my guest and booking questions. Abby was amazing to chat with get updates, she always reassured me we were on track and relieved so much of my stress. To add, the sweet gifts and cards were an added bonus!

Congratulations, Tianna & Brandon!

Real Wedding: Jessica & Antonio at Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta

4/3/2025

 
​Wedding Date: March 1, 2025 ~ Resort: Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta ~ Photographer/Videographer: Underground Studios PV ~ Bridal Salon: Raffine Bridal ~ Tux Shop: Milburns
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What led you to choose a destination wedding?

I grew up in California and always wanted to get married on the sand. Antonio is from Mexico and always wanted to go back to Mexico to get married, so we satisfied both dreams in Puerto Vallarta. We were able to incorporate his culture in a more authentic way and have a vacation with all of our friends and family. 

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

Romance Travel Group helped a lot with this! I wanted a sandy beach (no pebbles) and good food. Romance Travel Group suggested the Hyatt Ziva and two other resorts that we chose between. Ultimately, we thought the Hyatt looked more family friendly for the kids on our guest list. It was a leap of faith, but ended up being perfect. 

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

There are a lot of fears with a destination wedding. What if everyone bails on the last minute or a natural disaster wipes out your resort? What if politics change the environment? Most of the fears are irrational and you just have to be realistic about your guest list and recognize that your guests are excited too. They get a vacation and everything will work out. 

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

Albani at the resort was AMAZING. We planned the whole email over email but she always replied within 24 hours. Then when we got to the resort, we walked through every detail in person. Everything ended up exactly as we planned it, which was wonderful.

Tell us about your wedding attire – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How do you feel wearing your wedding attire?

I went wedding dress shopping with my mom, Maid of Honor, and two aunts. It was actually so much fun. I ended up finding my dream dress at Raffine Bridal. 

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

Having all of the guests book was the most stressful part of the wedding planning process, so I was grateful to have the Romance Travel Group to help. No matter how simple the process is, family members will always have questions (especially if they aren't frequent travelers), so it was invaluable to be able to send them to Heather at the Romance Travel Group. Don't underestimate how many questions you will have to juggle without a travel agent.

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

Our wedding planner had champagne and fruit in our room when we arrived. Then we met her in person and she provided more champagne and walked through every detail of our wedding. She also collected everything we brought for the wedding and did all the setup with her team. I brought my own table numbers, name tags, light sticks, napkins, signage, memorial items, and she took it all and set it up perfectly. It was a professional, organized operation. 

Were your guests wowed by the resort and the all-inclusive concept? What was their reaction upon arrival?

The guests were blown away. It was so much fun to have everyone together in such a relaxed atmosphere. Everyone's needs were met.
 
How easy/difficult was it to travel with your wedding attire? Did you carry-it on, where did you store it? Did you get a lot of comments at the airport?

It was easy! We had 4 suitcases and a carry on. I decided to put my dress in the carry-on suitcase but Antonio hung his suit in the wardrobe closet on the plane. Nobody paid any attention to us, it was easy. 

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?

The wedding was perfect. We had a ceremony on the sand and then a cocktail hour on the sand with a mariachi band. The mariachi was a highlight. Then we went to the rooftop penthouse for the reception. I liked that space for the reception because everyone was together in a smaller space. The DJ and Staff were so much fun.

What was the best part of having a destination wedding?

My favorite part of the wedding was how close everyone was by the time the wedding came around. Most of our guests had already spent time together at the resort. We also did our bachelor/bachelorette excursions two days before, so everyone knew each other. There was no pressure to greet anyone on my wedding day, so I was able to relax and party. Now, for the rest of our lives, all of our friends are friends. 

What would you do differently? What advice would you give to couples just starting the planning process?

Do exactly what you want and trust the resources you are given. There are people who won't make it and that's okay. It was the most amazing day of my life because it was exactly what we wanted.

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

I really think a travel agent is necessary and Romance Travel Group understood all the nuances that go along with a wedding. They were attentive and helpful for a year and a half. They even sent gifts at milestones. I absolutely would recommend them to anyone! 

Congratulations to you, Jessica and Antonio!

Real Wedding:  Debra & Matthew at Live Aqua Cancun

3/25/2025

 
​Wedding Date: February 28, 2025 ~ Resort: Live Aqua Cancun ~ Photographer/Videographer: Mike Cantarell ~ Bridal Salon: Wedding Shoppe, St. Paul, MN
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Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?

A friend from worked referred me after attending a wedding that was set up by Romance Travel Group.

What led you to choose a destination wedding?

Second marriage, we love the ocean and vacationing, incorporated both into our special day.

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

After an amazing slide presentation by Abby our agent, we chose Live Aqua Cancun.

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

The majority of my friends were really excited!  There were some friends that could not make it secondary to cost and other obligations but in the end we just wanted our children present, everyone else was a bonus in our eyes. 

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

Not being able to talk with vendors personally and actually see the venue, however with our package we were given 2 days free at the resort if we wanted to go there beforehand.  

How did you come to decide on your wedding date? Is there meaning behind it?

There really is not a meaning, we wanted to get away from winter and chose that date.  

Did you invite guests in a unique way, like a themed save the date or announcement party?

Romance Travel Group sent out a very adorable invite. 

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

I absolutely loved Christy! She was amazing. It really helped when I got the WhatsApp app and used that for communication. Christy and I had 2 facetime calls that were so detailed with the wedding events of the day, I really felt confident that the day was going to be perfect!

Tell us about your wedding attire – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How do you feel wearing your wedding attire?

Wedding Shoppe in St Paul.  Went with my daughter (my maid of honor), son’s girlfriend, and good friend of mine.  

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

Yes, feedback from my friends was that Heather was amazing and quick to respond and be so helpful with every question. 

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 my main concern was that we wanted everyone to enjoy the resort we chose and also spending enough time with our guests.  This more a bride than groom worry though.  Matt calmed me by saying "if people can not have fun in Mexico that is on them".  We really also tried to enforce this was our guests' vacation also and for them to do everything that made them happy.  

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

My maid of honor was my daughter, bridesmaid was a good friend.  Our best man was Matt's son and groomsmen was my son.  Ring bearer was one of my best friends (like a brother to me). My son gave me away. 

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

We were greeted by resort staff as soon as we arrived!  They brought us upstairs to get us checked into our room and provided us with food and drinks.  They were amazing!

Were your guests wowed by the resort and the all-inclusive concept? What was their reaction upon arrival?

Guests absolutely loved the resort!  Many remarked they loved the size (not too big) and how beautiful the ocean was.  

How easy/difficult was it to travel with your wedding attire? Did you carry-it on, where did you store it? Did you get a lot of comments at the airport? 

Our wedding attire was placed in the captains closet, everyone was so nice and excited for us!

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 were married on the beach by an officiant they offered at the resort.  We still will need to get married in the USA but consider our wedding the day we got married in Mexico.  We did a cocktail hour and followed it with the most amazing wedding meal we have ever experienced.  Our reception was surrounding a pool overlooking the ocean.  It was a magical venue. 

What was the best part of having a destination wedding?

