The Sandals Foundation Contributes To A Real-Life Sea Change

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The Sandals Foundation Contributes To A Real-Life Sea Change

Category: Behind the scenes
March 4th 2023Back to our Sandals Blog > > >
The Sandals Foundation Contributes To A Real-Life Sea Change



Just seven years ago, the people of two Jamaican communities wondered what was happening to their seacoast. So, with the help of the Sandals Foundation, they did something about it.

The sun is rising. The sand is freshly raked and oh, it feels good. My eyes and toes tell me this is going to be a spectacular day at Sandals South Coast in Jamaica. It starts with this beach walk under palm fronds and past sleepy overwater bungalows. The bungalows weren't here when I last visited (you had to go to Tahiti for that).

Come to think of it, neither was this Dasani-clear water or the plush turtles I saw in the gift shop yesterday with notes about helping the Sandals Foundation 'fund the sanctuary' and keeping the sea healthy 'for generations to come.'

Fund the sanctuary? Being environmentally conscious at a resort usually means you hang a towel over the shower bar to let the housekeeper know you'll re-use it. There. I've done my part. And so has the resort. Environmentally conscious.

But a sanctuary is a lot more tangible than a touchy-feely conscious. You can't tell from the beach exactly where the marine sanctuary begins or ends or if it's anywhere near this flour-soft beach. To see it, or more importantly, to see the impact of it, I schedule a ride.

It's a short one, around several churches, through the town of New Hope (how appropriate), and into Whitehouse - the very picture in your mind when you think of an island fishing village.

On this morning, ladies are selling snapper fresh off the wood boats that rest at the edge of the sea. Beyond the boats are aqua colors synonymous with the word 'Caribbean.' The pace is pleasantly Jamaican and the vibe positively upbeat. It isn't even 10 a.m. and the promise of a spectacular day has already been realized.

'It wasn't anything like this a few years ago,' says a fisherman named Diego. He leads me to the shade of a blue building - the Whitehouse Marine Sanctuary office. 'I don't know what the village would look like if we hadn't changed something.'

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On one side of the building is the sea. On the other are two large containers neatly packed with plastic bottles and random trash. They serve only as bits and pieces of what has become a modern-day resurrection story. Here in Whitehouse the story is literally known as 'the work of the Sandals Foundation.'

Diego and four other fishermen take turns telling me about the year 2012, when the fish had all but disappeared. For the people of the village, the sea provides much of their food. It's the source of their business, their livelihood. All of it had slowly vanished. The seagrass, once as rich and bountiful as garden beds, was nowhere to be seen. Neither was the coral reef, which had been buried under so much algae that the water that was no longer very ... Caribbean-ish.

'As a kid, I remember seeing white sand all the way out to the reef,' says Aston, who started fishing for a living 34 years ago. 'But then it started to turn green and brown. There were times I'd go days without catching anything.'

Like most people in Whitehouse, he thought the phase would pass and the fish would return like prodigal sons. They didn't. Neither did visitors wanting to go snorkeling. 'Why would they want to go out and see algae?' says another fisherman named Xavier. Remember, this isn't a place where sea life simply makes great Instagram posts. It is the heartbeat for the community.

'My father is a fisherman and my mom sells fish in a shop over there,' says Diego, pointing out the window. 'In good times, she'd need five fishermen to supply her shop with fish. It got to be where it took 10 or 15 fishermen. We didn't know what was going on.'

Team members at the Sandals Resort up the coast were among those wondering what had happened. Many of them live here in Whitehouse. Even at the resort, you could stand on the beach and see something wasn't quite the same. So, in 2012, local ambassadors for the Sandals Foundation opened a conversation.

'They listened to us and said they could help us turn things around,' says Diego, 'but it would take time.'

Around this same time the Foundation team was helping to initiate a comeback on Jamaica's north shore, in Boscobel. The backstory there sounded familiar. A fishing community had simply taken full advantage of what nature had given it for decades ... until nature could give no more. With no parrotfish to eat the algae, the reef had changed from shades of Crayola to shades of a number-2 pencil.

The Foundation partnered with fishermen and community leaders in Boscobel and with government officials to create a long-range game plan. It would take all of them to help protect the area around and inside the reef. The message: Give the fish a reason to return. Be patient.

