He popped the question and you said YES!!!

The excitement begins and you are so ready to start planning your wedding , you two love traveling so why not considering a Destination Wedding, better yet: Mexico, because Mexico is always a good idea, could be your honwymoon as well.

Hold on, where in Mexico? Cabo, of course, Los Cabos is the most prestigious and the best choice for destination weddings, come on, look at the proximity of this paradise, direct flights from the most popular airports in the US.

You are doing fantastic, narrowed it down to the one and only most magical place, but now, where in Cabo?

Bride and groom during the sunset after their ceremony at Sunset Monalisa with the famous Cabo Arch behind them

Most Common Destination Wedding Mistakes I´ve seen in Los Cabos

Well, you just got to the point of reaching for help or else this is about to become overwhelming, Los Cabos is the home to tons of magnificent options, before you go any further, get a local pro to guide you through this process!

Here is a list with the biggest destination wedding mistakes I found in my 14 years of los cabos destination wedding photographer.

Comparing totally different things.

Planning a wedding is a big task, no wonder why there are people that specialize in it!

But a Destination Wedding is not just simply a wedding, it is something else!!!

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that your destination wedding can be compared with your cousin’s, co-worker’s or friend’s back home wedding. A destination wedding entails tons of unknowns that your friends and colleges did not even have to deal with, room blocks, guest list resort, restrictions, event transportation, currency rates, weather conditions, flowers, language barriers…

Creating a realistic wedding timeline is important for several reasons:

It ensures that all events and activities occur in a logical and orderly fashion.
It allows you to coordinate the arrival and departure times of vendors and other service providers, such as caterers, photographers, and musicians.
It helps you plan the flow of the wedding day, including the order of events, such as the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception.
It helps you and your wedding party stay on schedule and avoid delays or confusion.
It helps you plan your wedding day so that you can spend time enjoying the company of your guests and celebrating your special day, instead of worrying about the logistics.

Creating a wedding timeline with the help of your wedding planner or using a wedding planning app, can be helpful for the couple to have a stress-free day.

Going over the wedding budget:

It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of planning a wedding and overspend on things that aren't important when you are planning a destination wedding.

Esperanza wedding venue right on the cliff

Overthinking on hiring local pros.

I have often received comments from couples who are hesitant to hire my photo services because they are comparing me with their hometown photographer, well, it is up to you to hire whomever you feel more comfortable with, but a local pro is a local pro, you can rest assure that as a local vendor, I will not be texting you on your big day asking how is the best way to get to your wedding location, and I will surely not be causing any stress when I get to security gate at least 45 min before my actual shooting time to register every single piece of equipment, I know how each property works and most importantly, I have seen so many cool spots for wedding photos, because well, this is not my first rodeo!!!

Not trusting your wedding team.

Communicating your wishes, ideas and vision is a MUST, you have to ensure you express well your desires, when you choose right, your wedding team will always deliver what you have in mind.

A piece of advice in here, will be to also listen to your wedding team suggestions and recommendations, they will get what you want but they are the ones that know the how!

My friends can take photos.

Not because I am a photographer but, once your most whimsical day is over, you will be left with something that will be become too valuable: memories! Make sure you give this huge responsibility to a pro, who will be doing nothing but focusing on capturing your day!!!

Can you imagine your friend was hitting the bar while you were doing your grand entrance with cold sparklers?

A playlist should do it.

What makes a movie so grand? Without a doubt: its soundtrack!!!

Brides who have decided not to hire a DJ or a Band, regret not having their wedding ceremony processional coordinated, not having their special dances faded, not having a pro MC to announce every special happening, make sure that couple is not you.

Wrong time of the year.

Cabo is a stunning and fabulous location, we have the most amazing weather almost all year round, yet, I have seen some couples choose the wrong time of the year: August or September, be sure you select the correct wedding date. A good travel agent I´m sure could help you with this or you can ask to local vendor in Los cabos area.

These two months are the hottest and most humid times, we rarely have rain in Cabo, luckily us, this is a glorious desert, but if we do, that is during these two months. Always have a plan B in case bad weather. Check the right venue that can offer you an inside ceremony, bad weather in Cabo is weir I would say only rains 20 days in aregular year, but could be one possibility and more during the summer.

If rain is not a problem, the inclement weather may play an important role, can you imagine yourself in your amazing wedding gown, dying of heat? Horrible, I know!

Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, so it's important to delegate tasks to friends and family to help lighten the load. Many brides

Not properly delegating tasks:

Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, so it's important to delegate tasks to friends and family to help lighten the load. Many brides try to do everything by themself

Groomsmen before the ceremony at The Cape

Decorating. For the love of all that is weddings do not decorate your own ceremony/reception. ...
Day of Contact for Vendors. ...
Your Calls and Text Messages. ...
Timekeeping. ...
Eating. ...
Family Wrangling. ...
Wedding Gifts.
Day of Payments. If you can, pay your vendors before the wedding. ...

