June Ten Travel Co. Interview
June Ten Travel Co. Interview | Destination Wedding Planner
Destination wedding planner Alex Moreau creates amazing weddings and events. She’s based in Austin, Texas where she runs XO Moreau Weddings. Alex offers wedding planning, coordination, and design services. Her new venture, June Ten Travel Co., focuses on destination weddings and travel. I asked Alex to tell me more about her new business and how she helps couples looking to go on an adventure.
Destination Wedding Planner Alex Moreau
My name is Alex Moreau, and I am the owner of XO Moreau Weddings, as well as June Ten Travel Co. I first created XO Moreau Weddings almost two years ago. As I am a full-service destination wedding planner and designer. I recently decided to open up a full-service travel agency, June Ten Travel Co. after receiving a higher demand of destination weddings from clients. Booking honeymoons and planning destination weddings was the main reason I created June Ten Travel Co. But I also love to travel and want to help plan flawless vacations for anyone needing help. I help with things like planning travel itineraries and booking accommodations.
June Ten Travel Co. clients
My ideal clients are honeymooners, and couples looking to have a destination wedding! My wedding planning background gives me a unique perspective. I love planning these once in a life time events. I specialize in all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean. Anyone who is interested in a relaxed, tropical getaway would also be an ideal client.
Favorite Wedding Style
With XO Moreau Weddings, my creative style definitely has the funky “Austin” vibe. I love unique color palettes, out of the ordinary design, and putting a fun twist on the traditional. I also enjoy classic, romantic weddings – as that is what my own personal style is! My own wedding was elegant and chic, so I love incorporating both styles within my business.
Alex’s approach to weddings
I am a very laid back, informal person, so I incorporate that into my approach. I never want my clients to feel like they get off of work and have more homework when they get home. The wedding anticipation is always there, but I want them to enjoy the engagement as well. I like to keep things fun throughout the process. I’ll encourage, motivate, and reward when hitting milestones.
Starting June Ten Travel Co.
With my recent destination weddings, my clients have all voiced the same concern. They want someone close to home. Someone to offer support throughout the wedding planning process. Different destinations have different challenges. From time zone differences to language barriers, it helps having someone keeping them on track. Handling vendor communication is a huge part of keeping the process as stress-free as possible. Austin weddings will always have my heart. But I want to offer couples impeccable service regardless of where they want to get married.
Benefits of having a destination wedding
Destination and local weddings both have awesome features that the other doesn’t! Below are some of the main reasons why my clients have chosen destination weddings.
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Destination weddings, depending on the location, are typically less expensive than local weddings. The average budget of my local weddings is around $45,000-50,000. My average destination wedding budget is around $10,000-15,000.
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You get to adventure around a new destination with your favorite people. Not only will your wedding day be memorable, but destination weddings are essentially a large group vacation! It’s an amazing getaway with all your favorite people.
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It’s easier to trim the guest list and leave off those people who you feel obligated to invite. It makes it more meaningful and less expensive.
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You’re technically already on your honeymoon! It’s a two for one deal. 😊 If you want more time alone, you can take a taxi or resort shuttle and hop over to a different resort. It makes it feel like you’re on a separate honeymoon.
Selecting a wedding destination
There are so many factors to consider when selecting a destination wedding location. For example, your budget is a major one. An all-inclusive resort in Jamaica is a more cost-effective wedding option than a beautiful venue in Hawaii.
Another factor to keep in mind is that every destination has different laws and procedures for getting legally wed. Blood tests, detailed paperwork, or an amount of time you must be in the country beforehand. There are a lot of legal aspects to consider. Also, look at where the majority of your guests live. If they all live in the east coast, it may be difficult and more expensive for them to come to Hawaii for your wedding.
Destination wish list
Where do I even begin? My list is a mile long. I think the only downside to being a travel agent is creating these epic itineraries for clients and not being able to go with them! Hahaha. One place that I am dying to visit would be the Greek islands. I’ve heard nothing but great reviews and the photos were gorgeous.
One of my favorite destinations that I have been is Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. I struggle every time I plan my own personal vacation, as I just want to go back to Mexico! There are so many beautiful places in this world that I would love to go see as well, so I’m trying to push myself and my husbands out of our comfort zones.
Helping couples with logistical hurdles
There are a lot of different obstacles that destination weddings have that I prepare for. One major hurdle is the legality of the marriage. Certain places require the marriage license to be obtained a certain amount of time before the wedding. Some countries even ask for blood tests to as well! I ensure the client is aware of the steps to making the marriage legal. Planning accordingly is a priority throughout wedding process.
Another major hurdle is the emotional toll that a lower guest count can cause. For a local wedding, about 30-35% of invited guests cannot make it for various reasons. When planning a destination wedding, this percentage can almost double. It can be disheartening to see so many RSVP’s come back as “no”, so I prepare the client for this in advance.
If I’m brought on board before selecting the venue, I encourage them to ask guests about the best date. Talk to your bridal party, immediate family, and VIP’s to find a date that best fits their schedules. Sometimes couples already have their venue booked. I then encourage sending out save the dates and invitations as early as possible. Having room blocks booked and the wedding website details ready to go early on is important. Also, hosting activities, like welcome drinks and the rehearsal dinner, can help offset the cost for guests.
Telling the story through photography
As a wedding planner, I focus a lot on ensuring that I am setting my vendor team up for success. I am always very open with vendors and make sure they have everything they need. I make sure to have the couple make notes of photos they want.
I also inform the photographer of conversations I’ve had with the couple in the past. For example, one wedding had a lot of out of country guests. I was sure to give that information to the photographer to capture some extra photos of them. I had another bride who created her wedding reception theme as a dance party surprise for her guests. I told the photographer this and asked to capture the reactions of guests as entering the reception. I make sure to communicate every detail that I have so they can capture moments that end up being treasured by clients.
Teaveling with adventurous couples is my favorite! If you’re engaged, I’d be thrilled to connect and capture your story. Learn about me and why I’m different than other destination wedding photographers.
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