Our wedding was one day but we felt like a bride and groom for an entire week surrounded by our family and friends.  There was also something so magical about being married on a beach surrounded by our family and friends.  We also had the bonus audience watch from the infinity pool above.  It added something unique and special to our wedding.  They cheered like they were part of our wedding guests. 

What is your most favorite memory of your wedding experience?

I really cannot nail down one memory, the  whole experience is the best memory.  

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

They sent out the invites, helped me pick the perfect venue for us, they took care of all of the travel needs for us and our guests, they answered all my guests questions, they even called when I arrived in Cancun to make sure everything was going well.  

What would you do differently? What advice would you give to couples just starting the planning process?

Right from the start I would emphasize that guests needed to go through Romance Travel Group to attend the wedding.  That was explained by RTG but I still had multiple guests attempt to book through different avenues. 

What surprised you the most about having a destination wedding? 

How effortless it was.  How beautiful it was.  How it exceeded every expectation.  And how amazing our wedding dinner was. 

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

100%!

Is there anything Romance Travel Group could have done to make the experience even better?

They are top notch!   Keep doing what you are doing!

Thank you, Debbie & Matt! Best wishes to you always!!

Real Wedding:  Linda & Brandon at Dreams Playa Mujeres

3/12/2025

 
​Wedding Date: July 6, 2024 ~ Resort: Dreams Playa Mujeres ~ Photographer: Heber Moran  ~ Videographer: Dream Catchers ~ Beauty: Sara Tamargo ~ Bridal Salon: The Brides’ Shop ~ Tux Salon: Ritz Tuxedos
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Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?

My friends used Romance Travel Group for their wedding and we were able to experience them as guests. We had such an amazing experience with them we knew we wanted to use them for our own wedding. 

What led you to choose a destination wedding? 

We love traveling and wanted to turn our wedding into a vacation with all of our loved ones. 

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

Romance Travel Group did a great job asking us the right questions surrounding our vision. They sent us a list of resorts to choose from and we took the time to research each one on YouTube. We made a pro’s and con’s list to help us narrow down our selection. Some of our deciding factors include: 
  • Price/budget
  • Wedding package offered
  • Bonuses offered in wedding package
  • Food & service quality
  • Aesthetics of resort
  • Location of resort and cost to fly there for our guests
We ultimately chose Dreams Playa Mujeres because they offer a beautiful over the water glass bottom floor venue. They also specialize in destination weddings. 

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

No, whoever wanted to be there for our wedding came. 

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

My biggest fear was not being able to control the weather. Whether it would be too hot or too rainy. Weather is the biggest factor I could not control. Everything else we can plan for and figure out. 

How did you come to decide on your wedding date? Is there meaning behind it?

Our wedding date was July 6th, 2024. We needed to wait until the kids were out of school, so we chose to have our wedding in the summer. We also knew we wanted it early in the summer season so it would not be too hot and so that it would be before hurricane season. 

Did you invite guests in a unique way, like a themed save the date or announcement party?

We took each one of our guests out on a double date to invite them personally. 

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

My biggest advice here is to add yourself to the Facebook wedding groups for your resort. The sooner you join the groups the better. This was the most helpful place to get questions answered quickly, get inspo on how you want your wedding to look, figure out what to bring, things to share with your guests, see what decor is offered and read full reviews of past weddings from other brides. They also have catalogs and updated forms/info that was so helpful. 

I watched YouTube videos to better understand the process of planning a destination wedding. This also helped me set the right expectations around wedding planning timelines and insight around when you will be in contact with your wedding planner. Because I knew I would not talk to my wedding planner until 4 weeks before my wedding I had peace of mind that it is possible and to trust the process. They are professionals and they know how to make your vision happen with very little time. My wedding planner Monica was very detail oriented, calm, collected and made our process stress free. 

While they give you an itemized budget sheet to estimate your cost with, my biggest challenge was the potential price fluctuation (due to inflation) and not knowing what the cost is until the very end. We were able to get very close to their price estimate and stick to our budget. For items that increased more than what we were comfortable with we adjusted and went with items that were more important to us in order to stay within budget. 

Tell us about your wedding attire – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How do you feel wearing your wedding attire?

I made a list of wedding dress shops in my town and made an appointment with each of them. I wanted to go shopping by myself so I could connect with myself and see how I feel in each dress. Then I would send pictures to my bridal party and get advice on which dress to go with. I am so happy with the dress I picked. It was exactly what I pictured my wedding dress to be. 

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

Once our guests understood they must book through our website with Romance Travel Group instead of booking directly with the resort, the booking process for our guest was a breeze. 

What were some of your biggest fears or things you worried about as your wedding date drew near? How did you get through this?

Our biggest fear was surrounding the weather and the unexpected storm. Romance Travel Group did a great job in taking initiative and reaching out to our guests with updates. 

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

I took each one of them out for a one-on-one lunch date and asked them individually. 

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

Because my wedding coordinator and I met over the phone before our onsite visit, she was well prepared and our first in person meeting went well. I gave her all the things I brought from home and went over all the final details. We went over the final budget sheet before I approved it. 
 
Were your guests wowed by the resort and the all-inclusive concept? What was their reaction upon arrival? 

They absolutely loved the all-inclusive concept and wanted to plan another trip. It was so easy and stress free for them. 
They mentioned our resort was breathtaking and had so many fun things to do. 

How easy/difficult was it to travel with your wedding attire? Did you carry-it on, where did you store it? Did you get a lot of comments at the airport?

My dress tailor recommended I put my wedding dress into a medium vacuum storage bag. Once you are at the resort you can give them your dress to be steam ironed and it worked out perfectly. This was the best idea ever. It saved me so much room and it protected my dress because it is waterproof. This made my dress so compact I was able to easily put it in my carryon. 

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?

Our wedding was the best day ever! We had a traditional wedding with cocktail hour, dinner reception and dancing. We also bought the party package from our resort and that made our reception so entertaining and so much fun. This package came with party favors, drummers, dancers, interactive water drums and more. We kept this as a surprise for our guests so no one knew entertainers were coming. They really helped kick off the dance floor and got the party started.

What was the best part of having a destination wedding? 

The best part of having a destination wedding is traveling somewhere new with your friends and family. Being able to build memories away from home. It is a vacation for everyone to let go and relax outside of the normal routine. 

What is your most favorite memory of your wedding experience? 

Our favorite memory of our wedding was when we all jumped into the pool at the end of our reception. It was just a unique ending and a great way to cool off. We all had so much fun doing it and it was a great way to build new memories together. 

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

They have such a great process to walk you through each step of the way. They are very professional and knowledgeable. We loved how they took initiative and took care of all of our guests. Romance Travel Group is so sweet and was so on top of everything. 

What would you do differently? What advice would you give to couples just starting the planning process?

I wouldn’t stress out so much about the potential price fluctuation and the budget sheet. In the end you will choose what’s important for you to have or not have and everything will work out. 

We would recommend trusting Romance Travel Group and their process. Take it one step at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed and stay on track with your deadlines. The earlier you start the process the better. 

We would recommend staying longer after guests have gone home so the two of you can soak it all in, relax and enjoy each other. 

What surprised you the most about having a destination wedding?

I was surprised with how much you can trust the professionals to execute and let them make your dream wedding come true. Romance Travel Group and our resort truly know what they are doing and they all work together like a well-oiled machine. 

