Going in circles

amybutz89 · May 31, 2011

Hi, My name is Amy and I just got engaged a couple of weeks ago. We decided pretty quickly to have a destination wedding, only now we cant decide where the best place would be! We really like St.Thomas, but there doesnt seem to be a whole lot of options for lodging. We are expecting about 20 adults and 5 kids. The main problem is that we really want everyone to be able to go, as they are all our closest families, but not everyone will be able to afford it. We will probably have to pay for 3 or 4 guest rooms. We would like everyone to be able to stay for a few days, party because since most of them do not have much money, they also probably havent and wont be able to have a nice vacation like this, but also because my fiances mother has been ill for a very long time and we are not sure how long she will be with us. We are paying for the whole wedding ourselves, and hoping to stay around $10,000. Is this even possible at St. Thomas? And any suggestions for an alternative, cheaper place to have a dw?
One last thing, if we were to pay for a room, would it be rude for us to ask 2 couples to room together?

Thanks for any help!!!

bchamp22 · June 1, 2011

Hi Amy!

I too am recently engaged and jumped head first into trying to plan a destination wedding. Ours will depend on a lot of outside circumstances as well... it's so tough when you have so much to consider!

I really recommend having the help of a local travel agent. Most agencies have a destination wedding specialist and cost you nothing because they're paid off comission from the resorts. They can help you with all aspects of planning from location to guest accomodations and budget. They do this every day and might have some answers to your questions!

Good luck and happy planning!

mexicobride422 · June 1, 2011

Hi Amy:)

Congrats and welcome to the site!!

Picking a destination and resort will probably be the hardest part of your planning..

My fiance and I were really set on Jamaica, but the resort we wanted was just too expensive and we were told they don't do weddings on Sundays-- (we had our hearts set on a date already).. So we will save that place for either our honeymoon or our one year anniversary trip..

Mexico has MANY MANY affordable resorts with great wedding packages.. Great family resorts too since you will be having children attend your wedding.. You should check out the mexico thread here.. When I first started planning it helped to look at all the reviews and pictures brides posted so that I could narrow down what I want..

Good luck and don't worry.. You will find the place perfect for you and your budget!

c&j · June 1, 2011

Congrats! I also suggest looking into Mexico because you really can't beat their prices. Do a lot of research on here and meet with a travel agent to narrow down your options and discuss what is most important for you both.

Tropical Imaging · June 1, 2011

Hi Amy!

welcome! The Caribbean is a huge area and islands/countries are vastly different in terms of costs, activities available, access etc. Probably the best way to start is to tell us what you envision your wedding to be. For example, do you want to be on a white sandy beach to get married or maybe in a beautiful tropical garden setting. Do you like more water/snorkeling/diving/boating type activities? or would you love to tour waterfalls, do jungle tours or visit old caribbean or mexican towns. Are you looking for a ton of activities or just quiet? Looking for lots of nightlife? casinos? or not? All inclusive? Villa? Condo style hotel? Where are you flying in from (as well as your guests) flight access, costs and time spent flying are important to consider as well? Tell us what you and your Fiance are dreaming of and maybe we can start to narrow it down for you. You probably won't find everything you are looking for, but I bet you can find something that meets a lot of your requirements.

Just a little about me, I live in the Turks and Caicos Islands (for the past 15 years) and have traveled a bit through the Caribbean. The T&C islands are known for their white sand beaches and clear blue water (we have no mountains or jungles). We are very quiet, not tons of nightlife, and do not have tons of tourists like many of the other destinations. We do tend to be higher priced than many destinations which keeps traffic low here. Mexico is a very popular destination on the boards as is Jamaica. There are many all inclusive resorts to choose from in those countries.

Once you have narrowed down countries, I would suggest emailing one of the Travel Agents on this forum who specialize in your chosen destination, I have always read great reviews about their help with brides!

Happy Planning!

Krys