Is a Bridal Suite Worth It for a Destination Wedding?

When you're planning a destination wedding, there are SO many little decisions that don't seem important until you actually picture your wedding day.

One of them?

Where are you getting ready?

Do you really need to pay for a bridal suite? Can you just get ready in your hotel room? Should you upgrade to a larger suite instead?

Every destination wedding is different, so there's no one answer that works for every bride.

Maybe you're renting a large house where everyone already has plenty of room to spread out.

Maybe you're getting married somewhere like Las Caletas, where you arrive earlier in the day and have a private space to get ready before the wedding.

Maybe you're staying in a beautiful villa or multi-bedroom suite.

Or maybe you're getting married at an all-inclusive resort where you have the option to reserve one of their amazing bridal suites for the day.

If your resort has a great bridal suite?

I'm a big fan.

And you don't need a huge bridal party for it to be worth it.

A Bridal Suite Isn't Just for a Big Bridal Party

I think this is one of the biggest misconceptions.

You don't need eight bridesmaids, your mom, your mother-in-law, three hairstylists, and two makeup artists before a bridal suite starts making sense.

Maybe it's just you and your sister.

Maybe it's you, your mom, and your best friend.

Maybe you don't have a bridal party at all.

You can still enjoy having a beautiful, dedicated space to get ready on your wedding day.

There's something really nice about waking up in your hotel room, grabbing what you need, and heading to a space that's already designed for your wedding morning.

Your room stays your room.

The bridal suite becomes wedding headquarters.

You can put on some music, order some food or drinks if available, have your hair and makeup done, take pictures, get dressed, and actually enjoy the morning.

Then when it's time for the ceremony?

You leave.

You're not worrying about cleaning anything up.

What Makes a Resort Bridal Suite So Great?

Every resort is different, but bridal suites are generally designed specifically for this part of the wedding day.

Depending on the resort, you may have large mirrors, multiple vanity stations, salon-style chairs, great lighting, comfortable seating, changing areas, bathrooms, places to hang your wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses, and plenty of room for your photographer and beauty team to work.

Some even have refreshments, lounge areas, or other little extras.

And they're usually PRETTY.

That matters too.

Because your getting-ready space isn't only functional. It's going to be in your wedding pictures.

• The dress hanging up.

• Your mom helping you with your jewelry.

• Putting on your shoes.

• Champagne with your friends.

• Getting your makeup done.

Those little candid moments before the ceremony.

Having a clean, beautiful space specifically designed for getting ready can make those pictures look completely different.

Even a Few People Can Take Over a Regular Hotel Room

You don't need a giant bridal party for a regular resort room to get crowded.

Think about what's actually happening in there.

You have your wedding dress.

Shoes.

Jewelry.

Flowers.

Hair tools.

Makeup.

Possibly a hairstylist and makeup artist.

Your photographer.

Maybe a videographer.

Your mom or a couple of friends.

Everyone's bags and clothes.

Food and drinks.

And then you still have all of your NORMAL vacation stuff in the room.

Suitcases.

Swimsuits.

Toiletries.

Chargers.

Shoes.

Yesterday's outfit you threw over the chair.

Suddenly, even four or five people can make a standard hotel room feel very full.

And I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to spend my wedding morning worrying about whether someone's suitcase is sitting in the background of every picture.

Don't Overlook the Resort's Hair and Makeup Team Either

This is another area where I think destination wedding couples sometimes assume they need to bring someone from home.

Resort hair and makeup teams can be AWESOME.

Just like the resort photographers I recommend to many of my couples, these beauty teams work with destination wedding brides all the time.

They're familiar with the environment.

They understand the heat and humidity of the destination.

They're used to creating looks that need to last through an outdoor ceremony, pictures, dinner, dancing, and whatever the weather decides to do that day.

And when you're using the resort salon or bridal suite, everything can be right there.

You aren't coordinating another vendor's travel.

You're not necessarily paying someone's flights and accommodations.

You're not figuring out how an outside beauty team is getting onto the property.

Again, if you have a hairstylist or makeup artist you LOVE and absolutely want them at your wedding, that's different.

But don't assume the onsite team isn't going to be good simply because they're the resort option.

Ask to see their work.

Look at their bridal styles.

Ask about trials.

Talk through the look you want.

Then make your decision.

There are some incredibly talented photographers, hairstylists, makeup artists, and other wedding vendors working at destination wedding resorts every single week.

Could You Just Upgrade to a Larger Hotel Suite Instead?

Absolutely.

And for some weddings, that's a great option.

If you're already staying in a large one- or two-bedroom suite, residence, villa, or another room category with a big living area, you may have an amazing getting-ready space without needing a separate bridal suite.

There are also resort suites that work REALLY well for wedding mornings.

For example, Sandos Finisterra has some awesome larger suite options that can give you significantly more room than a standard hotel room.

And if you already wanted the upgraded room for your vacation, perfect.

You get to enjoy that extra space throughout your entire stay.

But if you're upgrading your room only because you need somewhere to get ready?

