Frequently asked destination wedding questions
Got questions about planning your destination wedding? We've got you covered! Browse through our FAQs to get answers to all your questions, from planning your destination wedding and booking your travel to choosing the right wedding package, decor and everything in between.
General booking FAQs
Sunwing Weddings is the Weddings Department of Sunwing Vacations. We work with wedding couples who have chosen to book their group travel with the tour operator directly. Please note that we are not a travel agency. By booking with Sunwing Weddings, you are booking your travel directly with Sunwing Vacations.
We offer competitive rates for destination wedding packages with exclusive promotions for wedding groups. We also help your guests with their travel arrangements and offer complimentary wedding planning services to assist you with all the details for your big day from start to finish!
First of all, congratulations! To start the wedding planning process, there are three main questions you and your fiancé will want to consider :
- Where do you want to get married? We recommend researching destinations and narrowing down to a couple options that fit your wedding vision and travel style and that reflect you as a couple.
- What price are you comfortable asking your guests to spend? This will also help narrow down what destination and resort is best for you.
- When do you want to get married? The more flexible you are with your dates the better as time of year will also affect pricing and you also want to give your guests plenty of time to plan ahead.
Typically, there are two different phases for planning a destination wedding – the first is to book your resort and travel and the second is to plan the big day! It’s important to give your guests plenty of time to make their travel arrangements so we recommend securing your group bookings approximately 12-15 months in advance. However, this is just a recommendation, please feel free to contact us whenever you are ready to begin planning.
For the wedding planning portion, it’s ideal for couples to begin gathering some ideas and inspiration about 8-10 months in advance. Your Sunwing Weddings Destination Wedding Consultant will be able to help guide you through the planning process and provide you with an idea of what your planning timeline will look like.
The quotes that we provide are in Canadian dollars. Packaged rates include flights, all inclusive hotel accommodations and airport transportation in destination.
In order to qualify for a group rate, you will need a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 50 adult passengers. If you are expecting more than 50 guests, please let your Sunwing Weddings Sales Representative know and we can provide a quote based on a larger group.
Yes, multiple gateways do apply for group bookings. We can provide quotes from different Canadian departure cities for your guests, subject to availability and our flight schedule.
WWe only offer departure flights from Canada. To accommodate your guests coming from elsewhere, we can provide a land only rate for the cost of hotel. Then they will simply need to arrange their own flights and airport transportation.
Wedding costs are separate and payable to the hotel/venue directly. In order to get married at an all inclusive resort, you will need to purchase a wedding package through the resort for the cost of your ceremony and reception. Most resorts list their wedding packages available online for your review.
Once your group is booked, your Sunwing Wedding Destination Wedding consultant will assist with all details regarding to the wedding itself.
Yes, we do! Once your wedding day is booked, you will be assigned to a Group Travel Representative who will take care of processing your guests’ reservations and helping with your travel details moving forward.
We will also send you a Guest List template to complete with the names and email addresses of the guests you would like to invite. Then, your Group Travel Representative will then send an electronic Save the Date e-vite to your guests outlining the travel rates and deadlines, along with a booking form link and answers to frequently asked questions!
Yes, we do! When you book your travel directly with Sunwing Weddings, you’ll receive our our exclusive wedding planning services for free. You will be assigned to a Sunwing Weddings Destination Wedding Consultant who will act as your personal representative and take over correspondence with the resort for you. They will help coordinate your wedding details on your behalf in advance of your arrival based on your wedding vision and budget.
Please note that these services do not include the cost of the wedding, they are for planning assistance only. For more information on which planning services are included with your booking, please refer to the promotions on your group quotes. Explore full inclusions of our services.
A destination wedding can cost anywhere from just a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on your guest list, entertainment preferences and décor choices. Your destination wedding consultant can work with your budget and help you determine what aspects to splurge on as well as cost-friendly alternatives to help you stay within your means and have the wedding of your dreams.
November and April tend to be the busiest months for destination weddings. November is popular because many people are eager to take a vacation to the tropics as the weather gets colder. April is also a great month to travel for destination weddings because the busy spring break months have just passed and it’s still peak season in many popular destinations across Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America.