Easy to say. But try to convince a fisherman living day by day to give up his favorite spots, to invest time and expenses going to deeper water, and to let the reef heal. Tell him it won't be all better by next weekend or in three months. Give it a couple of years.

In essence, all the Foundation could say to the people in Boscobel and in Whitehouse was, 'Trust us.'

'The reason we listened to them,' says Terrell, another fisherman in Whitehouse, 'is because we knew they'd been helping around our community - at the school and at the hospital.'

Some of the fishermen had dental and vision work done at free clinics, thanks to the Foundation's support. 'They weren't some organization coming in with their own agenda, without regard for our culture and our needs. They wanted to help for the long-term good of our community.'

The Foundation made another move that turned the tide: they hired Whitehouse's fishermen. The fishermen who knew the environment better than anyone would be the ones planting the coral, picking up trash, and educating the community. Xavier, Aston, Diego, Ainsworth, and Terrell became faces of environmental consciousness in their own neighborhoods and at the docks.

They went to Boscobel to find out what was happening there. They also took a longer field trip to Belize to see with their own eyes how patience with a marine sanctuary can bear stunning results.

'We were inspired to protect what is ours,' says Diego.

Yes, there were the occasional confrontations with fishermen who didn't want to leave the sanctuary. But after about 18 months, any debate came to a stop.

'We'd just point to the water and say, 'Look,'' says Diego. 'When we'd take them snorkeling, you could hear people say, 'Wow, it looks like it did when I was growing up!'

It looked Caribbean again.

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Now, on the edge of the sanctuary, there are schools of healthy snapper. Aston says the tarpon are three times bigger than before the sanctuary was established. Latest studies show that fish biomass outside the borders of the sanctuary increased by 132 percent between 2014 and 2016, and 55 percent inside the sanctuary during the same period of time. (In Boscobel, fish biomass increased nearly 120 percent from 2016 to 2017.)

The micro-economy in Whitehouse is warm again. Snorkeling guides are booked. There's so much action at the docks that the Foundation started supplying free ice and refrigeration (solar-powered), saving the fishermen and vendors thousands of dollars.

And then there's the kicker: the fishermen who were most resistant to change are now asking for the sanctuary to be expanded - to keep the environment healthy for generations to come.

The next generation is already diving in headfirst near the north coast, at Iona High School, about 10 minutes from Boscobel. Classes ended 30 minutes ago, freeing students for the weekend. But 15 of them have stayed to lean into a Save Our Seas presentation from a Sandals Foundation team.

I've seen the classically Caribbean water colors from a balcony at the nearby Beaches Resort. But the most telling transformation is right here, inside a warm classroom full of teenagers who should be shedding their backpacks and snacking on coconut drops at home.

Around the island it's customary to hear kids talk about being the next Usain Bolt or Bob Marley (still). But during this Q&A, a 15-year-old student named Rojae raises his hand, nods toward another student in the room, and says, 'Romeo and I plan to go to college and become marine biologists.'

College and careers will be here soon enough. But tomorrow is Saturday. And this is the Caribbean. There's the promise of another spectacular day. So Rojae and Romeo have a short-term plan, too: they'll go for a swim in the world's prettiest sea.

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Sandals Resorts Wedding Packages

Sandals Resorts Wedding Packages

Your next great adventure begins here. Whether you prefer an intimate elopement or a grand affair, every wedding deserves a week-long celebration with a little something extra. Sandals and Beaches wedding packages offer the best of everything from pre-wedding events to unique wedding day and honeymoon experiences.

Click to read more articles about Sandals Weddings: Sandals Resort Wedding Planning

Two Love Birds Sandals Resorts Wedding Package

TWO LOVE BIRDS PACKAGE

Applicable for 2 people.

