We love assisting our clients in finding fun group activities to include as part of their wedding weekend of adventure! I hold the Cancun / Riviera Maya / Yucatan very near and dear to my heart. This area is so much more than beautiful beaches. The culture is rich and there’s much to be experienced. Not to mention, a quick direct flight via Continental Airlines from our very own George Bush International Airport (IAH) to Cancun International Airport (CUN)!
This week on Where 2 Wednesday :: Xel-ha [shell-ha]
As the largest natural aquarium in the world, this ecological park has fun and adventure to be had by all! In addition to experiencing your destination wedding, your guests will also want to experience some of what your destination has to offer. Chances are, you will have a variety of adventures to choose from. Xel-ha is a great location to couple a variety of adventure options in one all-inclusive location. At just over $70USD per adult and 50% off for children, this is noted at the best value adventure in the area.
In addition to all beverages,
snacks are included,
breakfast and lunch are also included,
you’ll enjoy ecological and cultural tours,
kids can take part in a child friendly adventure section,
visit a cenote [se'note] “The Mayan Cave”,
enjoy snorkeling,
cliff diving,
bicycling through the jungle,
relax on an inner tube,
and of course… swim with the dolphins!
Share with us your Xel-ha experience in the comment box below!
There’s no doubt that Mexico is an attractive destination for couples desiring an ease of travel for their guests. With less than two hours flight time, Delta (formerly Continental) offers a direct flight from Houston (George Bush Intercontinental Airport — IAH). Once you arrive, there are infinite possibilities for your destination wedding.
But…
Before we talk about the beauty, tradition, heritage, the people and the wonderful destination wedding possibilities, let’s talk about the reason many are shying away from a destination wedding in Mexico due to the ongoing reports of Mexico’s drug cartels violence at the border. These reports are real and one can’t help but question the possibility of safe travels. To this I say, “We Houstonians are closer to the border violence than The Yucatan, Mexico (referring also to Cancun and Riviera Maya) is to its own border violence issues.”
We visited our local Fox 26 Houston website and took the last ten reports (as of May 5, 2010) and placed them on a pin map. What did we find? Houston is approximately 300 land miles from the border violence. Yes, it’s that close to home. Which is understandably why it’s such a hot topic of discussion. However, The Yucatan, Cancun and the Riviera Maya is 800 flight miles away. Depending on drive route, more than double the miles by land (1700+). For the record, I can’t imagine anyone in their right mind that would attempt a drive through Mexico to get to The Yucatan.
It’s a given, crime can be found globally. Everyone is responsible for their own destiny. We can simply testify that during our two trips to this area in the past five months, we didn’t see nor experience violence-ridden Mexico in the Cancun, Riviera Maya and The Yucatan area that is unfortunately taking place at the Mexico Border.
To visit our interactive map here for details on pin points, please send us your email address.
During a consultation with one of our destination wedding couples last week, we began the forbidden “weather” discussion. We laughed at how our destination bride-to-be’s grandfather enjoyed Molly and Jason’s (ABC’s The Bachelor) downpour at their outdoor wedding ceremony. At that moment I realized that couples are truly beginning to embrace their wedding day’s events as mother nature means for it to happen.
No doubt, it’s all in the attitude. We can’t control the weather, but we can certainly control our reactions and overall attitudes to things we cannot control. If you’re planning a tropical destination wedding, it’s not uncommon for the sky to open up one minute and the sun to peak through the clouds the next. Embrace this possibility and run with it… the grown and sexy way!
Here’s a clip of Molly and Jason’s beautiful rainy day wedding from ABC’s The Bachelor ::
Tell us…
How would you like a wet, rainy wedding ceremony? I’d totally dig it! After all, rain on your wedding day is a sign of good luck. [wink]
We’ve been joyously working on this year’s destination wedding clients’ big day! Not that we haven’t been equally pouring ourselves into our Houston area weddings. The majority of our destination wedding couples continue to choose Caribbean locations. Needless to say, there’s plenty of Caribbean wedding possibilities out there to choose from. We’re going to offer you a glimpse into our clients’ choices thus far (in no particular order). They also make for easy travel for we Texas visitors.