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

I absolutely would recommend Romance Travel Group to anyone and everyone. They were amazing to work with as the bride and also as a guest. Everyone who attended our wedding couldn’t speak more highly of them. I couldn’t have had such an amazing wedding without them. They are amazing and I truly could not have had my dream wedding without them!

Is there anything Romance Travel Group could have done to make the experience even better?

No, we had the most amazing experience with Romance Travel Group. Knowing about the Facebook wedding group for our resort was exactly what I needed. The sooner a bride knows about this the better. :) 

Real Wedding: Sarah & Alejandro at Majestic Mirage Punta Cana

1/2/2025

 
​Wedding Date: September 29, 2023 ~ Resort: Majestic Mirage Punta Cana ~ Photographer: Jamie Dimitry  ~ Bridal Salon: Bridal Gallery ~ Tux Salon:  Men's Wearhouse
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What led you to choose a destination wedding?

I knew I didn’t want a big wedding. I wanted an intimate wedding but wanted to still experience all the stuff a big wedding would have. I wanted not only myself and my husband to enjoy our day but for our guests to use this time as a vacation for themselves as well. I wanted something fun, intimate, and if I’m being honest, budget friendly. 
 
What were some of your biggest fears about having a destination wedding?

My biggest fears were not knowing how I would be able to plan a destination wedding  without  knowing exactly what the venue looked like in person, how the decorations would tie in all together, how I would get my dress and other things to Punta Cana, and how I would be able to coordinate all of my guests and booking the resort, however Romance Travel Group was an amazing help!

Did you invite guests in a unique way, like a themed save the date or announcement party?

We created passport-like invitations for our guests and it was a huge hit! It tied it all together. 

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

At first this part was a little challenging because I booked the resort a year in advance but didn’t start coordinating and working with the resort wedding coordinator until a month before the wedding. Communication was slow at first but once the wedding date drew closer, the emails and communication were faster. Every communication happened through email and I kept everything noted just to be safe. However when we arrived at the resort the wedding coordinator had everything down to the details. It seems like they don’t because they are working with many weddings every day but they sure keep every detail you ask for and finalize. 

Tell us about your wedding dress – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How do you feel wearing your dress?

I went with my mother, sister, and mother-in-law. We visited two bridal stores before finding the dress at the third store. Third time's the charm! It’s funny because I always dreamt of a wedding dress with long sleeves but when I tried them on it didn’t feel like me. The dress I fell in love with was something more tropical, a little more open, and it fit like a glove. As soon as they gave me the bouquet of flowers, I began tearing up and then saw my mom and sister crying. I felt so beautiful, I envisioned myself walking the aisle and seeing my husband at the end of it, and I knew that was the one!

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

I found this process super easy to navigate all thanks to the romance travel group! I gave the information I needed to my guest and then Shannon and Abigail were able to handle the rest regarding my guest and booking the rooms. 
 
Describe the meeting you had with the onsite wedding team when you arrived at the resort.

This meeting was great! We met with the wedding day coordinator the day after we arrived. The wedding coordinator showed up with a lot of energy and all of the information we discussed through email. We sat for about an hour and discussed every detail that the wedding day would consist of and we also set a time for a wedding rehearsal to take place the day before the wedding. We went over colors, how I wanted the decorations to be set up. They made me feel excited and confident that the wedding was going to be amazing and it sure was! After the meeting with the wedding coordinator we met with the DJ to finalize any details. 
 
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?

I was a little worried about flying with my dress but it worked out well! I carried it on to the plane as a carry on and stored it in the bin. People at the airport were congratulating me and my husband and also it was a lot of fun because there were about 30 of our guests also flying out with my husband and I. It was so much fun because it felt like the party had already begun!

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?

Our wedding was AMAZING!!! It was 10000 times better than I could have ever imagined. We kept some of the traditions of a traditional wedding with all of the special  dances, bridal party, speeches, ceremony, and reception. We didn’t have a traditional cocktail hour but since it’s an all inclusive resort we told the guest during the break between the ceremony and reception to take the time to freshen up or go to the nearest bar and take a shot for the newly married couple! For me personally I think having a destination wedding is much more fun compared to a wedding at home. I felt relaxed the whole day (despite it being SUPER hot), and the best part is that after the wedding day we continued to hangout and drink for the next couple of days with our friends and family. The best part is that we basically celebrated our wedding for a week with all of our guests instead of just celebrating for one day. 
 
What was the best part of having a destination wedding?

The best part of a destination wedding is celebrating with our friends and family for a whole week!


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Real Wedding:  Carolyn & Jackson at Sandos Cancun

12/5/2024

 
​Wedding Date: November 2, 2024 ~ Resort: Sandos Cancun ~ Photographer: Romanza
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Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?
 
We knew we could use some help with coordinating the guests' stay and transfers to/from the airport. Our resort recommended we use a travel agency to assist with booking a room block for the resort. Our biggest concern was not being able to keep everyone's information organized and guests being confused on where to stay (we did not want guests staying in resorts other than our own!) I researched several travel agencies/groups and had multiple introductory calls. Romance Travel Group stood out as the obvious choice because of the countless outstanding reviews regarding their friendliness, professionalism, responsiveness, and cost saving. No exaggeration - they are 4.9 stars and above on any site I viewed. I was amazed to learn that their services came at no cost to us; in fact, they helped us save money! Choosing Romance Travel Group was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding and I'm dying to know another couple planning a destination wedding so I can refer them to RTG. 
 
What led you to choose a destination wedding?
 
After researching domestic wedding venues, I began to panic at the idea of spending my entire life's savings (and more) on the event of my dreams. There had to be another way to host a beautiful wedding! My husband and I had been to Cancun before and loved it as a relaxing, scenic, fun destination that isn't too far from the US. We began researching resorts with wedding packages and found that they were infinitely more affordable than options in the US. Finances were the strongest motivation, but we also liked the idea of an entire "wedding weekend" where people could come together. Our families and friends are spread out all over the US, some all over the world, so they would be likely flying and staying in a hotel no matter where we hosted our wedding. Why not make it a beautiful destination?! Not to mention it's easiest to cut down on a guest list with the excuse of a destination wedding. 
 
How did you come to decide on your wedding date? Is there meaning behind it?
 
We love Cancun in November. We historically visit that time of year. It's right at the end of the "rainy" season and helps us escape the cold of the midwest before Thanksgiving. We were even more encouraged to have a November wedding because our resort has strict policies around sea turtle nesting season (May-October) in which any outdoor event must end by 9 PM. We wanted an outdoor terrace wedding reception until at least 10 PM so that encouraged us to host the wedding after October ended. The irony of it all is that of the 10 days we stayed in the Cancun area, the only rainy day was our wedding day! Our coordinator helped us pivot and host everything indoors and it was still a beautiful wedding. In hindsight, I would still choose November to have a wedding in Cancun because it's considered a "slower" time for tourists and travel (the locals said Cancun starts getting busy Dec. 15), so I'd like to think it was an ideal time for our guests to be there and have a relatively seamless experience! 
 
Tell us about your wedding attire – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How did you feel wearing your wedding attire?
 