Two Love Birds Sandals Resorts Wedding Package Before You Arrive
• Wedding planning team
• Gift registry service and wedding website templates
• Preparation of documents for marriage license

Pre-Wedding Events
• Scents of Love Couples massage*

During Your Stay
• Onsite wedding event team: event coordination, setup & breakdown

On Your Wedding Day
• Bridal attendant*
• 10 digital images

At Your Ceremony
• Picturesque ceremony location*
• Pre-recorded musical accompaniment
• Rose bouquet
• Rose boutonniere
• Witnesses

At Your Wedding Reception
• Private one-hour cocktail reception
- Chef-inspired hors d'oeuvres
- Sparkling wine
- Reception table with white linen and white cushioned Chiavari chairs
• Two-tiered white fondant wedding cake with rose topper
• Private candlelight dinner with four-course menu and prosecco*

On Your Honeymoon
• Honeymoon dinner with sparkling wine at a resort specialty restaurant
• Honeymoon Package
- Chilled sparkling wine and sweet treat
- Romantic turn-down service on wedding night
- Breakfast in bed any morning of choice

For Your Anniversary
• One free anniversary night on a future stay with 7 paid nights in a Club or Butler category

Sweetheart Sandals Resorts Wedding Package

SWEETHEART WEDDING PACKAGE

Applicable for up to 10 people

Sweetheart Sandals Resorts Wedding Package Before You Arrive
• Wedding planning team
• Gift registry service and wedding website templates
• Preparation of documents for marriage license During Your Stay
• Onsite wedding event team: event coordination, setup & breakdown
• 15% off select Red Lane Spa services for the bride and groom (not applicable to retail items)

On Your Wedding Day
• $200 credit towards select photography packages
• $200 credit towards select videography packages

At Your Ceremony
• Picturesque ceremony location*
• Pre-recorded musical accompaniment
• White or magenta dendrobium orchid bouquet
• White or magenta dendrobium orchid boutonniere
• White-cushioned Chiavari chairs

At Your Wedding Reception
• Private one-hour cocktail reception
- Chef-inspired hors d' oeuvres
- Sparkling wine toast, signature cocktail, and non-alcoholic beverages
- Reception table with white linen
• Two-tiered white fondant wedding cake with white or magenta dendrobium topper
• Reception table with white linen and white cushioned Chiavari chairs

On Your Honeymoon
• Honeymoon dinner with sparkling wine at a resort specialty restaurant
• Honeymoon Package

- Chilled sparkling wine and sweet treat
- Romantic turn-down service on wedding night
- Breakfast in bed any morning of your choice
• $100 credit towards either a private candlelight dinner, scuba, snuba, beach or pool cabana

For Your Anniversary
• One free anniversary night on a future stay with 7 paid nights in a Club or Butler category

This package is complimentary when Bride and Groom stay for 7 nights or longer in Club or Butler categories. This offer is available Monday through Friday, 9am-2pm and is applicable only to 10 persons. This offer does not apply to ReTie the Knot ceremonies. Certain restrictions apply. See terms and conditions

Bliss Sandals Resorts Wedding Package

BLISS WEDDING PACKAGE

Applicable for 12 people or more

Bliss Sandals Resorts Wedding Package Before You Arrive
• Wedding planning team
• Gift registry service and wedding website templates
• Preparation of documents for marriage license
• 6th Room Free* when traveling with 5 paid double rooms between Sept. 1 - Dec. 20 (up to 5 complimentary rooms)
• 12th Room Free* when 11 paid double rooms travel between Jan. 2 - Aug. 31. (up to 5 complimentary rooms)

Pre-Wedding Events
• One-hour private welcome cocktail
- Heavy hors d'oeuvres
- Premium bar
- Cocktail tables with white linen

During Your Stay
• Onsite wedding team: event coordination, setup & breakdown
• 15% off select Red Lane Spa services for the entire group (not applicable to retail items)

On Your Wedding Day
• 20 digital images
• $200 credit towards select videography packages

At Your Ceremony
• Picturesque ceremony location*
• Pre-recorded musical accompaniment
• One speaker and one microphone
• Rose bouquet
• Rose boutonniere
• Rose bouquet for 1 member of wedding party
• Rose boutonniere for 1 member of wedding party
• White-cushioned Chiavari chairs