7 Day Western Caribbean Cruise :: At Sea
General Map Credit :: www.welt-atlas.com
As we illustrated above, about forty (40) guest sailed from Galveston to Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel for a 25th wedding anniversary and vow renewal cruise. Cruising is a growing trend that we’ll talk about next week.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico :: Dreams Puerto Vallarta
Photo Credit :: Dreams
Located on the Pacific side of Mexico, Puerto Vallarta offers beautiful sunsets! That’s one of the driving reasons why our Austin, Texas clients choose this destination wedding location. Close to fifty (50) of their closest family and friends will join them for a wedding weekend filled with the fun of creating a lifetime of memories.
Ocho Rios, Jamaica :: Sandals Grande Ocho Rios
Photo Credit :: Sandals
With this couple, they wanted to a beautiful location to serve as the backdrop for their union. Lush gardens, beautiful beaches and white gloved service made this Dallas, Texas destination wedding couple swoon over their new beginnings. They will enjoy ten (10) intimate nights in a top level rooming category. About a dozen guests will join them for this intimate celebration.
Montego Bay, Jamaica :: Rose Hall Resort Spa & Country Club
Photo Credit :: Rose Hall
Breath taking beauty has this Houston couple ecstatic about their upcoming Independence weekend nuptial events! About sixty (60) guest will take part in the holiday weekend wedding weekend bash venturing from Dallas, Houston, New Orleans and more!
Riviera Maya, Mexico :: Dreams Riviera Cancun
Photo Credit :: Dreams
At just under a year in age, this Dreamproperty is truly a dream. Our newly relocated Michigan couple is in love with their wedding ceremony and reception location. This straw architecture will serve as the backdrop for their sunset nuptials. We can’t wait as I’m sure sixty (60) of their family and friends can’t either!
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands :: The Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa
Photo Credit :: Westin
Photo Credit :: Westin
The Westin is know for it’s great service and offerings. This Houston native destination wedding couple knew this would be the location for their 10/10/10 destination wedding day! An intimate celebration of about thirty (30) guest will enjoy a sunset wedding and breezeway reception.
7 Day Eastern Caribbean Cruise :: Nassau, Bahamas
General Map Credit :: www.welt-atlas.com
This Houston couple proposed became engaged at a previous destination wedding of ours. They quickly called us up to begin planning their Nassau, Bahamas wedding at port of a 7 day Bahamas cruise. They expect about seventy (70) of their closest family and friends to join them. This is proving to be a fun cruise wedding to plan!
That’s all for now! Be sure to send us questions about your destination wedding locations.
Ana de Roux is a Texas stationer that offers a line of destination wedding stationery that’s sure to set the tone for your up coming nuptials. When choosing your stationery, it should set the tone for your event while adhering to the level of formality. Ana’s offerings range from elegant papers to fun designs made to replicate passports and boarding passes. Here is a glimpse at her passport and boarding pass stationery collection::
To see the entire offerings, visit her destination wedding specific stationery website: Passport Invitations. Once there, you’ll have access to her other websites as well.
Roadblock tip :: Know your maximum budget before hand and research your options. Come to terms with your findings. It’s far better to plan a beautiful destination wedding for twelve verses building a logistical nightmare for fifty.
It’s true that planning a destination wedding can be less costly, but this doesn’t mean that you build Romanian gala on a $5,000 budget. It’s not uncommon to have couples with destination wedding visions that are not parallel with their overall budget. This is part not knowing and part media hype. If you don’t know how far your dollar will stretch, it’s okay to ask. We do advise you to do a little preliminary research. Sure, it may not be the best idea to plan a destination wedding and manage your entire group’s travel itineraries yourself. However, it’s okay to use the world wide web to get a general idea on travel demographics of your destination prior to enlisting help. Just to be clear… We didn’t say planning a destination wedding on a $5,000 budget is unrealistic. We’re simply saying, parallel your expectations.
Mistake No. 4 :: Scaling back on guest inclusions
Roadblock tip :: Be gracious to your guests! They’ll love your for it and the overall experience will be that more memorable.
If you’re planning a destination wedding, you should include a portion of your budget to “Guest Inclusions.” Although not many destination wedding couples are able to pay for their guest travel and accommodations, there are other areas of opportunity to treat your guests graciously. If there’s ever an opportunity to practice good hosting skills, it’s at a destination wedding. Many of your guests will make great sacrifices to attend. Be gracious to them! If you need to scale anything back, consider cutting down on your overall guest list to add room on your bottom line.