I found my wedding dress at a secondhand store that supports First Responders. I wasn't expecting to walk away with my dress, my goal was just to get an idea of what I liked, but I ended up finding "the one"! It hadn't been worn before - it was a discontinued dress from a boutique, so it was donated to this shop. I knew I wanted a simple, light, beachy dress but otherwise had no specific inspiration. I tried on heavier, classic ball gowns but I could tell they would be far too dense for a tropical wedding destination. I shopped with my mom and my sister, who gave me extra confidence in my dress because they loved it too. I felt like a true bride in my dress! Regarding extras, I purchased my veil at Azazie's, shapewear from HoneyLove, and heels from DSW! Highly recommend having comfortable shoes (I chose sneakers) for the reception! 
 
Describe the booking process for your guests. Did they find that to be easy to navigate?  
 
Our guests had varied reactions to the booking process. Our friends were very responsive and reacted quickly to our instruction - booking their rooms with our block as early as a year in advance. Our families were a little less attentive and had a more difficult time navigating. We had to learn to be OK with receiving slow, sometimes vague responses from guests. However, it was helpful that the Romance Travel Group team followed up with reminders and were always happy to answer questions that our guests had. It definitely took the weight off of our backs as the wedding couple. 


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Real Wedding: Kelsey & Skyler at The Fives Beach

12/3/2024

 
Wedding Date: October 4, 2024 ~ Resort: The Fives Beach ~ Photographer: Maricarmen Arcos ~ Videographer: Arcos Productions ~ Bridal Salon: Tie The Knot Off The Rack
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Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?

We chose Romance Travel Group after finding them on social media. We knew nothing about destination weddings, so we loved that this was their expertise! After our intro call, we knew they would be the perfect match to help make our dream destination wedding come true!
 
How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?

After previewing the expansive list of resorts provided by our Travel Agent, The Fives resort hit all the marks. The cost was fair and affordable for our guests, the location was ideal and the variety of wedding venue locations and style of the resort really fit what we were looking for and matched our style.
 
What led you to choose a destination wedding?

We always knew we never wanted a big, traditional wedding. The thought of spending SO much money on one day, just wasn't "us." We initially considered elopement, but decided we wanted to celebrate and have our closest friends and family with us. So, we decided to go with a destination wedding because we were able to create a memorable experience for all of our favorite people.
 
Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges?

Our experience with our wedding coordinator went well. She was very responsive to emails and responded in a timely manner. There were a few times where I had to ask additional questions to clarify things mentioned in our contract to make sure we were on the same page, but overall she was able to execute our wedding vision well.
 
Describe the booking process for your guests. Did they find that to be easy to navigate?

Our guests had no issues booking their rooms. We included a QR code on our invites which took them right to the booking section of our wedding website. Romance Travel Group did an exceptional job working with our guests and answering any questions or requests that they had.
 
What were some of your biggest fears or things you worried about as your wedding date drew near? How did you get through this?

100% the weather/hurricanes. We booked in early October and a week before a tropical storm had hit the resort. After talking with our Travel Agent, Abby, who was actually at the resort visiting that week, she made us feel safe and comfortable- knowing the resort handles these types of situations very well.
 
Describe the meeting you had with the onsite wedding team when you arrived at the resort.

The meeting with our day of coordinator went well. We went through our entire contract line by line to make sure everything was ready to go. We also got to tour and look at all the locations we had picked to have our wedding events at.
 
How easy/difficult was it to travel with your wedding attire? Did you carry-it on, where did you store it? Did you get a lot of comments at the airport?

Traveling with our wedding attire was not bad at all! We bought a travel garment bag that folded up and were able to lay in in the overhead bins of the planes. We got several congratulations at the airport and even a free bottle of champagne from the bar in Nashville!
 
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?

Our wedding consisted of the ceremony, dinner reception and dance. We opted to not have a formal cocktail hour and encouraged our guests to grab a drink from the bars around the resort. Since we went with a destination wedding, we were able to afford a plated dinner vs buffet/family style and enjoy complimentary signature drinks.


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Real Wedding: Carolyn & Sean at El Dorado Royale

11/30/2024

 
​Wedding Date: October 25, 2024 ~ Resort: El Dorado Royale ~ Photographer/Videographer: Breana Lynn Photography ~ Content Creator: Chic Click by Ale ~ Bridal Salon: Atelier Igar Bridal ~ Tux Shop: Indochino
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Why did you choose Romance Travel Group? 
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Shelli was so nice and really listened to what we wanted for our destination wedding.  She took the time to learn what was important to us and the kind of experience we wanted to provide to our guests.  She did an amazing job of giving a list of options that met our vision and was always available to answer any questions. 

What led you to choose a destination wedding?

For as long as I can remember, I have always said I want to get married on a beach.  Having a big, traditional wedding was just never something that interested me.  We really wanted a small intimate affair where we would knew everyone who attended and had an opportunity to spend time with those people. 

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

When choosing a resort, food and location were 2 of the most important factors for us.  We both come from foodie families and knew that having good food would be important for everyone.  For location, we knew that everyone would be flying in and having a long day of travel and didn’t want people to have to sit in a car for another hour after the airport.  El Dorado had amazing food reviews and was a short car ride from the airport.  The resort seemed to have a good mix of private, quite areas but also accommodate for our party crew!

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

Overall, working with the wedding coordinators at the resort was a great experience.  We did have our coordinator change 5 times throughout the process but the spreadsheet that the resort used to plan everything was very detailed and had all of our information so there weren’t too many issues with the changing of coordinators.  Leading up to the wedding, the response times are not quick but they typically replied within a week.  Once we got to within 2 months of the wedding though, the response time was much better and any worries I had about that quickly vanished.  At the end of the day, these coordinators are planning so many weddings year round that they don’t need a lot of time to make your dreams come true.

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

The booking process was absolutely amazing and went seamlessly.  All of our guests raved about how easy the process was and the great communication that they received.  We had a few guests have to change their reservations after booking for various reasons and they all raved about how easy it was to get into contact with the team and make the changes.

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

Our on-site coordinator greeted us at check-in and then we sat down and reviewed the entire wedding plan.  We went over every detail and the timing of everything for the whole day.  She was able to show us a map of where everything was and give us estimates for how much time we should plan on getting everyone to the correct locations at the correct times. 


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Real Wedding: Lexie & Evan at Dreams Las Mareas

8/28/2024

 
Wedding Date: August 10, 2024 ~ Resort: Dreams Las Mareas ~ Hair/Make-Up:  Nadia Cambronero ~ Photographer/Videographer: Adriana Mendez, Lucas Weddings and Dharma & Jurgen   ~ Bridal Gown: The White Magnolia (Buckhead) ~ Groom's Attire: Indochino (Buckhead)
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Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?
 
We started our destination search on our own, and it was so overwhelming. We knew we were having a larger wedding (100 guests), but still wanted it to be affordable. There were so many options for destinations and resorts. Our initial search deflated us, so we reached out to a few destination wedding travel agencies. After our first call with Romance Travel Group, we knew we could trust them to find us the perfect destination, and they did!
 
What led you to choose a destination wedding?
 
