Destination Wedding Packages: The Key is Planning

  1. What are some great wedding destination ideas?
  2. How expensive is destination wedding than a simple wedding?
  3. Where is the best place for a destination wedding?
  4. What are the best destination wedding locations in the USA?
  5. Why do people these days prefer destination weddings?
  6. Should I have a destination wedding? What are the benefits?
  7. What are some tips in planning a Vegas wedding?
  8. Are destination weddings overrated?
  9. What tips do you have to save time when planning a wedding?
  10. What questions should I ask while touring wedding venues?
  11. Does hiring a wedding planner help for a destination wedding?
  12. What should a wedding photography package include?
  13. What does a wedding planner do?
  14. What’s the difference between a wedding planner and an on site host?
  15. What’s so difficult about planning a wedding?
  16. Is bride or groom’s family responsible for wedding expenses?
  17. Why should you hire a wedding planner?
  18. Is it possible to throw a good wedding in 3 months?
  19. What’s the best way to sort wedding photographs?
  20. Why do so many people get married in Las Vegas?

What are some great wedding destination ideas?

We love anything scenic if you’re going to go for a destination wedding. There’s nothing worse than traveling all that way and having guests cough up a lot of money to join you just to have it be indoors anyway. Some of my favorite outdoor locations are Red Rock Canyon or Valley of Fire in the Las Vegas area. Vegas is great because you can celebrate on the strip after the ceremony but still get to have the actual nuptials in the glory of nature.

How much more or less expensive is a destination wedding than a simple wedding?

The average wedding these days costs around $33,000 according to The Knot but the average cost for one of our wedding packages is $3,000-$5,000 so it’s a huge savings for couples!

Where is the best place for a destination wedding?

We might be biased here but we have to say Las Vegas of course! You have Red Rock Canyon which has absolutely stunning views because of its mountain and desert landscape. Our second most romantic spot is Valley of Fire and rounding out our third most popular spot would be Cactus Joe’s Blue Diamond Nursery just for it’s down-home feel. At Cactus Collective the hardest part for couples is just picking the location. After that it’s all smooth sailing since we take care of everything from your officiant to your wedding photographer. It truly is one stop shopping.

What are the best destination wedding locations in the USA?

The best destination wedding location in the USA is Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas, NV.

It is our most popular destination wedding package location.

As one of our brides put it she loved “the gorgeous scenery-­we’re National Park Junkies and love to hike and visit all the best America has to offer! Getting married in nature and among the mountains was magical.”

The best destination wedding location in the USA is Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas, NV.

Why do people these days prefer destination weddings?

People love getting away because it puts the focus on the bride and groom instead of all the “stuff.” Weddings can get so out of hand these days with planning and trying to make everything perfect that sometimes you lose sight of what the day is actually about. When you move the ceremony to some place completely out of your normal daily routine it helps you to focus in more on the real reason you are there.

Should I have a destination wedding? What are the benefits?

We think everyone should at least consider having a destination wedding even if you aren’t sold on it at first. One of the biggest benefits is that it’s more of an experience while also be way more affordable. Another perk is that you are having your ceremony and honeymoon all at one time in certain cases. Because it’s difficult for most people to travel and join you, it really narrows down your attendees to just your closest family and friends which also equals less drama! Most of the time it will be much more scenic since you get to pick the destination of your dreams so it makes for great pictures and memories.

What are some tips in planning a Vegas wedding?

First decide if you want a chapel, hotel or scenic location. Then decide if you want an all-inclusive package or to chose individual vendors yourself. Cactus Collective is a little bit of both. Next decide your budget and plan everything around that. An important factor to consider is the season. Some couples pick the summer and forget that it is extremely hot so plan your attire accordingly!

Are destination weddings overrated?

We can only speak from personal experience and say that all of our clients have been extremely happy with their destination wedding day with us. One of our brides Ashley said “Have the wedding that’s right for both of you! We loved making our wedding an adventure to a place we’ve never been! And keeping things intimate and stress-free was perfect for us!” Another lovely lady Currin wrote “Cactus collective and everyone involved in our wedding day went above and beyond any of our expectations. From my million emails to handling 30 guests so elegantly- they were top notch!!!”