Groups may qualify for group travel concessions, complimentary passengers, depending on how many people are in your group. Group travel concessions will appear in your quote. Please contact your Sunwing Weddings Sales Representative for more information.
Some couples find it helpful to visit their resort before the big day but it’s not required. If you choose to visit the resort, your Sunwing Weddings Destination Wedding Consultant can arrange a tour with the on-site wedding coordinators so you can see various ceremony and reception spaces to help you begin envisioning your décor.
However, other couples prefer to see the space for the first time during their destination wedding week. In this case, your Sunwing Weddings Destination Wedding Consultant is especially valuable in sharing their expertise and suggesting décor that will suit the space, tie your theme together and reflect your personalities.
Most resorts require that at least 70-80 percent of your wedding guests stay on-site. Therefore, most often, only one option is offered to guests. However, some properties do include more than one hotel option within the same complex and we can often split the group up amongst them. Choosing a resort that offers both family-friendly and adults only sections is a great way to cater to your guests varying vacation styles.
Wedding planning FAQs
The role of your Sunwing Weddings Destination wedding Consultant is to work directly with your chosen hotel/venue on your behalf to coordinate your wedding planning details and requests in advance of your arrival in destination. You can expect a Destination Wedding Consultant who is knowledgeable and experienced, who will make recommendations geared towards your taste and budget, advise you of all of the pricing and help create a wedding planning budget spreadsheet to keep everything for your big day completely organized.
There are so many factors that go into planning a wedding in the tropics and it’s your destination wedding planner’s job to help make your wedding planning experience as stress-free as possible! Explore our unique planning services.
Should you be interested in upgrading for additional planning hours and a more full-service program please inquire for options and pricing.
A legal or civil ceremony is one that is legally recognized by the government of the country you are getting married in. This type of ceremony will be performed by a judge and requires specific paperwork to be provided in advance and additional fees.
A symbolic ceremony looks and feels like a legal ceremony however it is not legally binding. Instead, the legal paperwork required to get married will be completed in your home province. The ceremony you have abroad is a testament of love to each other but is not legally recognized in the country you are having it in. However, some countries do require you to be legally married at home first and provide proof of the legal wedding.
Typically, you must arrive two business days prior to the wedding date for a symbolic ceremony and three business days prior for a legal/civil ceremony. It is important to keep this in mind when selecting your departure date. Arrival days, weekends and national holidays do not count as business days. Most hotels also do not perform weddings on Sundays or will charge an additional fee for a Sunday ceremony. Weddings are not performed on national holidays.
Some destinations and hotels are stricter than others when it comes to their arrival date policies for symbolic ceremonies. Your Destination Wedding Consultant will assist you with officially securing the wedding date with your chosen hotel.
One of the benefits of a destination wedding is that you’re on vacation, so the weekend tradition no longer applies and you can host your destination wedding any day of the week. It’s best to discuss resort policies and details with your Destination Wedding Consultant so that you have all the information you need before confirming your wedding date.
If you have a legal/civil ceremony, it will be performed in the native language. If the native language is not English, you will have a translator present. If you have a symbolic wedding, your ceremony will be in English.
A traditional ceremony script involves a brief introduction about the couple and speech regarding love, marriage and commitment. Then there will be the exchange of vows and rings and the pronouncement of the couple as being married. If you are having a civil or religious ceremony, you can often include your own vows and readings, although we would need to get permission from the judge or officiant that is performing your ceremony.
Symbolic ceremonies are the most flexible type of ceremony. You can write your own personalized wedding vows, have a guest do a reading during the ceremony, add in a sand or candle ceremony or any other traditions you wish to include.
Most hotel wedding packages include a semi-private dinner for certain number of guests. This involves a section or area set up for your group in one of the hotel restaurants for your wedding dinner. Unlike a private reception event, there may be other hotel guests dining in the restaurant and speeches, music are generally not permitted for semi-private dinners.
Should your group size exceed the maximum capacity allowed for semi-private events, or should you wish to host a fully private reception there may be additional costs associated such as venue rental costs, food and beverage costs, setup/labour costs, etc.
