Even though almost all aspects of a wedding are pretty much optional, from ditching the flowers to wearing a suit rather than a dress to not even using a wedding cake, there is something you cannot skip, and that's the venue. After all, you need to have a place for your family and friends to come together and celebrate.
First of all, finding a venue for a destination wedding isn't the same as looking for a venue only because you're also looking for a place to stay. You need to consider a lot of things like the number of people you're expecting and how long you plan to stay. There's no way you'll choose the same venue to accommodate 20 people as that to accommodate 150 guests.
Yes, finding the ideal venue is not easy. You have several options to choose from, whether you want an elegant ballroom, a villa, or just a cozy restaurant. That's why we've decided to help you decide on the best venue for a destination wedding in Las Terrenas.
Talk to a Planner
You need to do this before you begin to look at spaces. Planners are very much familiar with every capability of a space, its layout, and the items you will really need to transform it. In a situation where there is a creative way of making it unique or something about that space that'll likely make it difficult to accomplish your dreams, your planner will be aware of it.
Consider your Budget
Before you reach out to the destination wedding planner in Las Terrenas, you still need to know your budget and the number of expected guests. By doing this, you'll be able to narrow down the destination options immediately.
While you are thinking about your budget, you shouldn't forget about the expenses of your guests! If they'll cover their travel costs, accommodation, and others, let them know how much they will need to have before they'll be able to attend your destination wedding in Las Terrenas.
Tip: Since the guests will stay at the destination for about four or five nights in general, guessing an estimate for that length of time is going to help them while making travel plans.
Select the Venue of Your Dreams
Even though this is obvious, you need to choose venues that fit your dream aesthetic. Below are some venue choices you can check out.
1. Villas
In Las Terrenas, you can find villas of different sizes from three bedrooms to as high as 13 bedrooms. This can be an excellent choice for you if you have a small or medium wedding and can celebrate in the same villa you're staying at. Some villas provide big open covered spaces where you'll be able to host the reception. If the villa doesn't offer covered space, you need to ensure that there's a space to set up a tent in the garden. Las Terrenas is surrounded by mountains, and aside from raining more than any other location in the Dominican Republic, you might also expect some showers during sunny days, and the last thing you want is rain falling during your reception. If this is your preferred choice, you should know that most of the villas available, especially in high season, will request at least four nights, which can even be as high as one week. In many cases, you'll also be charged an additional event fee for extra use of the villa.
2. Hotel (not all-inclusive)
When I say hotel. I'm not referring to an all-inclusive resort, what I'm talking about is a 10 to 25-bedroom boutique hotel where you can buy out a place for your family and friends to celebrate your wedding with you. It's similar to the villa, although this one may have more privacy. Rather than sharing a chef, you'll get a restaurant at your disposal, and each of your guests can manage their consumption and eating time on their own. If you don't buy out the hotel for yourself, you might share some common space. Hotels normally have their own food and beverage package.
3. Restaurant
This option might be the "easiest" for you if you have a large group and don't feel like managing the accommodation of your guests. You'll pay a rental fee to privatize the restaurant and choose from their F&B package. You can decide to organize shuttles from your guests' hotel to the wedding venue so your guests don't have to be preoccupied while driving.
Conclusion
People have asked me a lot of times which option out of these is the cheapest, and the answer is that they all end up being more or less the same price. In a villa, your alcohol expenses will be cheaper compared to a restaurant, but you'll need to spend on waiters, cutleries, staff, and so on. A restaurant will include everything in the price of the rental. I'd recommend you choose your venue according to your vibe and what you are really dreaming about more than just trying to compare prices because each of these options provides totally different experiences.