For many of us, it’s hard to let a vacation end. You’re spending your final hours at the pool, or on the beach, and telling yourself, “I don’t want to leave.” With destination weddings, many guests forget that this trip is also for them too. A common reason couples host destination weddings are so that everyone who can make it also gets a vacation, so as a guest you should get the most out of it!
There can be many reasons why someone chooses to extend their vacation. Most commonly, it’s because you plan on having such a great time you won’t be ready to come back to reality too early. Our guests have changed their minds and opted for extended stays for many reasons, including the opportunity to explore more, to participate in local excursions, or even just to have a couple more days on the beautiful Caribbean beaches. Just as the bride and groom may choose to stay a couple days past their wedding to simply unwind, you could do the same.
Travel Time and Endless Opportunities
There are a couple key factors that many guests don’t account for when they attend a destination wedding; their travel time and the number of activities and amenities on-site at your typical all-inclusive resort.
Many guests plan on simply flying in for a long 3-day weekend while attending a wedding, but what they don’t think about is how long they’ll be traveling to and from just to get there. If you’re taking the time to travel all the way out of the country we recommend treating it as such. Since travel time could account for a day’s worth of time once you consider the length of flights and layovers, you could lose a lot of your free time that way. If you’re flying from the midwest to Punta Cana for example, you’ll get more out of your stay with an extra day or two, and potentially without even spending that much more money with all-inclusive rates.
Secondly, many guests don’t consider the amount on offer at your typical all-inclusive resort. With a destination wedding, you may be spending a full day participating in the wedding festivities, from the ceremony to reception. The wedding couple may plan more too, from fun day-after brunches to group activities. Although those are wonderful activities, you may want some extra time to be left to your own vices, whether it be taking a snorkeling trip or hitting the casino. All of these may be possible without even leaving your resort, plus there will be multiple restaurants to explore (gastronomy as they like to say) and endless pools to lounge by.
Personal Time
Let us give you a little tip; the bride and groom will be too busy having their own fun to notice if you’ve carved out your own personal time. Again, the great thing about attending a destination wedding is that it’s also a vacation. Couples know that for many guests this may be their one trip of the year, and they appreciate that you’re choosing to spend your hard earned money to attend.
As travel agents, it’s not uncommon for us to extend trips for guests while making their reservation. At Destify the process is simple. Instead of booking your minimum 3-night stay (a requirement of nearly every all-inclusive resort), let us know how many days you would like instead. When you fill out your reservation forms and input the travel dates write it in so that we know you’re making a longer vacation out of your trip.
Extending a destination wedding into a vacation is a great way to increase vacation time on a budget. It’s also perfect for guests with flexible schedules. If you can take that extra day off work to enjoy the sunshine longer, why not? So when you’re making that initial reservation, really weigh your options and decide if a longer vacation is the right fit for you.
Four Seasons Lanai
