Recommend May 2014 - (Page 60)

ELIZABETH MEDINA T TABLE OF CONTENTS Say "I Do" to a Mexico Destination Wedding ...... 62 Beachside Weddings & Honeymoons in Mexico .................................. 70 Dripped in Romance: Colonial-Style Weddings & Honeymoons........... 75 Getting Married in Mexico & CVB Contacts..........78 on the cover: Saying "I do" at Hacienda de los Santos in Guadalajara. Photo credit: Mexico Boutique Hotels. wo words: "Destination Weddings." If you're not in this market, your bottom line is losing out-it's as simple as that. Think this through: According to the Destination Weddings 2013 report published by The Wedding Report, Inc., couples spend about $27,555 on destination weddings, that's 7.4 percent more than on the average wedding. Moreover, more couples spend in the $30-50,000 range for a destination wedding vs. an average wedding, and 17 percent of couples travel out of the country for their nuptials. Additionally, if you take into account that the average number of guests at a destination wedding in 2012 was 116, according to the Destination Weddings 2013 report, then that's a whole lot of hotel bookings for you. To add even more to that bottom line, many resorts not only hold your hand (and your client's hand) during the whole process, but they give you a commission for the wedding package itself. It's truly a win-win proposition, especially when Mexico comes into the picture. According to The Knot Market Intelligence 2012 Destination Weddings Study, as well as the Destination Weddings 2013 report, one of the most popular places for a destination wedding outside the United States is Mexico, and the reason is obvious. This vast country provides a plethora of stunning settings-from Caribbean Sea-swept shorelines where turquoise waters make for a picturesque backdrop, to Paciﬁc coast beaches where the Sierra Madre Mountains seemingly plunge into the water and the sunsets drip with blood-red hues, not to mention historic colonial towns with cobblestone streets, mariachi bands and bougainvillea peeking out over balconies. "There are many reasons Mexico is a popular spot for destination weddings," says Marilyn Cairo, managing partner and co-founder, ASK ME, a Miami-based ﬁrm that provides what they call "hospitality solutions" to hotels, resorts and destinations. "Great food and sun-soaked, white-sand beaches are a given. But what also helps Mexico is that it is easy to get to from many U.S. gateways. Additionally, the ﬂights, hotels and activities are all very affordable...and there is so much to do in Mexico." Sylvie Laitre, director of Mexico Boutique Hotels, reinforces that thought, stating that Mexico "is exotic enough to feel like you've really sought out a magical space, yet close enough in many customs that you enjoy all the amenities you'd want and expect were you to marry back home." With this Mexico Destination Weddings & Honeymoons special section we give you a taste of Mexico's offerings in this market-from beachside bliss and celebrity-style weddings at all-inclusive properties to intimate affairs draped in colonial ﬁnery. Two words: "I do."-Paloma Villaverde de Rico ⏟ 60 may 2014 We've got a full Q&A with the founders of ASK ME. Visit recommend.com. recommend.com http://www.recommend.com http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend May 2014

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Le Meridien
Tour Talk: Contiki Vacations
Tee Off in Spain
Tee Off in Scotland
Jerusalem & Tel Aviv: A (Short) Tale of Two Cities
AmaWaterways Sails into Myanmar
American Cruise Lines is on a Roll
Venturing Through Bordeaux With Viking
Martinique Travel Planner
Ecuador Goes Luxe
Mexico Destination Weddings & Honeymoons
Saint Lucia
Australia
Salamander Resort & Spa, Virginia
PGA National Resort & Spa, Florida

Recommend May 2014