We both knew before our engagement that we wanted a destination wedding. We live in Georgia, but both love the beach & ocean, specifically a Pacific sunset! We also wanted to give our guests a fun, affordable weekend in a beautiful country that they would always remember! So we were looking at Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, the Bahamas, and especially Costa Rica. We got engaged in Costa Rica, so it was definitely at the top of our list.
 
How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
 
We had a few criteria we knew we had to have: family-friendly (we have nieces and nephews), beach access, flights from all major cities (guests came in from all around the US), and specifically the venues. Romance Travel Group put together a detailed presentation with fantastic resort options. In the end, we chose Dreams Las Mareas in Costa Rica! Yay!
 
Were there any objections from your wedding guests about your decision to have a destination wedding? If so, how did you handle overcome those?
 
We did experience objections from family. It was really hard as we wanted advice on the destination, but finances clouded the judgement of some. We were very understanding of the ask to take time off work and travel to a foreign country just to celebrate us. We did not ask for gifts as the gift was their presence itself! So we just pushed the objections aside because we wanted to make this decision for us - somewhere that felt special and we could make beautiful memories in In the end, those family members actually apologized for objecting, and said the trip was worth it!
 
How did you come to decide on your wedding date? Is there meaning behind it?
 
We knew we wanted the wedding in August (limited sports on - but we didn't think about the Olympics, haha). When we looked at all the Saturday dates, 8/10 immediately stuck out. We met on the first day of freshman year of college, and Evan lived beneath Lexie. Evan's dorm room number was 610, and Lexie's was 710. So, 610 + 710 = 810. ♥️
 
Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges?
 
Working with the coordinator was a little difficult at times, but overall our wedding turned out exactly as we had hoped. The logistical and communication aspect was stressful as we had to initiate contact with our coordinator several times, and didn't start planning the wedding until 3 months out. All our other vendors (Photography/Videography, Makeup and Hair artist, DJ, Violinist) were great at communicating with us. The planning of details went great, and all our flowers, decor, venue setup, etc. were perfect!
 
Tell us about your wedding attire – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How do you feel wearing your wedding attire?
 
Bride: I went shopping with my mom, future mother-in-law, and best friend. I knew what kind of silhouette, shape and style I wanted, and the stylist at the bridal shop actually picked it out for me! It was a strapless, A-line crepe gown with a ruched, corseted top, scoop neckline and fitted skirt with a train, with buttons running from top to bottom. I felt like a princess, barbie, queen all at the same time!
 
Groom: Evan wore a custom, ivory Indochino suit, with a white linen shirt, and Allen Edmond loafers. It was the perfect Beach Wedding look.
 
Bridesmaids: I told my bridesmaids what color dress to get, but let them pick it themselves! They all have different bodies and figures, and personalities, so one dress wouldn't work for everyone. They blended so well together! I could not have been more happy.
 
Groomsmen: We had the groomsmen wear matching tan pants from Men's Wearhouse, and a simple white linen shirt.
 
Guests: We requested our guests wear semi-formal attire in a beach neutral color palette. All our guests delivered!



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Real Wedding:  Adilene & Vince at Hyatt Ziva Cancun

8/16/2024

 
Wedding Date: August 17, 2023 ~ Resort: Hyatt Ziva Cancun ~ Photographer/Videographer: Great Events Studio 
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What led you to choose a destination wedding? 
 
We had always dreamt of having a tropical wedding by the ocean. Growing up in different tropical countries, we both cherished our childhood memories of living near the ocean. It was our desire to exchange vows with the ocean as our backdrop. Furthermore, we took into account the financial aspect and compared the value of a destination wedding to weddings held in the United States. It became an effortless decision when we discovered that destination weddings provided a superior quality experience for the cost compared to weddings in the US.
 
How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
 
We wanted the process to be as simple as possible, so we made a concise list of what we were seeking in our wedding venue and enjoyable accommodations to keep our guests entertained throughout their stay. To ascertain these elements, we simply searched for images of the hotels on Google to visualize each venue and made a decision based solely on the pictures about which one offered the best experience for everyone attending. From the diverse range of hotels provided by Romance Travel Group, we conducted a straightforward visual assessment to select the most suitable resort from the available options without conducting any further research. We then proceeded with our choice, hoping for a positive outcome.
 
What were some of your biggest fears about having a destination wedding?
 
Our primary concern in planning an outdoor wedding ceremony was the potential for hurricanes or inclement weather. We were also concerned about providing suitable hotel accommodations to ensure our guests' comfort and enjoyment throughout the event. Additionally, the presence of seaweed on the beaches was a factor in determining the ideal date for our wedding.
 
Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges? 
 
Our experience with our wedding coordinators was inconsistent throughout the planning process. Initially, we worked with our first coordinator for about a year or so. She was responsive and organized, creating a master planner folder for all our information, took wonderful notes and provided suggestions and ideas throughout the entire process. However, after a few months, she received a promotion, and we were assigned to a second coordinator less than a year before the wedding. The quality of service from the second coordinator varied. She maintained the master planner well, recording most of the vital information discussed but often took almost 2 weeks to respond to our inquiries, compared to 1-2 days responses with the first coordinator. Despite the delay, she did provide thorough answers and shared details about the resort's services to use. When we had close to a year left to plan, we didn't mind the 2 weeks it took to respond but once we got closer and closer to our wedding date, we thought she would adapt and respond quicker but hardly changed for the better. At best, it would still take 4-5 days to respond, which we were running out of time to relay all of our information needed for the services that the hotel provided that we planned to use. Due to the slow responses, we changed our attention to outside vendors such as getting a DJ and decorators as they were quicker to respond to our inquiries and needs for our wedding that was quickly coming up. During our in-person meeting at the resort a day before the wedding, she was pleasant and efficient in preparing for the wedding, handling all the items we brought for the event and discussing when and where each item would go during the ceremony. However, on the wedding day itself, she unfortunately forgot several essential items needed during the reception, examples such as the guest book along with pens for greetings and signatures. During the reception, instead of keeping an eye out for any problems or the prevention of new problems from occurring, we noticed she was working on another couple's master plan on her laptop.
 
What were some of your biggest fears or things you worried about as your wedding date drew near? How did you get through this?
 
Small, insignificant things you don't really think about are building blocks that all add up to create the bigger picture of your wedding. We often had to visualize how the insignificant things would play out in our heads and had to create a list of the "smaller" points to help our wedding function properly months in advance to make sure we don't forget anything, to make the ceremony and reception run as smoothly as possible. Examples such as when our family and friends would walk down the aisle, in what order would they go? Picking the appropriate music/songs to play in the background during vital parts of the wedding, cocktail hour, and reception? Making sure to pick the correct food for the reception and that none of our guests are allergic to any of our choices for our buffet style dinner. We also often feared about how to get our guests to the resorts on time and safely as it was the first time for most visiting Cancun or even first time visiting a foreign country. There were also a few more issues that for our guests might run into such as a language barrier, issues with airports with delayed luggage and weather delaying/canceling flights at various locations, updating passports/Visas to travel internationally and getting transportation from the airport to the resort to make sure our guests were all set and ready to arrive. Luckily, Romance Travel Group was able to help us by providing detailed emails to our guests on what to do and organizing transportation for when they arrived at the airport. We also created a Facebook group to prepare everyone on any other issue that might pop up and share general information to help with any questions they might have, creating a community for everyone to get to know one another before leaving for Cancun.
 