At Your Wedding Reception
• Private one-hour cocktail reception
- Passed hors d'oeuvres
- Premium bar, sparkling wine toast, signature cocktail, and non-alcoholic beverages
- Cocktail tables with white linen
• Two-tiered white fondant wedding cake with rose topper
• Reception table with white linen & white cushioned Chiavari chairs
• Private two-hour dinner reception with selection from the plated menus and a premium bar, non-alcoholic beverages including freshly brewed coffee and a selection of herbal teas

On Your Honeymoon
• Honeymoon dinner with sparkling wine at a resort specialty restaurant
• Honeymoon Package
- Chilled sparkling wine and sweet treat
- Romantic turn-down service on wedding night
- Breakfast in bed any morning of your choice
• $100 credit towards either a Private candlelight dinner, scuba, snuba, beach or pool cabana

For Your Anniversary
• One free anniversary night on a future stay with 7 paid nights in a Club or Butler category

Epic Sandals Resorts Wedding Package

EPIC WEDDING PACKAGE

Applicable for 52 people or more

Epic Sandals Resorts Wedding Package Before You Arrive
• Wedding planning team
• Gift registry service and wedding website templates
• Preparation of documents for marriage license
• 6th Room Free* when traveling with 5 paid double rooms between Sept. 1 - Dec. 20 (up to 5 complimentary rooms)
• 12th Room Free* when 11 paid double rooms travel between Jan. 2 - Aug. 31. (up to 5 complimentary rooms)

Pre-Wedding Events
• One-hour private welcome cocktail
- Heavy hors d'oeuvres
- Premium bar
- Cocktail tables with white linen
• 2-hour private pre-wedding celebration dinner
• Wedding day treats : frozen fruit kabobs & small bites with sparkling wine for bride and groom (in-room while getting ready on day of wedding)

During Your Stay
• Onsite wedding event team: event coordination, setup & breakdown
• 15% off select Red Lane Spa services for the entire group (not applicable to retail items)

On Your Wedding Day
• $500 credit towards the Royal Romance photography package
• $500 credit towards the Ultimate videography package

At Your Ceremony
• Picturesque ceremony location*
• Pre-recorded musical accompaniment
• One speaker and one microphone
• Rose bouquet
• Rose boutonniere
• Rose bouquet for up to 2 members of wedding party
• Rose boutonniere for up to 2 members of wedding party
• White-cushioned Chiavari chairs

At Your Wedding Reception
• Private one-hour cocktail reception
- Passed hors d'oeuvres
- Premium bar, sparkling wine toast, signature cocktail, and non-alcoholic beverages
- Cocktail tables with white linen
• Three-tiered white fondant wedding cake with rose topper
• Reception table with white linen and whitecushioned Chiavari chairs
• Private two-hour dinner reception with selection from the plated or buffet menus and a premium bar, non-alcoholic beverages including freshly brewed coffee and a selection of herbal teas
• One sweetheart table to include white linen, standard place setting & 2 white-cushioned Chiavari chairs
• Two-hour DJ entertainment

On Your Honeymoon
• Honeymoon dinner with sparkling wine in resort specialty restaurant
• Honeymoon package
- Chilled sparkling wine and sweet treat
- Romantic turn-down service on wedding night
- Breakfast in bed any morning of choice
• $100 Credit towards either a private candlelight dinner, scuba, snuba, beach or pool cabana

For Your Anniversary
• One free anniversary night on a future stay with 7 paid nights in a Club or Butler category

RETIE Sandals Resorts Wedding Package

RETIE THE KNOT PACKAGE

Applicable for up to 10 people.

RETIE Sandals Resorts Wedding Package Before You Arrive
• ReTie the Knot planning team
• Celebration gift registry and website templates
During Your Stay
• Onsite ReTie the Knot team: event coordination, setup & breakdown
• 15% off select Red Lane Spa services for bride and groom (not applicable to retail items)
• One 5x7 photo print
• One keepsake gift
At Your Ceremony
• Picturesque ceremony location*
• Pre-recorded musical accompaniment
• White or magenta dendrobium orchid bouquet
• White or magenta dendrobium orchid boutonniere
• White-cushioned Chiavari chairs
• ReTie the Knot commemorative certificate
At Your Wedding Reception
• Private one-hour cocktail reception
- Passed hors d' oeuvres
- Sparkling wine toast, signature cocktail, and non-alcoholic beverages
• Single-tiered white fondant cake with dendrobium topper
• Reception table with white linen & white-cushioned Chiavari chairs
On Your Honeymoon
• Honeymoon dinner with sparkling wine at a resort specialty restaurant
• Honeymoon Package
- Chilled sparkling wine and sweet treat
- Romantic turn-down service on wedding night
- Breakfast in bed any morning of choice
For Your Anniversary
• One free anniversary night on a future stay with 7 paid nights in a Club or Butler category