Every hotel has their own inclusions, polices and pricing and your Sunwing Weddings Destination Wedding Consultant can provide all applicable private event options for you for you chosen hotel.
Most resorts offer a wide array of wedding packages that range from simple intimate celebrations to grand elaborate events and everything in between. If you wish to do something beyond what the base package offers – whether it is upgraded décor, or a private reception – you most certainly can and your Destination Wedding Consultant can help make these arrangements and suggest ways to enhance the inclusions to fit your vision.
Absolutely! Your Destination Wedding Consultant will help with your vision for the big day and advise which décor items you can bring from home as well as what will need to be ordered through the hotel and vendors. We always encourage couples bring items such as personalized printed materials (itineraries, place cards, etc.), smaller centerpieces and table décor items, photos etc.
The all inclusive packages that you and your guests have purchased refers to the services that you utilize throughout your stay and are available for all hotel guests; the restaurants, bars, pools, etc.
Additional services including private event such as a wedding reception dinner, do not fall within your all inclusive packages. Much like wedding venues found anywhere in the world, there may be additional costs required for space rentals or food and beverage.
Each hotel has preferred vendors for services ranging from florals to photography. Their services are included in hotel wedding catalogs and can be booked once overall wedding planning begins with your Destination Wedding Consultant. However, if you have a specific vendor in mind that you would like to hire externally, discuss this with your planner as most hotels have external vendor fees and some prohibit certain vendor types. If you are hiring externally, we recommend doing this as soon as possible.
Absolutely! If they are a guest of the wedding or are staying at the hotel there are no penalty fees. Please note that there is usually a minimum night stay required for a vendor/penalty fee to be waived (usually a three night minimum).
For most destinations, all wedding fees will be quoted in US dollars. There are some exceptions to this, including Cuba which includes Canadian and Cuban quotes, as well as some fees that are paid in destination in the local currency of the country you are getting married in.
Every hotel has their own payment policies and processes. Some hotels will require a deposit to secure the wedding date and some will not. Some hotel will require payment in advance, and some will require all payments be made in destination. Your Sunwing Weddings Destination Wedding Consultant will advise on all payment processes and details for you!
Prior to arriving in destination, your Destination Wedding Consultant will introduce you to your onsite hotel wedding coordinator who will execute everything on your wedding day. The day after your arrival to the hotel, you will meet with the onsite wedding coordinator to go over the details and pricing we’ve confirmed up to this point, see your venues, go over the timing of the wedding date and make your final wedding payment. You and the hotel will have been given the same copy of the wedding planning budget spreadsheet we prepared and confirmed and this gives you one last opportunity to go over all your details.
Typically, a ceremony rehearsal is not included and this meeting is just for the wedding couple, however if a full rehearsal is desired, your Destination Wedding Consultant can request this for you. Please note that some hotels will not confirm ceremony rehearsals until you are in destination.
Every hotel has a backup plan in case of inclement weather. During your meeting with the onsite hotel wedding coordinator, they will check the weather with you and come up with a backup plan if needed. Backup locations would typically be a lobby, terrace, or restaurant.
Many hotel wedding packages include perks such as room upgrades for the wedding couple. Please note that this cannot be confirmed in advance, instead they will be confirmed upon arrival in destination based on room availability. Please ask your Destination Wedding Consultant and your Group Travel Representative about inclusions and perks offered by your chosen hotel.
If you have guests that are staying at a different property, they will need to be registered for a day pass for any event you are holding at your hotel. The front desk will need them to check-in upon arrival and usually requires them to submit photo ID to be held at the front desk until they leave at the end of the evening. Day passes range from $70 - $100 USD per person, per event. Please ask your Destination Wedding Consultant for day pass pricing at your chosen hotel.
Yes, our wedding planning services can be added to a Sunwing booking made with a travel agent at an additional cost.
Our Diamond Service includes up to five hours of wedding planning for a service fee of $499.00. Our Platinum Service includes up to ten hours of wedding planning for a service fee of $999.00. Our Platinum Plus service includes up to fifteen hours of wedding planning for a service fee of $1999.00 + consultant travel costs. Please note that these services do not include the cost of the wedding, they are for planning assistance only. Explore full inclusions of our unique planning services.
