Mapping the Way to Success— Add Destination Wedding Services to Your Business

By Ali Phillips, Engaging Events by Ali, Inc., Chicago  photos by Brilliant Studios

Have wanderlust for travel? Want to plan weddings on the beaches of the Caribbean or on a mountaintop in Colorado? Do youwant to get out of your own city and explore the world while also working? Consider adding destination weddings to the service line of your business. Destination wedding planning can be a natural and rewarding extension of your current offerings. 

What to consider

If you’re thinking of getting into the destination event-planning market, it’s important to know what to expect. Clearly, there is a lot of travel involved in destination wedding planning. Trips to research venues are a must, and trips for planning and vendor selection are often required. Then there is traveling for the wedding weekend itself. It sounds glamorous, but the fact is, being away from home and alone, making your way through foreign countries and sleeping in different hotel beds is not everyone’s cup of tea. 

Also, consider your personality. A great destination planner is one who easily adapts to different cultures and methods of doing business. Response times can be slower in some countries, so extra patience is required. Often, venue catering teams in smaller destination markets don’t have experience working with outside planners, so you need to gently teach them as you go. Most of all, you need to stay flexible, friendly, and open-minded. For instance, in Caribbean cultures it’s always best to begin a conversation (either in person or on the phone) by greeting with a happy “Good morning!” or “Good afternoon!” and asking the person how they are doing. 

“Respect and understand the local vendors,” says Aimee Monihan of Tropical Occasions, the leading destination wedding company in Costa Rica. “Find out how they do things differently and work in their style, not trying to enforce your own. You will be met with much more respect, gratitude, and cooperation.”  

You also need to get comfortable with communicating virtually. A good, worldwide calling plan or Skype account is indispensible for international calls, and phone features like WhatsApp (a cross-platform messaging app for mobile devices) can help you communicate with vendors and clients when you are on property. Technology is constantly changing, so it’s important to stay abreast of new apps and services as they develop.

Where to start

1. Research, research, research.

A good way to start researching the destination wedding market is by reading travel magazines (Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure), destination wedding magazines (Destination Weddings & Honeymoons and Destination I Do), and destination wedding and honeymoon blogs (www.JeteFete.com and www.DestinationWeddings.com).  If you have traveled in the past, think about the places you’ve been and how a wedding would look and feel in that area. When you travel on your own, keep an eye out for hotels and venues that would work for your clientele. You even can do impromptu property tours; hotels and venues are usually glad to showcase public areas to industry colleagues. 

“It’s incredibly important to stay up-to-date on the travel world,” says Susan Moynihan of The Honeymoonist, a boutique travel-planning company that focuses on honeymoons and destination weddings. “The same hotel you visited two years ago in the Caribbean may be under new management that isn’t the same quality as you experienced. If you can’t travel there yourself, find a trusted independent source who can advise you; a hotel in trouble may not be forthcoming about it.”

2. Tap into seminars. 

There are increasingly more online resources supporting the destination wedding market. For instance, Sandals Resorts offer great seminars focused on weddings and honeymoons through its Sandals WeddingMoons® Specialist Training program. At the Association of Bridal Consultants’ (ABC) annual Business of Brides Conference (held this year at Sandals Whitehouse in Jamaica, Nov. 8–12), attendees can get training to sell Sandals weddings and honeymoons. Sandals often does destination “fam trips,” or familiarization trips, in conjunction with training, which is a great way to see its properties in person. "We thrive on travel agent education and encourage everyone to take part in these experiences so they can learn to grow their businesses, share strategies and success tips with fellow agents, and of course, experience our stunning Luxury Included® resorts. We pride ourselves in offering our travel agents all the tools they need to wow their clients. It's up to the agents themselves to learn all they can to truly take advantage," says Marsha-Ann Brown, director of romance, Sandals Resorts.

Mexico is another big player in the destination wedding market. Love Mexico (http://LoveMexicoWeddings.com/) is a government-affiliated organization that offers training at conferences in Mexico and the United States, all designed to teach vendors how to sell and plan destination weddings in Mexico. Local tourism boards are another great way to connect with resources; you can find a list of them at Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory (http://www.towd.com). 

