Planning your destination wedding with Haley
The first thing Nikki's mom ever said to me was "GIRL YOU KILLED IT with this resort!!"
We were standing at Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres in March 2023. I'd never met her. I'd only talked to Nikki on the phone a handful of times. And here I was, getting a full review of months of planning from the mother of the bride. (Still my favorite review ever.)
I'm Haley, and I plan the travel side of destination weddings at Susan's Travel Services. Below is how I work, what I tell every couple on our first call, and a few things I only learned by doing this over and over.
How I got here
I've been a bridesmaid or maid of honor 14 times in the past 10 years. A few of those were destination weddings, and I was usually the friend helping plan the bachelorette trip and everyone's travel. That was years before I worked in travel.
I started booking travel for clients in 2019. My first destination wedding was planned in 2020, right in the middle of COVID, and took place in 2021. It was tiny. It was also the perfect first one, because it taught me fast how many moving pieces there are and why you always need a plan B.
I've stayed at Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres and Hard Rock Los Cabos myself, and I've visited most of the resorts where I book weddings. So when I send a couple somewhere, I know the wedding department will take great care of them and their guests.
Is a destination wedding right for you?
Destination weddings are a great fit if you'd rather spend your money on a few days with your favorite people than on 1 day. They def aren't as cheap as they used to be, so let's be real about the numbers.
The sweet spot is a wedding budget around $20,000 to $30,000. That won't get you very far in the US. In Mexico or the Caribbean, it gets you an INCREDIBLE wedding plus 3 to 5 days with everyone you love.
It also works really well when a lot of your friends and family would be traveling for your wedding anyway. And if you don't want to drive to a venue every month to plan every little detail, you'll love this. Most resorts have packages and decor examples you choose from. You can be as involved as you want.
If you're hoping for a $5,000 wedding, I'll tell you honestly on our first call. The only way to stay near that number is usually the resort's complimentary wedding package, and those typically cover 10 guests or fewer.
Where should you get married?
It comes down to your budget, what you want most (a resort with a ton to do? the bluest water you can find?), and where most of your guests are flying from.
If your people are mostly on the East Coast, the Caribbean is much easier to get to. If they're in the middle of the country or out west, Mexico is a really easy trip.
When a couple has no idea where to start, I start with the Cancun area. It has by far the most all-inclusive resorts to choose from. The brands I come back to most are Hyatt Ziva, Dreams, Hard Rock, and Grand Palladium. I also plan a lot in Cabo and Puerto Vallarta.
The one thing I steer couples away from: the cheapest resorts, and anything under 4 stars. They're usually the cheapest for a reason.
Adults-only or family-friendly?
This one's simple. Are you inviting kids?
If even 1 child is coming, we book a family-friendly resort. If there are no kids, I always suggest adults-only.
If you want both, I look at sister properties that sit right next to each other, like Dreams and Secrets. Your wedding happens on the family-friendly side. Guests staying on the adults-only side get access to both, so everyone gets to pick what works for them.
How far ahead to plan
Ideally 12 months or more. Choosing the resort, signing the wedding contract, and signing the room block contract can take anywhere from 1 to 3 months. Peak season dates go fast.
Starting early also gives your guests more time to book their rooms and spread out their payments. For off-season weddings, I've pulled it off in as little as 6 months.
Decide these first
- Location.
- Dates, or at least a timeframe (like June 2027).
- Your budget for the wedding, plus a nightly rate you want to keep around for your guests.
After that comes the resort, your wedding date and venue, and the rooms you're holding for guests.
These can wait
Menu, decor, flowers. Most resorts don't even start the wedding planning side until about 6 months out. Getting the resort, date, and room block locked in is what matters early. Everything else can come later.
How I work, step by step
- Free consultation. We go over what to expect, everything I handle for you and your guests, and any questions you have. I'll also explain my planning fee.
- The $500 planning fee. If you want to move forward, there's a one-time, non-refundable $500 fee to get started. It's the only fee I charge. Your guests never pay me anything for booking through your group.