Tell us about how you chose your bridal party and asked them to stand up with you.
 
From the start, we were eager to include our siblings in our celebration. Since we had an equal number of male and female siblings between both families, it was an easy answer to the number of bridesmaids and groomsmen. We thought it would be meaningful to have our siblings join us in these roles. Before we asked them to join our union, we decided to create gift baskets for each one of them, along with heartfelt letters expressing our desire for them to be a part of our special day. Each basket was catered specifically for each person. By choosing our siblings, we also ensured that coordinating attendance at events and assistance with our wedding projects would be easier, as we all reside near to one another.
 


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Real Wedding: Jesse & John at Generations Riviera Maya

6/26/2024

 
Wedding Date: May 31, 2024 ~ Resort: Generations Riviera Maya
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Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?
We attended a wedding back in 2022 and they used Romance Travel Group.  That's actually what made us decide to have a destination wedding!  As guests it was such an easy process, so we decided to ask the bride & groom for the contact information.  After our first conversation we just knew that this was the route we wanted to take!  We got all of our questions answered and got the best advice possible!

How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
We spoke with Shelli and went over what we were looking for in the resort.  We definitely wanted something in Mexico, wanted a resort that wasn't TOO big so everyone could stick together, and we wanted a resort that allowed for children.  Shelli gave us a list of resorts that fit what we were asking for based on that conversation and once we saw the Sky Deck that we ended up getting married on we knew that was the place for us!

Did you invite guests in a unique way, like a themed save the date or announcement party?
First we sent out save the dates, with a lot of time in advance to compensate for guests who may need to take off work or make payments over time.  We bought templates off Etsy to make the theme consistent with everything.  For our official invitations, we sent out personalized luggage tags as a little favor with "and so the journey begins" printed on them, with our names and wedding date.

Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges?
In the beginning, it was overwhelming, and we felt like we weren't doing enough soon enough.  As we continued meeting with our wedding planner, she kept assuring us that we were right on track and she was taking care of everything for us.  With the guidance and patience of our wedding planner, we were able to calm down a little bit and trust the process.  It's definitely something different putting all of your trust in someone who you've never met in real life, basing decisions off of photos and their recommendations, but with those recommendations and teamwork everything ended up being PERFECT!  We honestly regret stressing over it so much because everything was so perfectly done.

Describe the booking process for your guests. Did they find that to be easy to navigate?
The booking process for our guests was super easy.  A couple of times, we would get questions from our guests, and we would direct them to our agent (Shannon).  She answered questions quickly and was able to help them with anything they had questions on.


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Real Wedding: Amy & Lukas at Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta

6/25/2024

 
Wedding Date: April 27, 2024 ~ Resort: Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta ~ Photographer/Videographer: Del Mar Wedding Photography ~ Bridal Gown: Misora Bridal Boutique ~ Groom's Attire: Jos A. Bank
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What led you to choose a destination wedding?
 I think having a destination wedding was always in the cards for us. My husband is from Germany and my family is Dominican and before working with Romance Travel Group, our options were to either elope and upset everyone or pick one destination over the other and upset one of our families. Ultimately, we decided we wanted everyone to take a little vacation with us and see us get married.
 
How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
For the resort, we were looking for something that was family friendly and felt somewhat private. When we saw that the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta did not share its beach with any other resort, we knew that was the one.  

What were some of your biggest fears about having a destination wedding?
One of our biggest fears about having a destination wedding was the potential feedback and being an “inconvenience” to our guests. We were asking our friends and family to take a vacation with us, for a weekend, in a country of our choosing, so that we could get married. At the end of the day, everything turned out great and everyone had a good time, but we did receive a mix of positive and negative feedback leading up to the wedding. 

Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges?
Our wedding planner Nayely was amazing, and we never had any issues. When we were first introduced to her, she gave us a timeline for things that needed to be done/decisions that had to be made and she held our hand the entire time.  Most of our conversations were via email but there were a few times that we jumped on a call or zoom to figure things out. It's always weird making such important decisions “online” and not in person, but she was extremely knowledgeable and understood what we wanted and with her help our wedding turned out better than we could’ve imagined. 

Tell us about your wedding attire – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How do you feel wearing your wedding attire?
I love my dress! It made me feel both elegant and sexy but also reminded me that this is real, and I was getting married. With all that said, finding my dress was one of the hardest parts of this entire process. I’m not used to going into stores anymore, so going in to try things on was overwhelming and depending on where you go, the bridal specialists can be pushy to get you to pick something (especially if you tell them you already liked something elsewhere). I ended up having a “favorite dress” at every store I went to and wanted to settle for one of them. My best friend and MOH came with me to every appointment and noticed that my “favorites” all happened to come from the same designer, so she booked my last appointment at a boutique that carried most of that designer’s collection. Sure enough, this is where I found my dress. Funny thing is, I ended up picking something from a completely different designer. 


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Real Wedding: Kailey & Kian at Dreams Riviera Cancun

5/27/2024

 
​Wedding Date: May 18, 2024 ~ Resort: Dreams Riviera Cancun ~ Photographer:  Marina Pochepkina  ~ Videographer: Frame Wedding Film ~ Bridal Gown: Alice In Ivory, Jane Hill Bridal ~ Tux Salon: The Black Tux
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What led you to choose a destination wedding?
My husband is originally from Belgium and I am from the USA. We knew we would have some guests traveling internationally anyway, so it seemed to level the playing field. We also liked the idea of having extended time with our guests and allowing them to make a vacation out of it. Most weddings in the USA only allow for 4-6 hours of celebration, but here we had 4-6 days!
 
How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
When looking up reviews, Dreams Riviera Cancun had incredible ratings and seemed to be a very popular wedding resort due to the excellent service. When I saw the Lobby Staircase, the Oceana Rooftop and the Beach Deck, I fell in love with the wedding venues. The size seemed to allow for spacious grounds, but was small enough to easily find and spend time with wedding guests.
 
What were some of your biggest fears about having a destination wedding?
I was mostly worried that some of our favorite people wouldn’t be able to make the trip. But overall I think we had an incredible turnout! I was also worried that the resort might misinterpret my vision and the end product wouldn’t be what I expected. However, they completely brought my vision to life! I couldn’t have been happier.
 
Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges?
My mother and I did a site visit about 8 months before the wedding that allowed us to do a food tasting, tour, a flower trial and discuss decor/entertainment options. I was then contacted by the wedding coordinator about 3 months before the wedding to go through the budget planner and details. After that, we discussed questions via email and had a meeting our first day at the resort to finalize choices. The only hiccup was that our wedding coordinator left the resort, but we ended up working with the woman I met during my site visit and she was amazing. I’m pretty low maintenance, so I was never concerned with the communication.
 
Tell us about your wedding attire – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How do you feel wearing your wedding attire?
I got my dress at Alice in Ivory in Chicago where I live. I had been to maybe 10 stores and tried on well over 80 dresses. But when I put this one on I knew it was the one. I felt so confident in it and I never felt more beautiful in my life! The designer is Jane Hill and the quality of her dresses are incredible. 


