Headlines, news breaks, phone alerts...
Let's face it! After almost two years of staying "relatively" in place, many are ready to travel outside of the US.  Is the world really open?  The answer is yes, with safety restrictions. 

So, how do you travel safely? Every day there seems to be a new added layer to the process with safety protocols, vaccination status, testing and more. 

So how do you keep up with it all?  You can certainly go to the suggested websites such as the CDC or governmental sites for the destination, but what about your hotel/resort, what about the local ordinances, what about best practices for that location, what about last minute updates to entry requirements, what about quarantine protocols should you test positive while at your destination?  There are so many "what abouts" when traveling in 2021 and beyond.  Sure, you can take the time to track every last one of them.  The other option is to leave it to the Trusted Travel Advisor who has resources, while you enjoy getting back to connecting with friends and family!
​
The truth of the matter is there are two different travel worlds that exist right now.,.today...October 9th!  There is one for the fully vaccinated and one for the unvaccinated.  It possibly could change tomorrow.  It's important that you know the details based on your status.  Neither are as simple as declaring which column you fall under.

Here's where I come in.  I continue to educate myself on the safest way to travel for my clients.  I have recently been provided the designation of Trusted Travel Advisor by completing a Safety and Protocol program for traveling during the pandemic. Yay me!!  Clients who book with me receive a Vacation Health & Safety Checklist, which documents all of the health and safety protocols being undertaken to help protect you and your traveling party.  One of the items on the checklist includes "What Travel Insurance Generally Covers & Doesn’t Cover" .  Did you know there were different types?  There absolutely are and my guide will help identify those differences for you.

I'm excited about this added benefit for my clients because it allows them to Book with Confidence when partnering with T.Michelle Events & Destinations.  If you are interested in seeing other things included in the checklist, then be sure to connect with me via email by providing yours here.  I'll be sending out information to my clients in the next few days so you don't want to miss this introduction to traveling safely!

If you are ready to start planning your vacation soon, many of the favorite places in Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean are safely welcoming guests to various hotels and all-inclusive resorts.  Let's connect on a call to see what you are dreaming of right now! It's time to put plans in place to make it a SAFE reality!
Click my business card below and schedule a FREE consultation!
Chat Soon!

Day dreamin'...And I'm thinkin' of you!
Day dreamin'...And I'm thinkin' of you!  -Aretha Franklin's "Day Dreamin' 

I hear the melody in my head and I feel your pain!  We are living in some crazy times right now!! This is especially true if you have been trying to plan your destination wedding!  Believe me, I can’t even imagine how disappointed you must be right now, having to postpone your planning due to the COVID-19 pandemic,  It's frustrating...I know!  
But, even in the midst of it all I hope I can bring you a silver lining! 

Resorts are even more disappointed than you are because they are losing thousands of dollars a day from postponed and canceled destination weddings and honeymoons!  As much as this seems crazy (and it is!), there may actually be a silver lining in this for you!

Resorts are also hoping to get as many future destination weddings and honeymoons on their books as possible, so they are offering incredible rates right now for future dates!  They have also jumped in to support travelers with testing requirements as announced by the CDC.  Many have chosen to provide testing on-site and in some cases it is free to guests.  It's a lot to navigate, but I am here to help!

There has never been a better time to re-book or pre-book your destination wedding dates, then right now! I‘m telling you that future dates in the summer and fall are already booking up, and you don’t want to be left out in the cold once people begin to start really traveling again.  Trust me, these rates will be gone too!

​So, it's still okay to dream now and travel later.  2021 is not a bust!  You can still make your destination wedding dreams happen!  I'm here when you're ready!
Remember, every day that goes by is a possible future date that is getting booked by other destination wedding brides, just like you!  We are definitely seeing the uptick in bookings and don't want you to be left out!  So set up your free consultation today by clicking my business card below!  Let's get you married!  

​All the Best!

Ah, Mexico!  A beautiful place with pristine views, hidden gems and great service!  But is it safe to travel there?  That is the question we are answering today.  Short answer...Yes!

Mexico is a hidden gem that I travel to every year!  Besides having time to relax and enjoy some time away, I also attend various business conferences so that I may provide detailed feedback to my clients on resorts, experiences and all that it has to offer for weddings, honeymoons and groups.