What about my wedding gown?

You have said yes to your better half, you have decided on a destination, booked a venue and now you are in search of the most amazing wedding outfit: dress, veil, shoes, jewelry, hair and make up look!!! Aww, this is definitely exciting, well, hold on for a minute and let’s think about the wedding day and its locations. We know it will surely be a long day and you will be wearing your superb dress, shoes and accessories all day, wait a minute, did I just wrote ALL DAY? Yes, I did, so make sure that you understand that as breathtaking as a wedding day can be, it could also be a tad tiring. So make sure you either choose comfortable footwear or get two pairs!!! The ones for just the key moments and the ones for all the running around and the dancing part!!!

The Wedding Dress and its Bustle.

Your wedding dress must be a secret to your fiancé but not to your mom or bridesmaids, make sure that you delegate the super important task of helping you put on the dress to a specific person and ensure this person and you practice before, the last thing you want on the wedding day is to be stressing over not making it in time for your ceremony because no one can help you with the dress.

Also, most wedding dresses require a bustle at one point, most wedding planners are pros at doing so, but just to make sure, have also your maid of honor practice this with you beforehand.

Getting into your wedding dress:

Practice putting on your dress before the big day. This will help you get a feel for how the dress goes on and any potential issues you may encounter.

Bride and groom having fun on the beach during their Cabo wedding

Have someone help you with the buttons, zippers, and snaps on your dress. This will make the process much easier and less frustrating.
1. Make sure your undergarments are on before putting on your dress. This will help avoid any unsightly lines or wrinkles in your dress.
2. If your dress has a lot of layers or a long train, make sure you have someone to hold it while you put it on.
3. Be mindful of your hair and makeup while putting on your dress. Avoid getting any makeup or hair products on your dress.
4. Have a backup plan in case of any accidents or mishaps. It's always a good idea to have a needle and thread or a stain remover on hand.
5. Allow yourself enough time to get into your dress. Don't rush or put yourself under unnecessary stress.
6. Take deep breaths and relax. Remember that this is your special day and try to enjoy the experience.

Scheduling too many activities.

I am sure you want to create the most memorable experience for your wedding guests but there is a fine line from AMAZING to EXHAUSTING.

Just be mindful of your guests’s time, consider their trips hours, and make sure you account for their time to enjoy Cabo and time for them to get ready and be punctual attending to your events. A wedding website could be a great way to comunicate with your guests

Welcome Party.

In most destination weddings, couples like hosting at least two events, a Party to welcome family and friends or Rehearsal Dinner and The Wedding.

Per previous experiences, I have seen brides, grooms, maid of honors, best men, totally devastated on the wedding day, suffering and surviving the day rather than enjoying it, but why is that? Plain and simple, they had too much fun the night before! Now based on experience, wether you organize a fun beach party, a formal dinner and dancing or a sunset cruise, I would always recommend hosting this additional and previous event two nights before, this way bride and groom and every guest can experience the night at its fullest and have all day before the wedding to recover.

Not prioritizing!!!

Visualize your wedding week, what’s the most important thing for you?

The Ceremony? Civil ceremony or a simbolic ceremony? Photos? Drinks? Whatever that is, make sure that you account for it ALWAYS!!! If photos are your thing, consider at all times, that it will be a long day and that things don’t just happen they are planned, make sure that you communicate your MUST HAVE and have them written, you don’t want the wedding event to be over and realize that you missed that photo you had your eye set on for months.

Not allowing enough time for pictures:

Allow enough time for wedding portraits and group shots, so you don't feel rushed or stressed on your special day.

Too much sun.

Last but not least, my friend if you have taken the time to read this, all the way to this last number, wedding photos are important to you and I congratulate you for it, they are the most important for me too, now to ensure that you look at your absolute best, it is super important to take care of your skin, SUNSCREEN always, drink tons of water and pass this advise not only to your significant other but also to your wedding party and all your wedding guests.

VERY IMPORTANT

If you're at the beginning of your search for a wedding venue in Baja Sur, there are some important considerations to keep in mind. Before booking with a hotel, check if you're allowed to bring in your preferred vendors. Often, hotels may charge high fees for external vendors, and even if you opt for their in-house services, it doesn't necessarily mean they're the best, but rather the ones that bring in the highest commissions for the hotel. As a wedding photographer based in Cabo San Lucas, I understand the importance of choosing vendors that align with your vision and budget. Don't hesitate to inquire about vendor policies before finalizing any contracts, as this can significantly impact your wedding planning experience.

VERY IMPORTANT

I hope you can avoid at least a few of this destination wedding mistakes

BONUS: Did those wedding photos look dreamy? You can have yours taken too!

Gonzalo Verdeja is a destination wedding photographer based in Cabo, Mexico. He is passionate about photography and would love to capture every golden moment of your big day. From engagement to wedding photography services, Gonzalo Verdeja delivers quality professional work. Check out more of his craft at www.gvphotographer.com