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Real Wedding: Jennifer & David at Secrets Papagayo

5/24/2024

 
​Wedding Date: March 1, 2024 ~ Resort: Secrets Papagayo ~ Photographer/Videographer: Dream Art ~ Bridal Gown: Eva's International
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Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?
Of the 3 companies we had initial conversations with, Abby from Romance Travel was the most knowledgeable and informative. She gave great suggestions and considerations to help us decide on a location.
 
What led you to choose a destination wedding?
We travel a lot and love it!
 
How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
We often travel to the Caribbean and wanted something a little different. Each of us chose 3 locations, we each eliminated one, and then we provided the info for the last group to Abby. She helped us narrow down the list by answering our questions. Ultimately, Costa Rica was somewhere neither of us have been before and offered the most variety for us extending our stay and relocating. Adults only was a must since we have no children. A smaller guest list and a want for new experiences were also considerations.
 
Were there any objections from your wedding guests about your decision to have a destination wedding? If so, how did you handle overcome those?
Dave has immediate family with young children and several family members from my family do as well, so there were quite a few people that expressed their wish for a family friendly location. Dave’s family (including his parents, three sisters, spouses, and kids) rented an Air BnB close by. It would have been great for them to stay at the resort with us, but this was the next best option so that everyone could come. The spouses stayed back and watched the kiddos for the wedding day, participating in excursions throughout the stay so they could be part of the group.
 
What were some of your biggest fears about having a destination wedding?
Having it in a country we never visited before & having to rely on reviews and videos on Social Media for the resort. Weather (because of location).
 
How did you come to decide on your wedding date? Is there meaning behind it?
We wanted the end of February but it was booked so we extended into the next Friday (for ease of guest travel) there was availability.
 
Did you invite guests in a unique way, like a themed save the date or announcement party?
No, we relied on Romance Travel to get the word out.
 
Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges?
Jeanette Vallejos was our wedding coordinator at Secrets Papagayo and she was fabulous! She walked us through everything, answered all of our questions in a timely manner, gave recommendations when asked, helped with guest queries/accommodations, and really made the process stress free.
 
Tell us about your wedding attire – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How do you feel wearing your wedding attire?
I purchased my dress at my second bridal shop. The first bridal appointment was to accommodate my now mother-in-law from out of town. I wanted her to be involved so I made sure to make an appointment when she was in town. My mother and one of my best friends were also there. One of my cousins was disappointed they didn’t get to dress shop with me, so I made a last minute appointment at Eva’s International during a trunk show for a designer that had a few dress styles I liked. I ended with a different designer, Kitty Chen, buying her Alyssa dress. I do not care much about designers, but I fell for this dress that was not at all the flowy beach dress that I had imagined. Dave ordered his suit custom online.
 
Describe the booking process for your guests. Did they find that to be easy to navigate?
Communication was done through Shannon at Romance Travel Group. Guests seemed pleased with the service from Romance Travel Group.
 


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Real Wedding: Jessica & Mark at El Dorado Maroma

5/24/2024

 
Wedding Date: April 26, 2024 ~ Resort: El Dorado Maroma ~ Photographer/Videographer: Bridal Moments ~ Bridal Gown: The Wedding Shoppe ~ Tux Salon: Brighton Tux Shop
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Why did you choose Romance Travel Group? 
They had very good reviews and were very personable from the start.

What led you to choose a destination wedding?
We attended a destination wedding in Mexico a year prior to getting engaged. It was so much fun and we actually got to spend time with the bride and groom. After the fact, the bride mentioned how little they actually spent on the wedding and at that point we were sold.

How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
We wanted something beautiful and without children. El Dorado had amazing reviews.

Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges?
Working with the coordinator virtually (not the on-site coordinator) was not great. She was very slow to respond to emails. The time difference and language barrier made things challenging as well. On the other hand, our on-site coordinator was amazing. And I can't complain about the process too much because the wedding ultimately turned out perfectly.

Tell us about your wedding attire – How did you find it? Who went shopping with you? How do you feel wearing your wedding attire?
I got my wedding dress from The Wedding Shoppe in Berkley, MI. My husband got his tux from Brighton Tux Shop. I was nervous about being overdressed and being too hot but it ended up working out just fine. It was definitely hot out but it was windy which helped. We were pretty comfortable by the evening. I did bring a short "party dress" that I changed into around 9pm which was great for photos.

Describe the booking process for your guests. Did they find that to be easy to navigate?
Yes, there were no issues. Our travel agents were amazing!



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Real Wedding: Ryann & Nickolas at Hyatt Ziva Vallarta

3/21/2024

 
​Wedding Date: January 13, 2024 ~ Resort: Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta ~ Photographer/Videographer: Del Mar Wedding Photography ~ Bridal Gown: The Wedding Shoppe ~ Tux Salon: Men's Wearhouse
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​Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?
We chose RTG because it had stellar reviews, was recommended on several destination wedding Facebook pages, and was based out of our home state of Minnesota. We had an amazing experience with them and are so glad the reviews were right.
 
What led you to choose a destination wedding?
We chose a destination wedding with the encouragement of a couple of friends who had done destination weddings for their own marriages and highly recommended it. I was in graduate school and didn't have time to plan a wedding, so doing a destination wedding was the perfect idea for a getaway and involved immensely less planning.
 
What were some of your biggest fears about having a destination wedding?
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Our biggest fear of doing a destination wedding was the cost. We wanted our loved ones to be able to attend and didn't want them to spend a lot of money. We also weren't sure how many people would want to or be able to come after finding out it was going to be a destination wedding. All our fears were put to the side when out of 130 people invited, 102 said yes. It was absolutely incredible and everyone had the BEST time.


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Real Wedding: Mackenzie & Jace at Dreams Riviera Cancun

2/8/2024

 
​Wedding Date: January 17, 2024 ~ Resort: Dreams Riviera Cancun ~ Photographer: Celia Armijo Photography ~ Videographer: Alejandro Lopez ~ Bridal Gown: Modern Dress in Boone, Iowa ~ Beauty: PrepTulum/PrepWeddings   ~ Tux Salon: Indochino
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Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?
We had friends we went to college with that used Romance Travel Group and they had a great experience, so we knew we could trust them with finding us the right resort for our wedding! 


What led you to choose a destination wedding?
We chose a destination wedding because we wanted to spend a week with all of our favorite people at an all-inclusive resort! We have been to a lot of weddings and wanted to do something different. I also am not the best planner and thought this would be the best route to help me with the wedding planning process! 


How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
We knew we wanted a smaller resort, one centralized pool area, and a resort with good reviews on food. Romance Travel Group gave us a few options that had all of these, but we ultimately picked Dreams Riviera Cancun based on their wedding package. It was what fit our needs and budget best! 


