All-inclusive Resort Destination Wedding Tips from Experience (What I’m So Glad We Knew)

Planning a destination wedding is magical… and also very different from planning a wedding at home. Having lived it myself, I wanted to share some of the biggest tips that truly made a difference for us—things I wish every destination bride knew going in.

1. Join Destination Wedding Facebook Groups

This is hands-down one of the best planning tools you can use. Join multiple destination wedding Facebook groups (both general and destination-specific) and ask other brides about:

• Vendor recommendations

• Resort experiences

• Hidden fees

• What they would do differently

Real, unfiltered experiences from other brides are invaluable. I can’t recommend this enough.

2. Budget for Resort Vendor Fees

Something many couples don’t realize early on: most resorts charge vendor access fees if you bring in off-resort professionals.

For example, our resort charged:

• $600 for our photographers

• $600 for our hair & makeup team

These fees can add up quickly, so be sure to include them in your wedding budget from the start to avoid surprises later.

3. Invest in a Photographer You Love

If photos are important to you, this is one area worth spending extra on.

Many resort wedding packages include photography, and we actually kept the resort photographer while also hiring our own professional photographer. We simply let both teams know in advance that they would be present for the ceremony—and it worked out beautifully.

The result? A wider variety of shots, styles, and memories we’ll treasure forever.

4. Use a Travel Agent Who Specializes in Destination Weddings

Destination weddings are not just vacations—they’re logistics-heavy events with contracts, group travel, deadlines, and guest coordination.

If you’re working with a travel agent, make sure they’re experienced specifically with destination weddings, like Enchanted World Travel. An experienced agent helps:

• Coordinate guest travel

• Navigate resort wedding requirements

• Provide recommendations 

• Reduce stress for both you and your guests

This is not an area where you want a beginner.

5. Create a Wedding Website (and Share It Early!)

We created a wedding website and included the link on our save-the-dates, and it was a game changer.

Our site included:

• Travel details

• Resort information

• Wedding timeline

• FAQs

It drastically reduced questions and ensured everyone had the same information in one easy place.

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Punta Cana Vendor Recommendations

If you’re planning a wedding in Punta Cana, here are vendors we personally recommend:

 Photography

Love & Sea Photography

https://www.loveandseaphotography.com

 Hair & Makeup

Magda Riccardi Makeup

magdariccardimakeup@gmail.com

 Resort

Excellence Punta Cana

An adults-only resort with a beautiful setting and a strong destination wedding program.

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Final Thoughts

Destination weddings take extra planning—but the memories, the intimacy, and the shared experience with your favorite people make it so worth it. With the right support, clear expectations, and a little insider knowledge, your dream destination wedding can be just as smooth as it is stunning.