Let's compare the numbers first.

A large suite upgrade for several nights can potentially add a significant amount to your trip.

A bridal suite may give you exactly what you need for the wedding day at a much more reasonable cost.

And there's another advantage I really like.

You Don't Have to Come Back to the Mess

This might be one of the most underrated reasons to use a bridal suite.

Wedding mornings are messy.

Not in a bad way.

But think about it.

Makeup is everywhere.

Hair products are everywhere.

Someone's dress bag is on the couch.

Someone else's shoes are under the chair.

There are coffee cups, water bottles, food, curling irons, bags, clothes, flowers...

And then everyone leaves for the ceremony.

If you got ready in your hotel room, that's what you're coming back to later.

If you got ready in a bridal suite?

You leave it there.

You can come back to your own room after your wedding and have it still feel like YOUR space.

Especially if you have a beautiful honeymoon suite or upgraded room, I love the idea of keeping that room calm and clean instead of turning it into the bridal party's getting-ready room.

Your Photographer Will Appreciate the Space Too

Another advantage people don't always think about is your photographer.

Getting-ready photos are a big part of the wedding gallery for a lot of couples.

Your photographer needs room to move.

They need good angles.

They need lighting.

They need somewhere to photograph the dress.

They may want to move you near a window.

They might be trying to photograph your mom helping with your dress while your hairstylist is packing up and your friends are getting their things together.

A space specifically designed for getting ready can make all of that much easier.

And if you're using your resort's onsite photographer, there's another bonus:

They already know the space.

They know where the lighting looks best.

They know where they like to photograph the dress.

They know which areas of the bridal suite photograph beautifully.

That's valuable whether you have ten bridesmaids or no bridal party at all.

When Do I Think a Bridal Suite Is Worth It?

Honestly?

More often than people think.

Yes, it's awesome for a large bridal party.

But it's also awesome for a bride with two friends.

It's awesome if it's just you and your mom.

It's awesome if you're doing professional hair and makeup.

It's awesome if getting-ready photos are important to you.

It's awesome if you simply want your wedding morning to feel a little more special.

And it's REALLY awesome if the alternative is turning your standard hotel room into a salon, dressing room, photography studio, and bridal suite all at the same time.

The question isn't really:

Do I have enough bridesmaids to justify a bridal suite?

I'd ask:

Would having a dedicated getting-ready space make my wedding morning easier and more enjoyable?

If the answer is yes, let's see what your resort offers and what it costs.

When You Might Not Need One

I'm also not going to tell every bride she needs to pay for a bridal suite.

There are plenty of situations where you may already have exactly what you need.

If you've rented a large private home, use it.

If your wedding venue already provides a private getting-ready space, great.

If you're getting married somewhere like Las Caletas and your wedding experience includes a private area for getting ready, that's part of what makes that venue so cool.

If you've already booked a gorgeous oversized suite or villa and WANT to get ready there, perfect.

Every destination wedding is different.

That's why I don't love blanket rules like every bride needs a bridal suite or just get ready in your hotel room and save the money.

Let's look at YOUR wedding first.

Don't Forget About the Groom

And while we're talking about getting ready...

Where's the groom? The guys need a plan too.

• Where are they getting ready?

• Where will the photographer meet them?

• Do you want to avoid seeing each other before the ceremony?

• Is there a separate groom's room?

• Can we use another hotel room or space at the resort?

• Where are his things going to be?

These aren't the most exciting questions when you're first dreaming about your destination wedding, but they're exactly the little logistics that make the actual wedding day run more smoothly.

So, Is a Bridal Suite Worth It for a Destination Wedding?

For a lot of my couples?

Yes.

Not because you HAVE to have one.

And not because you need a certain number of bridesmaids to justify it.

I love bridal suites because they're designed for exactly what you're trying to do.

You have space.

Your beauty team has space.

Your photographer has space.

Your dress has somewhere to hang.

Your personal hotel room doesn't get taken over.

And you have a dedicated place to enjoy those few hours before you walk down the aisle.

If your resort offers one, I think it's absolutely worth looking at before deciding where you're going to get ready.

Compare it to your room.

Compare it to the cost of upgrading to a larger suite.

Look at what's included.

Look at pictures.

Think about who you actually want with you that morning.

Then decide what's worth it for YOU.

Planning a Destination Wedding?

This is exactly the kind of detail I help my destination wedding couples think through.

We'll talk about the big things—your destination, resort, wedding venue, room block, and guest travel—but we'll also work through the little things that can make a HUGE difference once you're actually there.

Where are you getting ready?

Should you reserve the bridal suite?

What does the resort offer for hair and makeup?

Do you need to bring your own photographer or use the resort team?

Where will the groom get ready?

What transportation do your guests need?

Which resort actually fits the wedding you've pictured?

You don't need to know all of those answers before you reach out.

That's what I'm here for.

Ready to start planning your destination wedding?

Inquire with me today:

https://www.goodtrip.biz/weddingsbyhannah

Be a Good Tripper.