P . 16 | JULY 2022 | THE HAMMONTONIAN
How to plan and enjoy your destination wedding
WEDDING , from P . 15 It ’ s stress-free . You can leave your wallet at home and the focus is on having fun in the sun . You can have lush tropical backgrounds as well as sweeping ocean views ,” D ’ Amico said .
Most couples are focused on how their wedding will look on social media and in their pictures as they look back at them the rest of their lives , she said .
“ The settings are just stunning . Everything is about the picture now . There are so many Instagram-able locations and we love seeing a Pinterest board come to life ,” she said .
D ’ Amico said the average cost of a destination wedding starts at $ 10,000 depending on the package , extras , number of guests and number of private events .
“ It depends on the package that you choose and the number of guests you have and the number of private events you host . Private events can include a brunch , a welcome dinner , a cocktail reception , a pool party , a barbecue … you can have fireworks , you can come in on a horse-drawn carriage , you can plan a
GROOMSMEN ON THE BEACH IN RIVIERA MAYA . ( PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTURO AGUILAR )
A TROPICAL DESTINATION WEDDING MAY BE JUST RIGHT FOR YOU . group excursion like a catamaran cruise and more ,” she said .
Using a travel professional like the ones at D ’ Amico Travel can make organizing the accommodations easy . To plan the private events , the couple works with the resort where they are staying .
“ We organize everything related to the guest accommodations and the couple will be assigned a wedding coordinator who specializes in the one particular resort for the wedding details . We ’ re always here to offer our opinion and help anyway we can . We love being a part of the planning process !” D ’ Amico said .
What are the dos and don ’ ts of destination weddings ?
• Don ’ t book accommodations alone ! Working with the hotel may seem simple , but it is going to put everything on you and there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes ! You do not need that additional stress on top of the wedding planning .
• Work with an agency who specializes in groups- a lot is learned with experience and keeping up with so many changes that are going on with contracts right now is imperative .
“ I ’ ve learned a lot through my 10 years of experience of running D ’ Amico Travel , which has been in business since 2001 . There is so much that can slip through the cracks . For example , you may miss deadlines that could incur thousands of dollars in penalties . I ’ m so proud to have built a strong team who manage the day-to-day details and to have invested in technology to make our processes smooth . We even have a live link that couples can use to view their guestlist at any time so they know who is booking ,” D ’ Amico said .
• Pack your patience ! The industry is overloaded and understaffed like everywhere else . People in other countries are not working on a New York minute . “ We are lucky to have close relationships with suppliers to step in when wait times become excessive ,” she said .
• Don ’ t choose a resort solely on price . Guests usually extend their stay and upgrade their room categories . Feeling bad about the price point initially may mean you end up at resort you don ’ t love and your guests end up spending more money anyway .
D ’ Amico said planning a destination wedding with a travel professional makes a big difference , with the best results coming when everyone works together to make the big event happen .
“ We work as a team with our couples and it is really special to get to know each other along with their family / friends through the process . It ’ s such an honor to be a part of this exciting time in people ’ s lives , and we hope to make it as stress-free and enjoyable as possible ,” D ’ Amico said . If you think a destination wedding is right for you , get started at this link : damicotravel . com / wedding .
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