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I wanted to share (with permission) these gorgeous pictures from a destination wedding 2 weekends ago we had the privilege of being a part of and booked by Lia. She chose this over the water wedding chapel in St. Lucia with friends and family there to help celebrate. I love her flower crown and her dress and how happy she is. Picture perfect. Congratulations Kate and Curtis! We are so happy for you!

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Lia was very helpful for us in planning our destination wedding to Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We had gone through a few other travel planners first who didn't seem nearly as interested in our needs. We really appreciated the way Lia helped us navigate through some of the complexities, including the local laws of Jamaica and the planning with the resort itself. Even once we got to the resort and ran into a few snags, Lia was able to quickly get those resolved very quickly. We would highly recommend her for anyone planning a destination wedding or any other vacation. Thanks, Lia, for making our destination wedding the most special day of our lives.

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Wedding planning can be stressful and overwhelming, but if you're planning on having a destination wedding, especially with a large group, I would highly recommend using All Inclusive Weddings!

From beginning to end, they help with every step; i.e., finding the venue, creating a custom wedding website, and booking all your guests. Their office manager, Linze, was very responsive, helpful, and so sweet! Everything turned out smoothly and we couldn't be happier!

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Stephanie was our incredible travel agent for our destination wedding! She helped with every aspect, quick communication and AMAZING coordination with over 50 different people over 8 states. Stephanie from the beginning, gave options and talked through so many questions I had. I could not have asked for a better right hand woman! 10 out of 10 for Steph, we could not appreciate & trust her more!

Incredible Agent For Our Destination Wedding! 10 Out Of 10 For Steph!

Such an amazing week of memories,laughter & love! Thankful for our people and truly blessed beyond words ♥️♥️

wedding travel agent cancun
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My husband and I worked with the company's owner, Lia Vincent, and office manager, Linze.

Lia & Linze were both very warm and friendly, and from day one, we could tell cared about us as a couple and our destination wedding success, rather than just seeing us as more clients. I get stressed out easily, so planning my own wedding alone was overwhelming, even though my wedding was 10 months out. I ended up working with Linze, and we pushed up the wedding date with a little less than three months to prepare. I was initially nervous about using a travel agent / wedding planner, but it turned out to be a huge blessing, because it took away a lot of the stress and worry I was experiencing. A bride has so many things to worry about, so having someone else bear the brunt of the work and worry about the nitty-gritty details was a HUGE relief for me.

Why spend hours analyzing vendors and reading reviews, when you can have a pro do it? If you want an intimate wedding, if you want to elope, or if you want a huge all-out, go-into-debt-for-years wedding, and if you're in the market for a wedding travel agent, Lia and Linze should be at the top of your list!

The day of the wedding, everything was so beautiful, and so much better than I could have done on my own. Lia's company finds the best local vendors, so you know you'll get great value in your package, and what's nice is her company offers different packages for different budgets. We worked with and met AMAZING vendors! The reception was so elegant that as soon as I entered the reception, I felt amazement, joy, and relief because being the worrywart and control freak that I sometimes can be, it was hard for me to trust someone to somehow make everything perfect. Lia was able to give us the dream wedding we couldn't have done ourselves. Our family and friends were also amazed, and repeatedly told us how great the wedding, reception, and food were at the resort.

