'What I learned booking my own destination wedding'

How did you and Matt meet?

“We both attended the same secondary school – I first laid eyes on Matt in 2010 when I was in year 10 and he was in year 11. A few years later, in May 2012, when we were both single, I sent Matt a friend request on Facebook, which he accepted. Matt slipped into my messages and from then on, we spoke every day. A few weeks later we decided to meet at the local Tesco and that was that!”

Tell us about the proposal…

“We went on holiday to the Welsh countryside in April 2022. We love going to Wales and walking our dog, exploring and relaxing. I had my suspicions that Matt might propose because I’d been dropping hints for years and I had sent him a selection of pink sapphire engagement rings I liked, along with my ring size.

One evening, Matt cooked some dinner, and then we enjoyed some pink sparkling wine in the hot tub. Once my glass was empty, Matt offered to refill my glass and went inside. I could hear him rustling around so I knew something was up. The next thing I know, instead of handing me another glass, he got down on one knee with our dog, Floki, by his side and presented me with a pink sapphire ring and popped the question. I was half surprised but also pleased the moment had finally arrived. However, it was 10 minutes before Chelsea FC were due to kick off, so needless to say, the romantic moment didn’t last long!”

Do you book many destination weddings?  

“To be honest, not that many, but when we do, clients are usually looking for Greece and Cyprus. Now that I have experience in planning my own wedding abroad in the Caribbean, I would love to help other people do the same, as I had the most amazing experience getting married there. It has really improved my confidence in selling weddings and suggesting alternative destinations.”

Did you consider any other destinations? 

“Matt’s family are Italian, so we always said we would get married in Italy. We looked at Sorrento and Lake Garda, but after making some enquiries and receiving quotes, we decided it would cost too much to get what we really wanted, and we simply didn’t have the budget. So, we then explored other options and considered Sandals as they have options to suit all budgets.”

Why did you go with Sandals Halcyon Beach Resort?

“I had visited the resort on a fam trip a few years prior, and I always wanted to go back with Matt as I loved the property so much. We both love simple, relaxing vibes and being surrounded by nature, so this hotel aligned with what we wanted for our wedding, as it offered such a tranquil, peaceful setting.”

Where did you have your wedding breakfast?

“We had private use of one of the restaurants on resort, Kelly’s Dockside. It is a beautiful place featuring lantern lighting and glowing chandeliers, which created a romantic ambience. It is located on a jetty over the water, so the views of the sea were stunning too. It made for a beautiful backdrop while we enjoyed our first dance and cut the cake. We had a variety of set menus to choose from within the cost of our wedding package, and we chose shrimp or vegetable potstickers for our starter, chicken supreme with shrimp skewer and Filet Mignon for the main course, and brown sugar pecan pie for dessert. It was delicious!” 

How did you find your dress? 

“I bought my dress from Veils of Berkeley in Gloucestershire, and it was designed by Sincerity Bridal. I always imagined that I would wear a lace, long sleeve, open back dress, but as we were getting married in a hot, beach location, I decided to find a similar style dress but without the sleeves. Knowing what I know now, I may have even chosen a short wedding dress, but perhaps I can save that idea for an anniversary trip in the future!”

Did your families book for the duration?

“Matt’s family stayed with us for the full duration and they loved it as much as we did. Matt and I were able to enjoy time together as newlyweds, but we also spent some days and evenings with them, which was nice. My family were able to experience a few days at the resort and they loved the experience.”

Any little moments that will stay with you forever?

“One of my favourite moments was walking down the aisle and Beyonce’s Ave Maria was playing. This song means a lot to Matt’s family, as his grandmother was often heard singing the song in Italian – of course, the traditional version, not Beyonce’s! Another favourite moment was waking up in our upgraded suite with a private pool after our wedding night. We felt in disbelief that we were so lucky to be staying in such an incredible room. We laid in bed for about an hour admiring the views of our private pool and the ocean, with coffee in hand and breakfast on order.”

What have you learnt about Sandals’ weddings?

“I would 100% recommend a Sandals wedding to my clients. The team takes care of all the planning, but you still get to experience everything such as cake tasting, choosing menus and the location, without any stress. It took us less than two hours to plan the whole day with the weddings team on arrival. They were efficient and always checked in to see how we were feeling and if there was anything else they could do to make the day special. They went above and beyond. For anyone looking to book a small, intimate wedding without compromising on the little things, I’d say it’s the perfect choice.”