My friend just got married to her long time boyfriend (yup, I’m reaching that age when ALL of my childhood friends are taking the big step.. yikes). She’s the kind of person who had to have everything perfect – from the cake down to the napkin colors.
I found myself thinking – thank goodness she didn’t have a destination wedding! And then I caught myself.
Because it is possible to have the perfect wedding in Cabo. The photos from all the wedding planners that pop up in my Facebook feed every day are a testament to that. (Secretly, they make me want to hop on a plane and get hitched in Cabo, but don’t tell my boyfriend that!)
I agree that planning a destination wedding in Cabo can be a little unnerving. The thing that crosses every Cabo bride’s mind is – “How am I going to do all of this planning without being there?”
The good news is that the Cabo wedding industry has the perfect solution for this – wedding planners. Wedding planners are local Cabo companies with personal insider knowledge about getting married in Cabo. That means they’ve tasted all the wedding cakes, heard many DJs and have met all the florists!
The bad news is that this service is so insanely popular (I mean, with 360 days of sun, who wouldn’t want to get married in Cabo?) that there are many different Cabo wedding planners to choose from!
Here are some ways to make sure that you pick the right Cabo wedding planner for you:
You want a wedding planner with local Cabo experience. Someone who has worked with many different florists, caterers and hotels. This means that they will be able to find you exactly what you want.
Most Cabo wedding planners have a Facebook or a blog where they post photos of wedding that they have planned with other brides.
Browse through those photos to see if they look like the wedding you want to have.
Also, check to see what wedding vendors they typically work with. (Are all of their photos by the same photographer? All the cakes by the same chef? or is there a variety?)
Either check the wedding planner’s website or do a brief google search of their name. This should give you some articles about their services and (hopefully) a feel for how successful they are in and out of the Los Cabos community.
Decide what services you need and check to see if they offer those. Wedding planner services range from simply coordinating the vendors to creating financial worksheets and event timelines.
It can be as detailed as helping you come up with color schemes or just as simple as arranging a site inspection or flowers.
Does this wedding planner have a bad habit of not returning phone calls? Or do they go above and beyond for the wedding couple?
Sites like Best Destination Weddings and Trip Advisor should help you see what other people are saying. But always take user reviews with a grain of salt – as most people post reviews only when they have negative experience or a really, really, really great one. Most of the time when things just go smoothly, people are not inclined to post.
Oh they charge extra for going on site inspections with you? No one likes hidden or surprise fees. So go ahead and ask for cost estimates BEFORE you pick your Cabo wedding planner.
Keep in mind that many resorts and hotels in Cabo have their own wedding planners. You can usually choose to use that wedding planner or use your own. Most likely you will save costs by using the hotel’s wedding planner, but you will have less choice in vendors.
This will help for a variety reasons. You will be able to see if the wedding planner is easily available (or will you constantly be talking to random staff members?).
Also, you’ll be able to see how well you communicate together. Do they understand your ideas and wants? Also, most Cabo wedding planners speak perfect English, but double checking never hurt anyone.
How did you pick your Cabo wedding planner?
Cara Gourley is the Director of Web Strategy for All About Mexico as well as an All About Girl. She’s a certified Los Cabos Expert and has been to Cabo many times.
If you have any questions on restaurants, hotels or activities, Cara would love to help you! You can head to the forum to ask a question or you can email her directly.