Once a planning package has been added to the booking, one of our Destination Wedding Consultants will reach out to you directly to get started right away!
Group travel FAQs
Each group is assigned to a Sunwing Weddings Group Travel Representative. Guests will receive a “Save the Date” email invitation from the Group Travel Representative outlining the deposit and final payment deadlines, a link to the booking form and contact information.
Guests are able to speak to any member of the Sunwing Weddings Team, not only their Sunwing Weddings Group Travel Representative.
Guests are asked to complete the secure on-line booking form. No space will be held until the payment is processed successfully. Please allow up to ten business days for processing.
When booking with Sunwing Weddings the wedding couple has assumed responsibility as the Group Leaders. Any major changes to the booking can only be made through the Group Leaders.
Yes. We require full names as per your passports along with your date of birth. Please make sure all names are exactly as they appear on your passports and dates of birth are in the correct format: DAY/MONTH/YEAR.
Yes. All passengers will require a valid passport to travel, including infants. It is solely the responsibility of each passenger to ensure that you have valid and proper travel documentation. It is recommended that your passport is valid for six months after your planned return to Canada.
Sunwing offers two types of insurance for purchase. Insurance must be added within 48 hours business hours of receiving your booking confirmation by e-mail.
Worry Free Cancellation Waiver:
Cancel for any reason up to three hours prior to departure:
From $49.00 per person for 74 and under for one week
From $79.00 per person for 75 and over for one week
Manulife Global Travel Insurance + Worry Free for Sunwing:
Get all the great features of our Worry Free Cancellation Waiver plan including:
- Emergency Medical coverage
- Trip interruption unlimited after departure
- Baggage loss, damage and delay benefits
- Flight and travel accident insurance
From $89.00 per person for 74 and under for one week
From $139.00 per person for 75 and over for one week
Find out more about our Worry Free plans.
Restrictions apply, please see full terms and conditions.
Your Group Travel Representative will be able to provide you with rates for different departure dates and durations subject to flight schedules and availability. If there is an expiration date on the quote, please note that a deposit must be placed prior to the expiration date given in order to secure the room and rate. Additionally, a rate that is supplied by your Group Travel Representative / Sunwing Weddings Team is a quote only and does not guarantee reservation. A written confirmation to the Group Travel Representative/ Sunwing Weddings Team must be sent in order to make a new reservation or a change to an existing reservation.
Guests in this situation have a few options. They can place early deposits for a TBA guest who’s details will be finalized and added at a later date. However, this deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable to existing passengers should they decide they no longer want to bring a date.
Alternatively, if a current single occupant wants to add a date to their booking later on, they can request a new rate for the additional guest. In this case, the rate for the existing passenger will change to the double occupancy rate that was available at the time of their original booking. The new guest will be subject to current rates and availability at the time of booking.
Group Leaders may request a price drop check from your Group Travel Representative if you find significantly lower rates online. They will advise the current group rates and availability. Should there be enough space in our system to re-book the entire group at the current group rates for the exact same room categories/duration/gateways, we can offer a one-time price adjustment on your group rates before 60 days prior to departure.
Should space be reserved from multiple departure cities, a price adjustment must apply for all gateways included in the group and cannot be for only one particular gateway.
Please note any rate reductions are applicable only for your confirmed booking. The Price Drop Guarantee is not applicable for any changes to a room category, occupancy, duration, date or gateway.
This means that you cannot make a change to your current booking in order to get a lower price for another room category, room category, occupancy, duration, date or gateway. Price drops can only be requested by the Group Leaders.
If a rate reduction is applicable, the group will be notified once it has been completed.
Flight times are usually released about six months prior to departure. Please note that all flight times, schedules, airlines and type of aircraft, as well as itineraries, are subject to change with or without prior notice. For more information please visit our terms and conditions.
If you would like your group to be seated together on the plane you can purchase group block seating.
Pricing is as follows:
10 - 19 Passengers = $90 per file
20 - 74 Passengers = $145 per file
75+ Passengers = $210 per file
This ensures that your entire group is seated together in rows 18 and back. Seats are assigned as close together as possible. Please note that this is based on availability at the time of request (if another group has it booked then the next group wouldn’t be able to receive it).
