2023-06-10 15:32:00
When Ramiro and May decided to get married, they didn’t want a traditional wedding. As for him they were remarried and in his groups of friends they had already had several rounds of marriages, they thought of doing something different. And so, they organized a party in Punta del Este, Uruguaya destination that for both had a lot of meaning thanks to the many summers spent there in childhood.
The appointment was a long weekend that allowed them much more than a night of celebration. “We were very excited that people could take it as a program, in one more wedding venue. The fact that we had to travel to the chosen place allowed us to spend more time with our guests, and in the days prior to the celebration we had a golf outing, a women’s outing and a night of drinks”, says May. Her coexistence with her entire family, who rented a hotel in José Ignacio where they stayed for the entire weekend, was another strong point of the event. And the distance also provided intimacy: the wedding had about 100 attendees, all from the inner circle. “Since going there is not that simple, those who went were the ones who really wanted to be. And that was the most beautiful thing, ”synthesizes the bride.
What Ramiro and May did is what is known as “destination wedding” or “wedding en destination”, a wedding that takes place far from the place where the couple lives and that implies that the bride and groom and guests must travel. A concept that used to be common in other parts of the world, such as the United States or Europe, but that little by little is beginning to be seen in Argentina as well.
with feet in the sand
Classic postcard from movies and also from the popular imagination, The beach is one of the most chosen settings for this type of event.. And it is that it undoubtedly provides a paradisiacal context, especially when the chosen version is in the Caribbean, one of the most successful destinations. For this reason, there are many hotels in the area that have begun to offer packages that solve the life of the couple.
“This year we have 40 white throughout the region of Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru. During 2022 we grew 32% in the number of weddings, and in 2023 34%. We are already selling and projecting 2024”, describes Germán Poletti, in charge of the wedding segment for RCD Hotels, firm in charge of Hard Rock hotels in the world, among others. In this sense, the Riviera Maya and Punta Cana are the most popular places to celebrate. The reasons include the incredible natural landscapes, the intimacy of the ceremonies and the complete proposals that the hotels offer.
Most of these resorts provide a personalized all-inclusive experience for everything from lavish parties to smaller, more intimate weddings. This includes catering services, atmosphere, DJ and entertainment, among other fundamental items, but also private dinners for the couple, wedding cake, bouquet, hair and makeup service and personal concierge. “The hotel with the greatest request is the Hard Rock Hotel Punta Cana, due to the extensive beach and how well prepared it is in terms of programs and benefits,” explains Poletti, who adds that the most requested collection is the Tropical Paradise, which proposes, precisely, a tropical theme throughout the event.
To organize these parties from Argentina, the couple usually resort to specialized travel agencies. It is that this is such a recurring dream that there are already “ad hoc” packages. “The destinations that Argentines request the most to get married are Brazil (by proximity), Punta Cana or Mexico. And everyone asks to do it on the beach”, illustrates Agueda Iglesias, regional senior marketing manager for Latam at Palladium Hotel Group, a chain that has all-inclusive resorts in all these points and that to meet this demand created “Weddings by Palladium”, a division which is in charge of planning down to the last detail of these packages.
“From surprise proposals, unforgettable beach celebrations and glamorous receptions to honeymoon planning, anything is possible,” they describe from the company. In order to have flexibility and be able to design the wedding of dreams according to each couple, a coordinator is assigned to carry out the entire organization. Simply purchase a “Ceremony Collection” and secure the desired date with a deposit to begin the adventure. Iglesias maintains that, in general, the bride and groom are in charge of paying for the party, and each guest is in charge of her own stay.
The value of customization
With 25 years of experience in the world of event organization, Maria Ines Novegil has seen everything in the world of destination weddings: from couples who live abroad and come to get married in Buenos Aires to locals who decide to travel to different places, from the vineyards of Mendoza or Salta and the mountains of Patagonia to the already mentioned beaches of Mexico and the Caribbean.
In the first case, it is a particularly upward trend given the favorable exchange rate for foreigners. And since almost everything is done remotely, it is essential to have great advice. “As ‘wedding planner’ I am the direct link with the suppliers to hire. I am in charge of the design and logistics and also advise the couple in the hiring of more personal items such as makeup and hairstyle, bouquet, headdress and transfers. Also in the organization of complementary events such as the rehearsal dinner, picnics for guests from abroad, wine tastings, farewell barbecue or advice on how to manage in the city”, details Novegil.
In the case of Argentines who choose to celebrate abroad, the expert’s recommendation is to try to achieve a wedding as tailored as possible. That is, take advantage of the benefits of a great hotel, but then personalize other items and details so that the event speaks of the couple and they can feel identified. “For example, contracting the location and the gastronomy, but then starting to play with other components such as the setting, lighting and technique, the DJ, stationery design, photo and video studios and entertainment.” In some cases, suppliers can even be brought from Buenos Aires to assemble the team.
As Ramiro and May reported at the beginning, in this type of wedding the objective is not only to enjoy the wedding day, but also to invite you to live a different experience, covering at least one full weekend. For this reason, there are many who include welcome bags for the guests in the entertainment, with typical products and gifts, as well as surprises in their hotels. The premise is to generate unique and unrepeatable moments and memories that last in the memory of the couple and guests. Starting with a good landscape, in a different destination, seems to be a great starting point.
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