​Is it safe to travel to Mexico right now?  My answer is still...Yes!  I snuck away for a few days recently with the focus of experiencing safety protocols while traveling.  Let me first say, traveling in 2021 is a personal choice.  My focus is to provide the tools you need to make that choice. Ok, now back to my experience.
I traveled to Cancun, Riviera Maya and Playa del Carmen to get a complete sense of the area! I will say that safety protocols are definitely something they take seriously in Mexico.

Here are the top 4 things I took note of while traveling:

1. Sanitization: Every room is sealed with a Safety First sticker.  This provides the comfort of knowing that your room was properly sanitized before your arrival, which also includes toiletries and the tv remote control being sealed.  As you travel throughout the resort you will find hand sanitizing stations and foot stations to clean the bottom of your shoes before entering.  High traffic areas are sanitized every 1-2 hours and your luggage is sanitized upon arrival.  
2. Temp Check: Every resort checks your temperature before entering. Even during my arrival at the airport, I walked by a system that checked by temperature upon entering Cancun.
3. Low Capacity: None of the resorts are operating at full capacity in order to follow the guidelines for social distancing and safety protocols.  For example, my first resort boasts of 547 beautiful rooms, however, they were only booked at a 35% capacity by choice.  This was great!  It was as if I had the resort all to myself, along with a few distant friends that I rarely saw.  The beach, pool, cabanas and restaurants were all my own oasis.
4. Contactless Service: One exciting thing is that some resorts offered options to receive your amenities contactless, such as an app to order activities, room service placed in a secret door and express contactless check-out.

These are just some of the safety precautions I experienced. However, as a responsible professional, it is very important that I manage expectations accurately to ensure success.  I will not just provide the flowery and glowing reviews for my clients. I want to provide the real deal so you will walk into any situation prepared. As such, while there were many things that I enjoyed, there were some things that were a bit of a draw back to the full all-inclusive resort experience:

• Not all restaurants were open every day and if they were it was on a rotating basis. 
• Not all activities were in full swing.  So, nightly entertainment may not have been an option on some resorts if they didn't have the outdoor capacity to social distance guests.
• Spa services and times were limited.

All in all I had a wonderful experience while there.  Again, traveling is a personal decision but definitely something you would want to do with someone that has experienced the area.  This is an investment that you don't want to take the risk on.

So, is it safe? Yes! I will continue to recommend Mexico as an amazing destination option for weddings, honeymoons, group events and just plain old relaxation.  The CDC recommends taking a COVID-19 test prior to arriving and immediately returning.  This is something I would recommend as well for peace of mind and extra precautions.

I hope this helps in your quest to plan your next getaway in 2021 and beyond! Have more questions? I'm here to help! Click my business card below and schedule a FREE consultation!
​
Chat Soon!

You said yes!  You also decided on a destination wedding!  Now what?  Some would say, "Hire a Destination Wedding Planner"!  What do I say?  Well, it depends.  Do you need a planner?  No. Would one make the process a bit easier and more enjoyable?  There is a great possibility!
A Wedding Planner, whether in your home town or in another country, is an added benefit.  They are an asset to your process, a partner to your dream and a compass for your journey.  I can certainly sit here and run down a huge list of why you would greatly benefit from one, but let's shorten it for the purpose of this blog.
Here are the top 4 reasons that would make the case as to why a Destination Wedding Planner could benefit your big day:

1. Peace of Mind is a rare commodity right now. With increased work requirements, children participating in online learning and the pressure to be Superwoman through it all can truly be overwhelming. No need to welcome added stress for one of the biggest days of your life!
2. So much to do...so little Time!  Locations, resorts, amenities, cost are all things that should be considered for your destination wedding. Who has time when you're already being Superwoman on a daily? 
3. It's time to say I Do!  Is it Legal?  A Destination Wedding Planner can navigate those legalities for you.  What are the requirements?  When should I arrive?  
4. "The Most Important Things in Life are the Connections You Make with Others" - Tom Ford  -- I couldn't agree more!  Having someone on your side that has connections is priceless.  Can you navigate a new area on your own...yes?  Would you want to without the right connections? Probably not!  A good planner has taken the time to make business connections that build a beautiful partnership for your day!

Have more questions? I'm here to help! Click my business card below and schedule a FREE consultation!
Best,