Puerto Vallarta wedding travel agent
Darby Brown - All Inclusive Beach Wedding
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Destination Wedding

I used Stephanie Tindall to help me choose the perfect resort in PV Mexico for where my guests would stay for my destination wedding. She went round and round with me helping me find the perfect location. It had to be nice, trendy, not to outrageously expensive and within a certain mile radius of a marina where my guests needed to go for the wedding. She helped everyone get booked and when things became a little hectic as tracking sometimes can get. She took care of the details. One of my guests had passport issues and she helped talk them through what to do. It was such a relief to have a point of contact for travel related issues so I didn't have to be stressed about it. She did this all with a patient, positive? upbeat and kind attitude through the entire process. I highly recommend her.
Thank you again, Darby Brown

Juliet D. - All Inclusive Beach Wedding
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Unico was wonderful and the perfect place for our wedding! It was quiet and the ceremony was better than expected. We had it on the gazebo and it was away from everything, which was great. The photography was beyond our expectations. We have not received our video yet, but assume it will be just as great. I also used the in house vendor for make up and hair, and was not disappointed. The wedding coordinator, Nazareth, was so sweet and on point. We used the local host quite a bit with WhatsApp, which was quite convenient. Food and drinks were amazing. We were disappointed that 2087 restaurant was down for half of our stay for repairs. We ate at Mi Carisa on our wedding night, which was the perfect choice. Service was also best there. We scheduled 2 tours through the hotel, a sunset cruise and Chichen Itza express. The boat tour was nice. Chichen itza tour was too fast and ok. We really appreciate your recommendations and help booking our wedding and stay. It was wonderful! Thank you again, Juliet and Jason

Jodie Yu - All Inclusive Beach Wedding
Hard Rock Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Destination Wedding

We just got back from an AMAZING wedding weekend yesterday. I can't begin to thank you enough for your help and support during the entire process. Everyone had a great time. It truly was one of the best days of my life and I can't believe how stress-free it was once I got there. Thank you Thank you!

SECRETS PLAYA MUJERES destination wedding review
Vivian and James Chevrier - All Inclusive Beach Wedding
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I have never used a travel agent before Lia. I have always been the "I can do everything cheaper by myself on the internet" type person; most of the time, it works great. When my husband and I decided to have a destination wedding, we were not sure about anything - number of guests, length of stay, etc; we also have very demanding jobs, requiring constant travels up until the week before our wedding. So we thought that a travel agent may be a lifesaver; as it turned out, she was. Lia was endorsed as an expert in destination weddings on the American Express Travel website. Although she lived over a 1,000 miles away, I felt comfortable.

As I am not a "girly" person, wedding planning was not my thing; however, party planning and event coordination are. Lia and I treated this "event" like a business and I loved that about her; I needed someone to be truthful and provide honest advice. As it is with my job, I like corresponding via emails because I can have all the information on hand and in writing at all time; Lia always accommodated that, and always very promptly. I'm not talking about several emails over a few months; I'm talking about over the course of over a year. Lia was there to provide support when I had a hard time reach the wedding coordinator; she was there when I freaked out at the resort regarding my brother's return transportation (as it turned out, my brother spoke with the wrong transportation company); she was organized to be able to provide me with spreadsheet of all guest arrival information; she always submitted my requests to Classic Vacation and the resort promptly. James and I cannot thank Lia enough to make everything go smoothly for the biggest event of our lives. All 48 of us had such a great time that we absolutely see another group vacation in the future.

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Read the full details about this destination wedding in our blog post, Mark and Casey Simpsen's Destination Wedding at UNICO 2087. This couple was also featured in the UNICO 2087 Resort blog post, UNICO Destination Wedding, Casey Shelley & Mark Simpsen

UNICO 2087 Destination Wedding
UNICO 2087 Destination Wedding
Jenni Johnson - All Inclusive Beach Wedding
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Lia being referred to me saved me so much wedding planning mental anguish! I had tried with a few other travel agents before I had two different people give me Lia's name, and with each of the previous TAs they had to look into things and call me back (I'm still waiting for those calls). Getting in touch with Lia was a whole new experience, she answered all my initial questions in that first phone call, had so many recommendations, and it was obvious she knew exactly what she was doing. By the time we hung up the first phone call, I had decided on a destination and venue (per Lia's suggestion). She was a God send! A year later, we are still having people talk about what a great trip it was and people are always amazed by what a great turn out we had. We ended up with about 60 people, all booking through Lia and everyone had a flawless experience. One even asked for her name when planning her destination wedding a few months later and was just as pleased! Lia told me a lot through the planning process that I was such a laid-back bride, but it really was because she left me nothing to worry about. She answered any question I had, was always quick to respond to calls and emails, and helped me plan the most perfect wedding ever. I wish I could re-live it all again!!