Mistake No. 1 :: Committing to a destination wedding prior to dating the idea of a destination wedding
Roadblock Tip :: Research and discuss the idea prior to making a decision.
Just as compatibility is necessary in the couple’s decision to marry, a couple’s compatibility is also necessary when planning a destination wedding. We suggest putting a little effort into the consideration process. In addition to discussing the idea as a couple, you should also discuss the idea with your parents and other close relatives and/or loved ones. An uncompromisable attendance of an important family member could serve as a decision breaker for some. Know this ahead of time!
You will find a host of online information to assist you with key decision making factors. We’ve included a few reads for you to begin your journey:
Mistake No. 2 :: Choosing the destination wedding location prematurely
“Let’s get married in Paris!” says Joe Loversfield. “That would be awesome!” says Moneyless Melinda. {or vice versa}
Roadblock Tip :: Begin choosing your location with well though out ideas. Include location features, benefits and expense details (wedding, couple’s travel(s), guests travel) that you would like to consider. These ideas can then be matched with location possibilities for your to review further. Your list of possible locations will be more beneficial that the list of locations you have at the top of your head.
We don’t like being the bearer of bad news. However, it is absolutely necessary to properly outline your wedding budget prior to making any other wedding related decisions (destination wedding or not). This goes much deeper than having a magical figure floating around in your head. Hearing that you have about $XYZ to spend is such a huge pet peeve of mine. This is not Let’s Make a Deal. I’m not Monty Hall. Nor am I Wayne Brady. We only work with fact based figures. This is the only way to successfully know what you’re up against.
Aside from the need to know your actual financial wedding parameters and sources from which these funds will derive from, you will also need to know if your destination wedding location will offer a cohesive fit. In other words, prematurely setting your sights on Paris, France when you should realistically move towards it’s Canadian counterpart Paris, Ontario will save you anguish in the end.
There’s no denying the fact that there is a growing number of engaged couples choosing to host a destination wedding. Why is this? The elevated sense of the value of a dollar has couples becoming breaking the creative mold while seeking more bang for their buck. Along with this factor, as echo boomers begin to plan their weddings, they too are seeking to break a mold of their own: the mold of their baby booming parents.
We can’t help but notice that as the number of destination weddings are on a rise, so are the decision making mistakes. To help you grasp a smooth start to your destination wedding planning adventure, we’ll outline a five pitfalls to avoid in the road. Join us tomorrow as we begin this two day series.
Well, we don’t mean a literal dream. We do think a destination wedding at the new Dreams Riviera Cancun can be a very realistic romantic start to your happily ever after.
We have been working with Ana since the open of this resort several months back. We all know that Dreams resorts come with a above average level of satisfaction. Amy and Chris, our clients, got engaged at a sister property and couldn’t resist the idea of wedding at new Dreams Riviera Cancun. We are overjoyed to deliver our feedback after our brief visit on Friday.
For couples looking for a contemporary look and feel in a resort, this is certainly one to consider. Located just a short twenty minute drive from Cancun International Airport, getting here is a breeze. Houston destination weddings are a direct flight away. Houston, along with several other major gateway locations offer direct flights to Cancun International Airport. Current promotions, ease of travel and unlimited luxury inclusive feature makes this Dreams location more than just a dream!
Scouting fabulous destination wedding locations, of course!
We’ve been hard at work, keeping up with trends, meeting reputable vendors, making wonderful contacts and getting a first hand view at fabulous locations. It was our pleasure to absorb first hand information for over a dozen local resorts. Houston couples seeking a destination wedding is only a direct flight away to the fabulous beaches of Cancun and Riviera Maya.
Stay tuned for more pictures and supporting details. We’ll be sure to post images and details soon!
I enjoy quiet time and the simple pleasures of life. Discovering a new pleasure the natural eye may overlook is ever so exciting is ever so exciting to me! I hate cooking. Yet, I enjoy the beauty of culinary art and finding new tastings to satisfy my pallet. I’m a reality T.V. buff that can watch a Hells Kitchen marathon all day. Yet, my life is filled with the joys of planning and executing weddings. This is our blog… Enjoy!
relax on an inner tube,
and of course… swim with the dolphins!