- Resort options. I send you around 5 resorts based on what you told me. If you're considering more than 1 location, I do about 3 per location. When I send more than that, couples get overwhelmed and the decision gets harder. If your feedback makes me think of another good fit, I'll send that one too. Meanwhile I'm checking with wedding departments on availability for your timeframe.
- Proposals. Once you've narrowed it to your top 3, I request proposals through our groups department. These show what each resort will give you for bringing your wedding and your group there. Honestly, the proposals usually make the decision. There's almost always one that's way better than the others.
- Date and contract. We lock in your date with the resort's wedding department, then request the room block contract. Before you sign, I hop on the phone with you and walk through exactly what the resort is offering, your attrition dates, and when payments are due.
- Your booking website. I build a page you share with every guest. Most couples put it on their save-the-dates or link it from the travel section of their wedding website. It lays out everything, so your guests aren't texting you a ton of questions.
- Tracking. I send you an updated rooming list once a month (every 2 weeks if it's been a busy month) so you always know who's booked and how many rooms are left.
- Attrition dates. Before each date when unbooked rooms have to be released, I check in to see if you're still expecting certain people or if we're good to drop rooms. You never have to keep track of those dates yourself.
- Payments. Every resort does it a little differently. Some want a deposit and a final payment, and many want 2 to 4 payments. I handle every reminder with your guests.
- Transportation. If you want to provide it for your guests, I coordinate it with everyone's flights.
- Getting guests ready. Each guest gets 2 to 3 emails from me before they leave: travel tips for the destination, a packing list, tips for all-inclusive resorts, and their final travel documents.
- Final details to the resort. I send the resort your final guest list with every guest's requests.
- During and after. I'm available to your guests for emergencies while they travel. And once you're home, I make sure you get every concession you earned.
One tip for step 5: you'll need to pick specific room categories. If you don't know what your guests will want, reserve mostly lower-level rooms. I can always ask the resort for upgrades later. If you do know what most of them want, that's super helpful.
Why I charge a planning fee
When I started, I didn't. I spent hours on couples (reaching out to wedding departments, sending packages, researching the right resorts) who never ended up booking. Travel advisors only get paid when people book and travel, so the fee protects that time.
For the record, I've never had a couple pay it and then not book.
Who does what: me vs. the resort's wedding coordinator
The resort's wedding coordinator organizes and runs the wedding. I organize the travel.
Other than sharing wedding packages at the start, I don't handle the wedding side. If you ever want my help with something there, though, just ask.
Legal or symbolic ceremony?
For Mexico, I always recommend a symbolic ceremony. The requirements to get legally married there are kind of crazy. Sign the paperwork at home and save the beach for the ceremony you'll actually remember.
For the Caribbean, I still recommend symbolic because it's the smoothest way to go. If you really want a legal ceremony, I'm happy to help make sure you have everything you need.
What I check that couples don't think to
Every resort looks beautiful online. I want to know which ones actually look like that in real life, and a few other things:
- How many weddings they do a day. Multiple weddings means every venue isn't always available.
- Event hours. Some resorts only allow events on the beach until a certain time.
- The weather backup. If it rains, where does your ceremony go?
- Where each room category sits. Everyone wants to be near each other, and sometimes the categories they booked are on opposite ends of the resort. I'll tell you up front so you can decide whether to switch.
- Real reviews. From people who've been, along with what I've seen myself.
- Every guest's needs. Guests with young kids need room options and things to do. Grandparents with mobility issues need a layout that works for them. I want a resort that fits all of your people.
Questions to ask about packages and venues
- How customizable is the package?
- Do certain venues cost extra?
- What's the price per guest once you go over the package count? (Most packages charge extra past a certain number. For example, $150 per guest after 30.)
- How far out does the wedding department need your final headcount?
- What's the fee for outside vendors like hair, makeup, and photography? Who are the resort's preferred vendors?
- If they do multiple weddings a day, will yours still feel private, or could you cross paths with another wedding?
- What does it cost for a guest who isn't staying at the resort to attend?
Your guests
How room blocks work
You decide how many rooms to hold based on roughly how many guests you expect. You'll usually pay a deposit of around $100 per room to reserve them.