3. Visit destinations and share what you know.

Is there a country or culture that has long fascinated you? Destination wedding planning gives you the opportunity to get to know a place on a deeper level. You can be better off focusing on a place you love and sharing that with clients.  “You can't be all things to all people,” says Candice Coppola of Connecticut-based Jubilee Events, who works frequently in Barbados. “It's best to choose a few select locations and make yourself an expert in those regions. Your business will grow slowly, but eventually, you can see a rapid increase in your referrals for destination weddings.”

If you want to focus on a certain destination or region, begin by learning all you can about the area, ideally traveling there in person and making contacts. “Wedding planners should definitely explore the destinations they are thinking to recommend to their clients,’ says JoAnne Brown, CEO of Celebrations in Grand Cayman. “It’s vital that they know what is available in the destination so they can truly guide their couples to the dream wedding they are looking for. Be open to the culture and special idiosyncrasies of the destination to make it a truly unique experience.”

When you’re back from your visit, share what you know on your website or in a local wedding outlet. Writing about your travels displays your expertise and shows your commitment to working in that locale, which makes for stronger relationships on the ground. Your website should also clearly state that you handle destination weddings, and list any regions in which you specialize. Feature your destination weddings on your website, proving to potential clients that you’re comfortable and confident in this arena.

4. Learn the language.

Depending on the destination, English may not be the primary language. You may need to find a translator (often a hotel staffer with a good command of English) for some negotiations. Or better yet, learn how to speak the language yourself. Think about where you want to work. Spanish and French are widely used abroad, but if you have a passion for Italy, start learning Italian. Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur, and Berlitz offer great at-home instruction tools. You can take a language course at a local university or even do an in-country immersion program like the ones offered through www.LinguaServicesWorldwide.com. When you travel, download a translation app onto your smart phone with translation services in case you get into a bind—iTranslate (www.ITranslateApp.com) and Word Lens (www.QuestVisual.com) are two popular ones. 

But you don’t have to be fluent to be effective. “Learn the language where you will plan, even if it is just salutations like, ‘thank you,’ and wedding language from flowers to décor items,” says Monihan, who is fluent in Spanish. “The locals will respect your eagerness to communicate with them, and react willingly back in terms of communicating with you.”

5. Connect with a great travel agency.

With an average of 50 guests in attendance, travel is a key component of destination weddings. To assist your clients and their guests, make connections with a great travel agency. The Honeymoonist (www.TheHoneymoonist.com) works with clients across the country; or check for agents in your local area whom you can meet in person. Make sure the agency you work with has the same quality and attention to detail that you do, as they can be an extension of your business. “A good travel planner should have connections beyond just hotels, from air to travel wholesalers, which gives you different ways to access the best rates and value-added extras for guests,” says Moynihan. “You also want someone who understands the unique nature of destination weddings and will treat your clients with the same personal care that you bring.”

6. Know the legalities.

When it comes to destination wedding legalities, every country has its own regulations. For instance, Turks and Caicos requires outside vendors to get a work permit, which can take up to three months to process. Many countries have customs restrictions; if you’re bringing photographers and videographers from the United States, they need to have proper documentation to work and bring in their equipment.  “Make sure you’re well aware of the laws surrounding working in other countries to protect yourself and your business,” advises Coppola. “Don’t expect things to be as cut and dried as they would be in the United States. It can be difficult and challenging to understand the laws in other countries and how your business can operate, but it’s extremely important.”

And it’s not just abroad; you’ll find the same thing across the United States. Take California: The regulations for winery weddings are much stricter in Napa County than in neighboring Sonoma. Do your research before you book, and be sure to add a clause in your contract that reimburses you for any extra expenses you incur.

You also need become knowledgeable on legal marriage requirements, here and abroad. Each of the United States, and even the counties within them, varies on legal requirements and application times for marriage licenses. Foreign countries may have residency requirements (in France, it’s 40 days for a civil ceremony) and other parameters. In Mexico, for example, a blood test is required for legal weddings and the civil ceremony must be performed in Spanish before two witnesses. To avoid the hassle, many couples simply wed legally in their hometown before they travel, then have a symbolic ceremony abroad. If your client does this, ask in advance if they want their family and friends to know about it; some couples prefer to keep this quiet.

If you’re serious about becoming a destination wedding planner, follow these tips, and remember, at the end of the day, do what you love and remember that your task is to give your clients what they want, wherever they want it.

See Ali's tips for working with onsite planners

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