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Throughout the process we felt completely at ease as she handled some of the most important details of planning for this special time. From her first recommendations of resorts and destinations to her help arranging travel for our closest family and friends we always felt grateful having Lia on our side. We highly recommend Lia Vincent and Palace Resorts for your destination wedding!

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I am truly so grateful for you and all of your help! Le Blanc was amazing! NOTHING could have been better, except maybe the weather, but the staff, food, and service were above and beyond! We will definitely go back there!! Love, Love, Love you for all of your help - Can NOT thank you enough!!

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We met with her for about 45 minutes one afternoon, took her pictures of spaces we had seen online and liked, and gave her a list of our "must-haves", a list of things that would be nice but didn't matter too much, and a list of things we absolutely did NOT want. She kind of thought about things for a minute, and then listed 3 resorts that fit every single one of our needs. She then ran sample pricing from EVERY location our guests would be traveling from so we could figure out what best fit our and our guests' travel budgets. After about a million more questions from me, we finally settled on her initial recommendation, the Beach Palace in Cancun. As we went through the process, any time I had a question, problem, or was just worried about something not being right, she was my go-to person. I'm not kidding, she would answer me in like, less than an hour 99% of the time. She even took my file home one weekend to give me more time to figure something out before she ran credit cards and got it booked. She was a Godsend!

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My husband Cameron and I got married at the Cozumel Palace in June of 2014 and could not have been more happy with our experience. A destination wedding was definitely the way to go for us and Lia was a great asset in our planning.

Lia with Lia helped us plan our destination wedding in Riviera Maya, Mexico. We had a total of 11 people and she helped each of them set up their arrangements. From the beginning she was so helpful and always quick to respond. She made the entire process a breeze. She communicated with the wedding coordinator at the Riu Palace and made sure everything was just like we wanted. We did not have any issues at all, thanks to Lia and all of her thorough planning. Each of our guests bragged on her and said how easy it was to work with her. I would recommend Lia for all of your planning needs whether it be just a short vacation or a destination wedding. She knows what she is doing and will make sure all of your questions are answered and that you have the best vacation.

Mindy Huffman - All Inclusive Beach Wedding
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Destination Wedding

My husband and I got married in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico right off the beach. It was pure bliss, and everything I could have ever dreamed of! I may be biased, but destination weddings are certainly the way to go and thanks to our wonderful Travel Agent Lia Vincent at Vincent Vacations, we were able to find the perfect place! I had the opportunity to be able to edit the straight out of camera photos from my wedding! Here is a glimpse of our wedding day in paradise!

Justin and Mariama Jordan - All Inclusive Beach Wedding
Iberostar, Grand Punta Cana, Destination Wedding

We had the most amazing time at our wedding. Our guests are still talking about what an amazing trip it was! Thank you for your help with organizing this unforgettable time for us, we cannot wait to put our pictures in our new frame!

Kylee & David - All Inclusive Beach Wedding
Dreams, Puerto Aventuras Resort, Destination Wedding

Lia, thank you very much for all of your help with our PERFECT wedding vacation!

Chelsey Groh - All Inclusive Beach Wedding
Excellence, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Destination Wedding

"It was beautiful! Everybody had a fantastic time!"

The staff was wonderful, the rooms were gorgeous, and the food was AMAZING! Our wedding could not have been more perfect and if you have any brides that want a beautiful wedding on a budget, The Excellence Punta Cana would be my number one recommendation. Emy and Livia were fantastic and everything was just PERFECT! Chris couldn't even believe how wonderful it was.

Thank you again for all of your help!!!

Amy Taylor - All Inclusive Beach Wedding
Dreams, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Destination Wedding

Our Dream Wedding!

As soon as Jimmy asked me to marry him, I knew we would want a destination wedding. We love to travel, and we love the beach, so there was no more perfect place to start our lives together than a beach in Mexico!