You also sign a contract that lets you release rooms up to certain dates. After those dates, you're responsible for filling a set number. In exchange, your rates are locked, so guests have time to book without prices going up or rooms selling out.
Guests book through the booking website I build for you. They fill out a form with everything I need (full names, birthdates, travel dates, room category, transportation, insurance, and any requests). I create their reservation, send it to them to review, and then process their deposit.
Let me be the bad guy
The most common mistake I see is couples trying to keep every single guest happy. Your job is the wedding. Let me handle your guests.
If someone waited too long and their room category is gone, I'll be the one to tell them.
The cheap resort trap
I recently met with a couple who are family friends of ours. The groom wanted a really cheap resort so more of their friends could come.
I told him what I tell everyone. The guests who are going to come are going to come, whether it's $300 a night or $600 a night. You don't want everyone leaving with food poisoning, or wishing they hadn't come because the resort was bad.
Late bookers
I offer them whatever's still left in the block. If they want a different room category, I can ask the resort about an exchange.
That depends on availability, and I can't promise the same price we contracted. But resorts are almost always amazing about doing what they can.
Your guests are taking a vacation too
Your guests are spending a lot more to celebrate you than the average wedding guest does. Giving them things to do on and off the resort, clear descriptions of the rooms, and transportation options turns your wedding into a few days they'll actually enjoy.
The thing that surprised me most when I started: how many guests have never taken a trip like this. These trips are second nature to me because I take several a year. For some of your guests, it might be the farthest they've ever gone, their first time out of the country, or their first all-inclusive.
They apologize for asking so many questions. I tell every one of them the same thing: that's what I'm here for. Ask me anything, even if it feels silly.
Guests on a tighter budget
Guests almost never tell me their budget, so I put detailed pricing for every room category and stay length right on the booking website. Guests watching their budget usually stay 3 to 4 nights instead of 5 to 6.
I never encourage guests to stay at a different resort, though. It hurts you. You'd usually have to pay for a day pass just so that guest can attend your wedding, and their room won't count toward your concessions.
Budget and money
A realistic starting point
Time of year and location change the numbers a lot. But at every first consultation, I tell couples to plan on:
- $20,000 to $30,000 for the wedding itself
- $500 a night and up for guests (2 adults in a room)
Some resorts come in lower and some come in higher. These numbers just tell you quickly whether it'll work for you and your guests.
What adds up
A wedding package includes exactly what it lists and nothing more. Lighting, photography, extra florals, a DJ: all of that is extra, and it adds up fast. A package starting at $5,000 looks like a steal until you add what you actually want.
Most couples aren't shocked by costs, especially if they've already priced weddings in the US. The families most surprised are usually the ones who've only ever booked vacations online. They expect a group rate to match what they found on a booking site, and group pricing works differently. I'll walk you through why on our first call.
If your budget is smaller
- Trim the guest list so you fit a smaller package. This is hard. Starting earlier helps, because you can see who on your first list is coming and then invite from your B list.
- Look at concessions. Depending on the resort, more booked rooms can earn you $2,000 to $4,000 more in concessions, which helps cover those extra per-guest fees.
- Pick your priority. For most couples it's photography. Protect that in the budget, and skip florals beyond what the package includes. The setting is beautiful on its own.
Hair, makeup, photography, and outside vendors
Resorts charge a fee for outside vendors, but most waive it if the vendors are booked as wedding group guests.
So here's what a lot of my couples do. They book all their outside vendors under 1 reservation for the resort's minimum stay. A 3-night stay with 2 or 3 vendors in one room (they usually don't even stay in it) tends to cost less than 3 separate vendor fees. And that room counts toward your concessions.
Look at what the resort offers first, then figure out your style. There are plenty of US-based photographers and makeup artists who only do destination weddings.
Weather, hurricanes, and travel insurance
Hurricane season runs 5 months of the year, so there's always some chance of something happening. If you're getting married in hurricane season, especially August through October, I suggest destinations outside the hurricane belt.