What were some of your biggest fears about having a destination wedding?
I would say our biggest fear was knowing people we really wanted to be there might not be able to come. This was hard to accept at first, but we knew we were asking a lot of people and also that it was something we could not control and just tried to focus on all of our guests that were coming. Although there were a few close friends and family that could not make it we still had such a great turn out and enjoyed every second with those that could make it. 
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Real Wedding:  Alexis & Caleb at Secrets Moxche

1/23/2024

 
Wedding Date: October 14, 2023 ~ Resort: Secrets Moxche ~ Photographer: Jonhy and Rose  ~ Bridal Gown: Emma and Grace Denver ~ Beauty: Zoe Elizabeth ~ Tux Salon: Men's Warehouse
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What led you to choose a destination wedding?
We got engaged in Mexico and had originally planned to get married in Colorado, but the more we started planning, the more overwhelming it felt and it got so expensive so fast! That's when we looked into the idea of going back to Mexico and doing an all-inclusive. We reached out to Romance Travel Group and started talking about the idea of a Mexico wedding. We ended up cancelling our Colorado venue and had the easiest, best time planning our destination wedding. It was the best decision ever! 
 
How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
Abigail ultimately helped us decide on Secrets Moxche. She listened to what we were wanting in a resort and highly recommended Secrets Moxche. We fell in love with the pictures of the cenotes, "Tulum-feel", and the beauty of the resort. It was so unique and unlike anything we'd ever seen. We wanted an adult-only all-inclusive that wasn't too big, but was romantic, modern, and tropical. Abigail nailed it on the head with Secrets Moxche
 
Were there any objections from your wedding guests about your decision to have a destination wedding? If so, how did you handle overcome those?
Some of our guests were unable to make it due to the costs or taking time off of work, but we told everyone beforehand that we understand it is a big ask to have them come to Mexico. We didn't want anyone to feel obligated to come and let them know we would miss them and celebrate when we got back. 


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Real Wedding: Kaitlyn & Taylor at Dreams Playa Mujeres

1/3/2024

 
​Wedding Date: November 9, 2023 ~ Resort: Dreams Playa Mujeres ~ Photographer: Andrew Meier Photography ~ Bridal Gown: Savvi Bridal ~ Gown Designer: Casablanca ~ Tux Salon: Generation Tux
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Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?
We chose Romance Travel Group after meeting some of their team members at a local bridal expo. My husband and I had already decided on a destination wedding, yet we were just looking for additional information and location ideas. After having a rough start to the planning process with another travel agent, a meeting with Shelli immediately put us at ease, and we trusted that her team knew what they were doing. The fact that they specialized in destination weddings was a plus, and it helped them help us narrow down resorts based on what we were looking for.

What led you to choose a destination wedding?
We were living in NC then, and I was from the Chicago area while my husband is from Ohio. No matter where we held our wedding, people would have to travel, so why not make it a tropical destination where we could spend more than one day with our guests. 

How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
Shelli and her team did a great job listening to what we were looking for on our wedding day, along with our group size and budget, to help narrow down resorts. We ended up going with a resort that had the wedding package we were looking for, along with amenities and incentives for booking a certain number of rooms.

Were there any objections from your wedding guests about your decision to have a destination wedding? If so, how did you handle overcome those?
We had a few objections from family and friends about us having a destination wedding. We included why we decided to have a destination wedding on our Q&A page on our wedding website, and we understood from the beginning that only some were going to make it. We had a 2.5-year engagement; by the time a date was set, it was a 1.5-year notice for guests. We tried to be considerate of our guests to be able to plan for time off and save, and this allowed us to save up for our big day, too. The people who wanted to be there would be there, and no matter what, it was a fantastic time.


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Real Wedding: Jenna & Christopher at Generations Riviera Maya

12/21/2023

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Wedding Date: December 3, 2023 ~ Resort: El Dorado Royale / Generations ~ Photographer: Off The Rail Photography ~ Videographer: Lux Like Art ~ Bridal Gown: Bel Fiore Bridal  ~ Tux Salon: Men's Warehouse
Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?
We chose Romance Travel after we did some research on travel companies for destination weddings and had a discussion with Shelli, we knew we needed to work with them. Shelli was straightforward and really helpful in giving the overall view of how the process works and the relief they take off of the bride when it comes to planning and talking with the resorts. 

What led you to choose a destination wedding?
We ultimately chose a destination wedding because we felt we were getting more bang for our buck in getting a whole weekend experience for ourselves and our guests. This also gave an opportunity for our guests to make a vacation out of it as well.

How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
We selected our resort based off of the options the Shelli gave us. We chose our resort due to the location and the perks that came along with our wedding package. We also chose based on the size of the resort because we knew we would have a pretty big wedding for a destination and we were going to have a few kids in our wedding and Generations was the perfect fit for that.
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Real Wedding: Inbal & Bridger at El Dorado Royale

12/6/2023

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​Wedding Date: November 13, 2023 ~ Resort: El Dorado Royale ~ Photographer: Kaitlin Powell ~ Bridal Gown: One White Lane Bridal  ~ Tux Salon: Suit Shop
Real Wedding: Inbal & Bridger at El Dorado Royale
Why did you choose Romance Travel Group? 
We chose Romance Travel Group because I felt like they cared about their clients and their clients' guests, and I felt really comfortable with them after the initial call, I felt like they knew what they were doing.

What led you to choose a destination wedding? 
I have always dreamt of a destination wedding, going on vacation to celebrate our wedding in Mexico with family and friends has always been a dream of mine, and was the absolute best decision ever.

How did you come to decide on your wedding date? Is there meaning behind it? 
We chose our date based on the time of year. We didn’t want it around spring break time, or high season for hurricanes and everyone on summer vacation.  Hurricane season ends in October so we decided on November, and we chose a Monday so people could travel on a Saturday or Sunday.

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Describe what it was like working with the wedding coordinator at the resort? What went well? Any challenges? 
I really thought the whole process was very easy, we did a lot of emailing and messaging on WhatsApp. In the beginning communication was slow which I was understanding of since they do so many weddings, but I wasn’t worried. The 3 months leading up to the wedding communication was very quick. I would send pictures of my inspiration and they provided everything. 


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Real Wedding: Gabby & Humberto at The Fives Beach

12/4/2023

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​Wedding Date: October 21, 2023 ~ Resort: The Fives Beach ~ Photographer: Dream Bella Photography ~ Videographer: Timeless Photography & Film ~ Bridal Gown: Bridal Boutique of Lewisville  ~ Tux Salon: The Black Tux
Real Wedding: Gabby & Humberto at The Fives Beach
What led you to a destination wedding?
We chose a destination wedding because of a trip we took together to Cancun back in 2022. It was Gabby's first time traveling out of the country and we had the most fun trip ever, and knew we wanted to relive the fun whenever we got married. We knew to keep it small with just close loved ones and were so happy we did!

How did you select the resort? What were the deciding factors?
We were presented with a wonderful document put together by Romance Travel Group that outlined great resorts - they broke down room rates, resort amenities, wedding packages and more. We narrowed it down to 3 of the approximately 10 sent to us. We went to visit each hotel and we felt the wedding locations at the Fives matched our preferences the best. Along with that, their wedding team was wonderful, room rates were reasonable, and we loved the atmosphere!

Why did you choose Romance Travel Group?
We sought out Romance Travel Group after an unpleasant experience with a family friend recommended to us. They had raving reviews online, so we decided to set up an intro call. Abigail was incredibly professional on our phone call and gave us amazing details on what to expect when working with them - things such as involvement in rooming lists, transportation, cancellation policies, credits, amenities, etc. We had a great feeling from the start and felt we would be in good hands for the planning, and we certainly were!


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