I am not the wedding planning type, and I knew that with a destination wedding, we could get someone else to plan the details for us. Luckily for me, my friend Lia at Vincent Vacations specializes in Destination Weddings. Lia had taken care of trips for us in the past, and I knew she was the perfect person to help me plan this trip. I was right! She helped me look through destinations, and we found the perfect spot: Dreams in Puerto Vallarta! The package came with a wedding planner, who took care of the details for me. 21 of our friends and family came with us, and everyone loved the resort. Our party ranged in age from 7 to 82, and everyone agreed it was an amazing trip. There were activities for the kids, and plenty of excursions for everyone to choose from. The staff was wonderful, and pampered us from the time we arrived. One of my bridesmaids had a broken foot and was on crutches, and was in a wheelchair some. The hotel staff assisted her anytime she needed it, including carrying her and her wheelchair up and down large flights of stairs. They were amazing! All the rooms are ocean front, with beautiful views. Jimmy and I stayed in the "Preferred" tower, and our room came with a great balcony with a hot tub! Most of our guests stayed in the other tower, but the resort is small enough, this was not a problem at all. They all loved their rooms as well. The wedding planner met with me in advance to work out the last minute details and timing. When our wedding day came, everything went perfectly. We got married on the beach right in front of the ocean. We had a sound system and a dj who played all the songs that we picked out in advance. My Dad is a minister, and he performed the service for us. We had 21 in our wedding party, but it felt like a much bigger wedding because lots of people watched the wedding. You could see people everywhere on their balconies watching, which made us feel like rock stars. We had a Mexican band that played a few songs after the wedding. The wedding came with a photographer and videographer who did amazing job! We took pictures right after the wedding, then we had dinner which also came with the wedding. We had steak and chicken which tasted great. Of course, I also asked them for chips and guacamole. (I love the guacamole in Mexico.) They were happy to oblige. They provided the wedding cake after which was amazing. After the wedding, my husband and I stayed for another 4 days, and it was paradise. I could not have asked for a more beautiful place to get married, or a less stressful way to do it. Thanks Lia and Vincent Vacations for making our special day an amazingly unforgettable experience!

John and Jane - All Inclusive Beach Wedding
Jamaica, Destination Wedding

Love the pictures one of our brides just shared from her elopement in Jamaica! Thank you for sharing with us! Did you know we book Destination weddings of all sizes? If it's just the 2 of you or a group of 250, give us a call!

Marty Hill - All Inclusive Beach Wedding
Grand Fiesta Americana, Los Cabos, Mexico, Destination Wedding

This was the best and easiest decision we made about our entire wedding! Lia at All Inclusive Weddings is the absolute best, extremely intelligent, hard working, and so caring. She truly makes you feel like you are her only client throughout the entire process. We had about 120 people coming to our Cabo wedding and even had to switch resorts, visitors coming from all different states and even Europe. She was calm, and kept the bride and groom calm! Every detail was taken care of and it was made to be the most perfect wedding!

Tiffany Phillips - All Inclusive Beach Wedding
Finest, Playa Mujeres, Mexico, Destination Wedding

I just wanted to thank you for all your hard work to arrange the hotel and transfers for Ashley and Robbie's wedding. It was perfect and everything that she had ever dreamed of! The resort was amazing! We had great food at all the restaurants. The staff went over the top to accommodate any needs that you could have had! Everyone felt safe and the beaches are beautiful. Since it's more private you don't get the crazy vendors walking the beach trying to sell you stuff. Our family loved it so much and we defiantly will be planning another vacation. You will be the first I call if we need help to organize something! Thank you again for everything

And lots more!
We have been in business since 2013, and booking destination weddings since 2002!

Contact us today to learn more about All Inclusive Weddings!

how can we help you?

Your love story is unique and special, and we understand your wedding should be, too!

Everything you need to celebrate your special day at Sandals Resorts with elegance and simplicity. It's the perfect start to the perfect marriage. Our frequently asked questions area has many answers about our process.

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Get in Touch With Us

We are a travel agency specializing in destination weddings, romance travel & experiences.

Dallas Office: 1341 W Mockingbird Ln., Suite 600W, Dallas, TX 75247
OKC Office: 9300 N. May Ave., Suite #400, OKC, OK 73120
destination wedding agent contact
1 (888) 976-0061