What tips do you have to save time when planning a wedding?

Definitely hire a planner if you can! This eliminates so much stress from start to finish. Another great option is using an all-inclusive service like Cactus Collective that handles most of the details for you. As we said earlier, it’s one stop shopping so booking everything you need is a breeze!

What questions should I ask while touring wedding venues?

Here are a few big ones to always ask:

  • How many guests can you service?
  • Do you have multiple weddings here a day?
  • What are your fees?
  • Are there any hidden expense I should know about?
  • Do they offer tables, linens, decor, etc?
  • What is the time limit for the ceremony etc?

Does hiring a wedding planner help for a destination wedding?

Yes yes and yes! We highly recommend hiring a planner in the location you are getting married.
They can offer the best knowledge based on their experience and they know the area so if you are having your ceremony somewhere different from your reception, they know how long it will take your group to get from Point A to Point B.

What should a wedding photography package include?

Most wedding photographer packages are based on hours of service. See if they include rights to print your images wherever you want. Packages will usually come with photoshopping services on your top pics and then some form of digital record containing all of your photos.

What does a wedding planner do?

A wedding planner basically orchestrates the design of your wedding day from start to finish. They are focused on creating a beautiful experience and taking the stress off of you so you can simply enjoy your big day.

What’s the difference between a wedding planner and an on site host?

A wedding planner is with you from the start of your wedding planning decisions and design to the end. Wedding planners want to focus on creating a design for you. They attend all your cake tastings, dress fittings etc. An on site Host is there to help you execute your timeline flawlessly on your actual wedding day. They help with some of the logistics, but are there primarily there on your big day to run the show. Also, because they are not related to you in any way usually, they can be objective and keep a clear head on the actual wedding day which help

What’s so difficult about planning a wedding?

People often find that it takes way more time and effort than they initially thought. If you have the time to sacrifice and are detail oriented, a wedding planner is not necessary but let’s face it, most of us work full time jobs and it’s very difficult to plan an entire wedding on your off hours. Think of it as a second full time job, especially as you get closer to the day itself!

Is the bride or groom’s family responsible for wedding expenses?

We’ve found that these days most of our couples are paying for their wedding themselves. Some traditional families still have the bride’s father pay but most families wind up just splitting the expenses.

Why should you hire a wedding planner?

Take stress out of your planning
Execute a perfect day
Wedding planners are experts. Let them do their job

Is it possible to throw a great wedding in 3 months?

Absolutely and especially in Vegas! Our couples can plan as close to a week before if you really wanted to depending on what you had in mind for the day. We are experts at putting packages together quickly to make dreams come true!

What’s the best way to sort wedding photographs?

We sort them in chronological order. We actually have a service where we design a wedding album for you so you don’t have to worry about that part!

Why do so many people get married in Las Vegas?

    • People love getting in married because:
  • It’s easy
  • Stress-free fun for all!
  • The scenery is gorgeous
  • It’s a destination that is easy to get to
  • Flights are affordable
  • Hotels are easy to get and at a good price
  • Marriage licenses are super easy to get in Vegas!
  • Lots of entertainment, fine dining and fun
  • Close to many national parks:
    • Red Rock Canyon
    • Zion
    • Joshua Tree
    • California Beaches

 

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McKenzi Taylor

McKenzi Taylor

McKenzi Taylor is America's go-to elopement and micro wedding expert, often featured in small and major media outlets, such as the New York Times. With over 15 years of wedding photography experience, it was after planning her own Las Vegas elopement in 2016 that McKenzi felt her purpose shift into elopement coordination. She started Cactus Collective Weddings soon after in 2017. Since then, she's become a WIPA board member, currently serving as President, and has helped thousands of couples from around the world get hitched in style around Las Vegas, San Diego and Black Hills.