Destination Weddings in Central America

Looking for the best spot to get married in front of your loved ones can be fun. There are many web sites out there n the Internet to help you select a destination, make travel reservations, and book all the services. How do you choose?

Remember, any time you are doing business over the phone or via the Internet, there is the possibility of not getting what you paid for. This article offers sensible advice: spend the first phase of your planning doing Internet research, talking with friends and family, and visiting your favorite travel agent. After you have decided on a destination that you believe you can afford, travel to the location and make the arrangements in person (if possible). Then select the perfect venue and interview the business owners who will provide the services for the wedding.

Central America is a great place to travel, especially for the couple on a budget. In many locations, resort owners are eager for your business and maintain beautiful facilities on a par with American hotels. Remember that if you bring a group, large or small, to their property, it will bring them future business. This article spotlights three resorts in two different locations.

The first destination is the beautiful tropical paradise of Costa Rica. Here you will find why so many tourists are flocking for a great vacation, not just for the rainforests. Consider a venue like the three-and-a-half star Melia Caliari (situated on 134 acres). It has 192 rooms and 30 suites. Wouldn't you like to have your wedding, reception, and honeymoon in the same place? Inside the two-story hotel, there is a beautiful lobby with shiny wood floors and a towering atrium. There are also the customary attractions of the pool/sauna/steam room, on-site eating venues, and a free shuttle to an 18-hole golf course. For an even classier resort, Costa Rica also features the four-star Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San Jose.

Your second option is the Mexican hot spot of Ixtapa. This location features four-star resorts like the Las Brisas Ixtapa (Las Brisas is Spanish for "the breezes"). This hotel includes 416 rooms in an interesting tiered building. Your guests can enjoy meals at 3 different restaurants. There are bonuses like childcare and transportation (only 5 minutes) to world-class golf courses designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., and Robert Von Hagge. This type of wedding venue is perfect for extreme golf enthusiasts and their guests.

Ixtapa also offers more economical lodgings like the Dorado Pacifico Hotel (three stars beginning at $100 per night). The Dorado Pacifico sports an 11-story atrium brightened by the sun. It is one of the oldest hotels in the area. There are 285 rooms with ocean views, a beautifully landscaped, free-form pool, and banquet facilities. This resort would be the perfect destination for a large group of guests who will pay for most of their costs while you pay for the hotel accommodations.

Your search for the perfect scene for your tropical wedding will be a difficult one because there are so many beautiful places in Central America. Check out the possibilities before settling on your dream wedding.