Wherever you go, ask the wedding department what their hurricane policy is and whether they have an indoor backup.
Why every guest should get travel insurance
Travel insurance covers trip delays and interruptions. It won't cover the wedding itself. I encourage every couple to push their guests to add it, for 2 reasons.
Cancellations. You hired me, so you always come first. Guests can cancel for a refund (usually just their deposit) until the resort's release date. After that, their reservation is non-refundable, because an empty room could fall on you to fill.
Resorts let you drop a certain % of rooms by certain dates. If I let 1 guest cancel and then 3 more want out, we'd blow past that limit. Insurance is the only way they get money back. Without "cancel for any reason" coverage, they'll need a covered reason and have to file a claim. I always share the full policy so guests can read it themselves, since I'm not an insurance agent.
Medical. US health insurance generally doesn't cover you once you leave the country, and a lot of guests are surprised to hear it. Travel insurance can step in (up to a certain amount). I've heard of someone breaking their arm in Mexico and paying $10,000 because they didn't have it.
When something goes wrong
One of my upcoming weddings had the room block contract signed, deposits paid, and guests already booking. Then the resort came back and told us 1 of our room categories was no longer available for our dates. I believe it's being renovated.
The resort generously offered free upgrades to the next category up. Normally that's great news. But the upgraded rooms were in the adults-only section, and those 1-bedroom suites were meant for guests traveling with young kids.
There was a lot of back and forth. I got the resort to agree to 2-bedroom suites at the price those 2 adults would have paid. The kids wouldn't come at that rate, though, which would've added about $1,000 a night.
So I called my BDM (business development manager) at the brand. She went through every option we could offer those families.
The couple was frustrated at first, and I get it. It felt like we weren't starting off on the right foot. But between my vendor, my BDM, and me advocating for those guests, we found a solution that worked for the families with young kids. And it saved them money compared to the rooms we'd originally reserved.
The wedding I still think about
Back to Nikki and Brady.
I knew Brady a little from the gym. My husband Ryan and I knew his dad, Chad, really well. Chad was the guy you'd start chatting with, and next thing you know it's been 30 minutes and you haven't touched your workout. We'd met his mom, Kendra, a few times too.
Chad mentioned they were thinking about a destination wedding, so I reached out and said to let me know if I could help. After a couple of phone calls, Nikki and I hit it off. About halfway through planning, she told me, "Please don't feel pressure, but we would love for you and Ryan to come."
We really wanted to celebrate them. And getting to see what I'd planned in person was going to be super helpful for me. It was such a fun weekend.
Nikki and Brady are now some of our dearest friends. They booked Brady's 30th birthday group trip with me, plus 3 more vacations.
In February 2025, Chad and Kendra were both killed. Their wedding was one of the last times both families were all together.
I'm so thankful I got to help plan it, and that Ryan and I got to be there for those 3 days with Brady's parents and family. That will always be special to us.
What you get by booking with me
The room prices are the same whether you book with me or directly with the resort. Here's what changes.
Fast answers. You, and anyone booked in your group, can text me whenever you want. You'll usually hear back within a couple of minutes, and almost always within an hour. Resorts usually take 48 to 72 business hours to respond.
Options that fit your guests. Resorts tend to offer 1 transportation option. I can set up several. When a lot of guests are on the same flight, for example, we can book a bigger vehicle at a per-car rate instead of paying per person, which can save each couple around $100.
Help when something goes sideways. Travel emergencies come to me and my suppliers, who have 24/7 customer service lines.
A real person. You build a relationship with someone you know you can count on and trust.
If you remember 1 thing from this page, make it this: I'm here from start to finish. Getting your 50 closest people there, the rooms, the payments, every deadline, that's my job. You plan the wedding and the fun parts. I'll handle all the moving pieces for getting everyone there.
Let's talk
Email is the fastest way to reach me, but text or call works too.
- Email: haley@susanstravelservices.com
- Phone or text: 720-233-3527
Your first consultation is free. Come with a rough timeframe, a budget, and an idea of how many people you'd invite, and we'll figure out where you should get married.
Start planning with Haley