"Booked our family vacation with ease and no stress!! Definitely recommend 10/10"
, Ashley R.
Destination wedding travel, with a real human in your corner
From beachfront ceremonies to full resort celebrations, I handle the resort, the room block, and getting your guests there, so you can enjoy being engaged.
Why Work With Me
A travel advisor for your wedding, not another planner
Planning a destination wedding isn't just planning a wedding. It's planning a trip, a guest experience, and a ceremony all at once, in a place you likely won't set foot in until the week of. That's a lot to hold, especially while working a full-time job and trying to enjoy being engaged. It's why couples who go this route often work with an advisor rather than DIY it from a spreadsheet.
I handle the parts that quietly take the most time: shortlisting resorts based on your vibe and guest list, negotiating the room block, and setting up your dedicated group booking page, where your guests book with me as their advisor. Your resort's on-site wedding coordinator handles the ceremony and event details. When something needs a real human on the phone, that's me, not you.
Beach resorts aren't the only option. If a cruise ship ceremony sounds like you, saying "I do" at sea or in a stunning port, then sailing away with your guests on the same voyage, I can help there too. As a certified cruise wedding specialist, I coordinate the ceremony, group staterooms, and onboard celebrations together.
How It Works
Four steps from first call to "I do"
- 1
Strategy call
We start with a relaxed conversation about your vision, guest count, budget, and non-negotiables. No pressure, no pitch. Just a real understanding of what you want.
- 2
Curated recommendations
You get a short list of resorts and destinations matched to your priorities, not a 40-page catalog. Every option is one I'd genuinely book for my own family.
- 3
Room block & guest coordination
I secure your group rate, set up your dedicated group booking page where guests book with me as their advisor, and keep track of who's booked so you're not chasing anyone down for flight info.
- 4
Support through the trip
From travel logistics for you and your guests to questions once everyone lands, I stay with you through the trip and beyond. Your resort's on-site coordinator handles the ceremony details.
Understanding Wedding Packages
How Destination Wedding Packages Work
Most all-inclusive resorts offer a complimentary wedding package when your group books a minimum number of room nights. That base package typically covers the essentials for a symbolic ceremony: officiant, a simple setup, a modest floral arrangement, sound, and a small cake. Enough to have a beautiful ceremony without a single upgrade.
From there, resorts layer in upgraded packages for couples who want more: expanded florals, plated reception dinners, private receptions on the beach or a terrace, enhanced photography, and custom design touches. Upgraded packages are priced à la carte or bundled into tiered options, so you can spend up in the areas that matter to you and keep it simple elsewhere.
Because the details vary meaningfully between resort brands, I don't try to price it out over email. On your strategy call, I walk through which resorts include what, which upgrades are genuinely worth it, and where couples tend to over- or under-spend.
Resort Showdown
Stuck between two resorts? I compare them side by side so you can see which one fits.
Questions Couples Ask
Destination Wedding FAQs
How far in advance should we start planning a destination wedding?
Most couples do best starting 12 to 18 months before their wedding date. That window gives time to secure your first-choice resort, lock in a room block, send save-the-dates so guests can budget and request time off, and coordinate travel without rushing anyone.
Are destination weddings really more affordable than traditional weddings?
It depends on what you compare. National averages show destination weddings costing about the same as or more than hometown weddings overall, mostly because couples add private receptions and upgrades. Where you save is the ceremony itself: many all-inclusive resorts bundle a complimentary or reduced-rate wedding package into your guest room nights, so you aren’t paying separately for a venue and officiant. Your total investment depends on the resort, guest count, and any upgrades you choose.
Do our guests pay for their own travel and rooms?
Yes. It’s standard for destination wedding guests to cover their own flights and rooms. I set up a dedicated group booking page with your resort rate. Your guests book through it with me as their advisor, on their own timeline, and I answer their questions so you don’t have to.
How many of our invited guests will actually come?
It varies a lot with the location, the timing, and how early you announce the date, so I don’t plan around a fixed percentage. I help you size a room block that flexes with real RSVPs, so you aren’t over- or under-committed.
Do we need to pick a wedding package before we book the resort?
No. You choose the resort first based on the experience you and your guests want, then select or customize a ceremony package once the resort is confirmed. Most resorts offer a complimentary package plus tiered upgrades, I walk through the trade-offs on your strategy call.
Do I pay more by booking through an advisor?
No. Resort rates are the same whether you book direct or through an advisor. How I'm paid, and what's included at each resort, is something I walk through with you on your strategy call.
Can we get married on a cruise ship instead of at a resort?
Absolutely. Cruise weddings are a great fit for couples who want a built-in honeymoon, multiple destinations, and an easy group experience. As a Royal Caribbean Royal Weddings Professional, a certification for cruise wedding specialists, I can coordinate the ceremony at sea or in port, plus group staterooms, dining, and onboard events, all on the same booking.
Are you a certified cruise wedding specialist?
Yes. I hold Royal Caribbean’s Royal Weddings Professional certification, which trains advisors in planning weddings on board and at ports of call. That means I know how ship wedding packages work and how they’re timed, and how to book your guests around them.
Start Here
Two Ways to Start Planning
Whichever feels right, I'll get back to you fast.
Schedule a Strategy Call
Ready to talk it through? Grab a time that works for you.
Schedule a Strategy Call30 minutes. No pressure, just a conversation.
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Save Time on Your Call
Fill out my planning questionnaire now, so we can dive right into the good stuff when we talk.
Start the QuestionnaireTakes about 5–10 minutes. Helps me prep before we chat.
Kind Words
Loved by couples and their guests
"What a wonderful experience! From the start Melissa was so helpful in booking my trip. She gives lots of great tips and is there to help every step of the way!"
, Jennifer M.
"Made planning our honeymoon feel effortless. Every recommendation was spot on and we felt taken care of the entire trip."
, Daniel T.
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