All-Inclusive Resorts for Weddings

We receive a number of requests from brides who want to hold their wedding at an all-inclusive resort. While the resort may seem like the easiest and most cost-effective route to take, here are a few things to consider...

Firstly, we have only a handful of all-inclusives in Costa Rica and they are not the huge mega-resorts like you may find in Mexico. They are the Paradisus Playa Conchal (4 star), Allegro Grand Papagayo (3 star), Allegro Papagayo (2 star), Barcelo Langosta and Tambor (both 2 star).

Meals are pretty much just the buffet and the one sit-down restaurant that you have to pre-reserve and only if you're booked in at the hotel for a minimum of three nights. At the Conchal, you have more restaurants to choose from but you have to line up each morning to make a reservation for that evening unless you have upgraded to Royal Service status.

The hotels will not make dinner reservations for a large group, so any plans you may have of all 'just heading to the restaurant for dinner' instead of having a private reception won't fly. And having a private reception is going to cost extra,usually around $35 per person or so (the same price for a wedding meal at other hotels or restaurants). No savings there.

As for the wedding itself, the hotels offer their own wedding packages which they want clients to purchase. Allegro Papagayo now has a new rule that couple's MUST purchase the hotel's packages, even if they want to work with an independent wedding planner. So much for having choice.

When you sit down and start doing the math, paying for the resort's packaged wedding really doesn't save any money over working with an independent planner - plus you are severely limited in what options you have (they are packages, afterall). 

The other thing we've run into over the years is brides becoming frustrated with the lack of response from the hotel's planner. While the planner is trying her (or his) best, they are not trained wedding planners and usually are working in their second language, which makes things a bit more challenging for them. They are also juggling all of the other events going on at the resort as well. One person is in charge of all the weddings (around 20 a month), corporate meetings, golf tournaments, incentive travel group dinners - these poor people barely have time to wolf down a spot of lunch. Not surprisingly, they don't have time to answer detailed emails or return emails in a timely fashion. It's a tough job, with very long hours and burnout rates are high (the Paradisus had four different people go through the planner's position in one year alone).

If you're a bride who just wants a simple packaged wedding and isn't concerned with followup, then a resort wedding may be just the ticket. 

But if you're a bride who wants a personalized affair and service, then you may want to consider hosting your wedding at a 'regular', non-inclusive hotel.