Group Block seating can only be requested by the Group Leaders. If you would like to add this to your group booking please let your Group Travel Representative know. This must be added no later than two weeks prior to departure.
Yes, you can make payments using multiple credit cards.
There are also options for payment installments to suit your needs. Please ask the Sunwing Weddings Team to send you the instructions to make an online payment.
Elite Plus is our highest seat category and is $100 per passenger roundtrip. Additional amenities include:
- Extra leg room seat (35 inches)
- Advance seat selection
- Priority check-in at Canadian airports
- Increased baggage allowance to 30kg
- Priority boarding
- Priority baggage handling - your luggage will be among the first to be available for pick-up
- Priority security line access*
*Currently available at Toronto Pearson, Montreal Trudeau, Vancouver International, Ottawa International and Edmonton International.
There are no payments required for children under the age of two. At the time of travel, they will not be granted their own seat. You can however purchase a seat if you feel this would be more comfortable for your child. Please note that all passengers regardless of age will require a valid passport for travel. For certain destinations there may be a small fee of $16 for a tourist card for the infant.
When you have two adults confirmed for a room, they will each use the double occupancy rate. If you add children to this room, each child (age 2-12) will use the corresponding child/teen rate (teen rates are not available at all hotels). In all circumstances, two adults per room are required to obtain the child rate for any room category.
Many hotels do not offer accommodations for families larger than four. Please review our website for information on rooming capacity and contact your Group Travel Representative / Sunwing Weddings Team to see if family suites are available if needed.
If there are no room sizes available to accommodate your family, please note that we are able to reconfigure your family on the rooming list spreadsheet to ensure your child can be placed with other family members travelling. This is done for booking purposes only. Upon arrival at the hotel, children are able to room with their parents, however please note that bedding availability is limited. We can request cots and cribs for children and infants however requests are not guaranteed. Guests assume the above at their own risk.
Prior to departure, your Group Travel Representative can make a request for rooms to be close together. Requests cannot be guaranteed as room locations are at the hotel’s discretion and will be assigned upon arrival.
We can make special requests (bedding, room location etc.) with the hotel however please note that these are never guaranteed. Requests will be subject to availability upon arrival and at the hotel’s discretion. We do suggest that you reiterate this request upon arrival directly with the hotel.
For all information regarding excess baggage including: bridal party gifts, diving equipment, golf clubs, strollers, play pens, etc, please refer to Sunwing Airlines baggage information.
If the answer to your inquiry cannot be found online please reach out to your Group Travel Representative or Sunwing Weddings Team for further assistance.
Yes! Your wedding attire will travel like a VIP with our exclusive Wedding Couple Attire Care Program. With Sunwing Airlines exclusive Wedding Couple Attire Care Program, your wedding day outfits travel with you safely in a dedicated overhead compartment. Wedding couples will also be able to pre-board the aircraft to make sure their wedding dresses or suits are safely stowed on board.
This service is only available for the wedding couple and their wedding day outfits which must be stored in the same garment bag. If any other guest wishes to bring their wedding attire on board in addition to their carry-on allowance, they will be charged accordingly.
E-documents will be available approximately 2-3 weeks prior to departure. Please note that e-documents will not be released until all reservations on file have been paid in full. Your Group Travel Representative will provide a link when your e-documents are available in which you can retrieve your e-documents, select your seat, etc.
If you have a new passenger to replace a cancelled passenger, we can apply a name change. Up to 44 days prior to departure name corrections cost $50.00 per passenger. Between 44 and 21 days, name corrections cost $100.00 per passenger. Please note that within 21 days these fees are subject to change depending on when the adjustment is made.
Please note for cancellations up to 44 days prior to departure, loss of the $150 deposit per passenger will apply. Between 44 and 21 days, 50% of the total price will apply. Within 20 days prior to departure, 100% of the total price will apply.
Please note the cancellation penalties are the same if a person has purchased insurance with Sunwing or not. If you have to cancel, please advise your cancellation by e-mail, either to your travel planner or to: weddinggroups@sunwing.ca.