Best All in One Destination Wedding Company

Knottie67572278

Hello! Last year, my now husband and I got married in Maui, Hawaii. Whilst at the end of the day, it worked out just fine (OK, it was lovely), the entire planning process was a bit of a nightmare. We're from different parts of the word so really struggled to find a place that worked for both of us, plus, I guess I just wasn't prepare for some of the drawbacks of Hawaii: the expense, the slowness of the vendors, the not so great food and the fact that many of my guests declined. 

So...this year my twin is getting married! And since she is in a similar situation, is also thinking about a destination wedding. and here is finally my question: 

Is there a great all-in-one company that can help plan a destination wedding, from start to finish, that is NOT destinationweddings.com. Here are some of the criteria: 

+ Considers many of the world's possibilities, not just your typical Mexico / Hawaii destinations. Considers your options based on your locations. 
+ Takes into account all the costs: Flights, Hotels, Venues. 
+ Has local knowledge of the vendors. I don't want a company that says "I can do it from here' or "Fly us over" because that always has its drawbacks. But nor do we know exactly where to have it, and want to consider something different. For example, I just came back from a wedding in Beirut that was out of this world. 

Any suggestions would be most helpful! 

Jells2dot0

I think you're going to have trouble finding someone that can offer packages to almost everywhere in the world, but once you choose a specific destination, is extremely competent in that one destination. Also, you will find that it is extremely difficult to find a travel agent that will also act a wedding coordinator. So, here is my recommendation based on my experience planning my own DW:

1. I made a major list of places to consider for our wedding. I did not have any guests, so I didn't have to take their travel expenses into account, but I literally just threw a list together in Excel of all of the places that intrigued us. I sat in front of a globe while doing this. 
2. Once I made the list, I started populating pros and cons. I did some initial research on the areas- when is the weather best? What are the average flight costs? What are the legal requirements to get married there? Have we been there before? In your twin's case-is it feasible to have guests travel there?
3. In that process, I started to narrow it down some. I realized I wanted a tropical honeymoon and we'd honeymoon where we'd get married. So, I started crossing off places like Italy or Switzerland. It was also important to me to get legally married at my ceremony. So off came the Maldives and Malaysia. 
4. Once you have it narrowed down, I recommend contacting a travel agent who specializes in the area. Most tourism boards have certification programs that require testing and country visits to certify an agent. A good, solid luxury travel specialist has relationships with in-country destination management companies, who can make custom arrangements. Get some solid quotes and ask for those quotes to be as inclusive as possible. Most will not be able to include specific wedding aspects, unless you use a resort provided wedding package. 
5. Once you have something booked, have the travel agent work with the in-country management company to provide contacts for a wedding coordinator. The wedding coordinator will be a separate expense (unless the management company also offers those services, but most do not). However, you'll have someone in-country assisting with pulling together the vendors and making arrangements. That person/company will also be able to be there with you on the day of the wedding. A travel agent would not be able to do that, unless you asked them to travel with the group and provided a way for them to do so. 

you will absolutely need to work with a luxury destination specialist. That person may charge a planning fee, but for what you are asking for, I think it's well worthwhile to pay the fee. 

By any chance, do you happen to have ANY idea where your twin is looking? Or is it that up in the air? We may be able to help you start to find a good solid travel agency. 

SaintPaulGal

I agree that it is not reasonable to expect one entity to be broadly familiar with all destinations and also boots-on-the-ground experts on local vendors in whatever place you happen to choose.  If I were your twin, I would work on narrowing things down considerably before involving any third parties in the planning process. 

CMGragain

"I guess I just wasn't prepare for some of the drawbacks of Hawaii: the expense, the slowness of the vendors, the not so great food and the fact that many of my guests declined."


Anyone who is planning a destination wedding should be prepared for many of their invited guests to decline.  This is one of the major drawbacks to having a destination wedding.  It can be very expensive for the guests to attend.
Destination weddings work best for very small weddings.

Knottie67572278

This is so helpful guys - thank you!! 

CMGragain

Removed due to TOS violation

This sounds suspiciously like a vendor to me.

Jells2dot0

CMGragain said:

 

This sounds suspiciously like a vendor to me.

I'm on it. 

Knottie67572278

Hey guys! My apologies, not a vendor, but that was good advice/homework you set for me and my sister and we just hadn't had a chance to do it as yet. So hence the slow reply. I just bought: "The Knot - Destination Weddings" and "Destination Weddings for Dummies" and both are helping us. Thanks guys. Sorry for the brief reply. 

Jells2dot0

Knottie67572278 said:

Hey guys! My apologies, not a vendor, but that was good advice/homework you set for me and my sister and we just hadn't had a chance to do it as yet. So hence the slow reply. I just bought: "The Knot - Destination Weddings" and "Destination Weddings for Dummies" and both are helping us. Thanks guys. Sorry for the brief reply. 

Sitb

No worries- there was an actual vendor who responded to you. They have been banned and their content deleted. 

Feel free to ask any questions while planning

CMGragain

Knottie67572278 said:

Hey guys! My apologies, not a vendor, but that was good advice/homework you set for me and my sister and we just hadn't had a chance to do it as yet. So hence the slow reply. I just bought: "The Knot - Destination Weddings" and "Destination Weddings for Dummies" and both are helping us. Thanks guys. Sorry for the brief reply. 

I would be interested in your opinion of these books.  Do they have a view about AHRs?  Here, on the boards, we tend to be conservative about "2nd receptions".  How do they stand on PPDs (When the couple gets married legally at home, and then has a "wedding" at their destination)?  Just curious.   Thanks!