When planning your wedding, no one tells you that you can get so much more bang for your buck if you choose something a bit more untraditional. If you’ve been toying with the idea of scrapping the classic, “cookie cutter” plan for your wedding, then this post is going to be your saving grace. It’s obvious that everyone wants their wedding to be personal and unique to them. But it’s hard to know exactly what that path looks like.

I’m here to tell ya that booking a private villa instead of a traditional wedding venue is the way you bring those unique experiences that you will cherish forever into the fold. I sat down on Instagram Live with Lyss, a luxury travel agent, to discuss what makes booking private villas such an incredible experience and why they are the ultimate choice when planning your wedding. Here’s the rundown on what we chatted about.

Tell us a bit about what you do as a Luxury Travel Agent!

Lyss: Being a luxury travel agent, I book all things big and beautiful. I book private villas, jets, yachts etc… for any type of gathering. Think girls/boys trips, family vacations, weddings, anniversaries, honeymoons and more! I absolutely love helping people experience their dream holiday in luxurious places. I truly believe that villas are such a better option than booking a hotel and will ultimately give you a MUCH better and more fulfilling experience. 

Completely agreed! But what are the perks of booking a private villa?

Lyss: Let’s start with Privacy. With a private villa you get a private yard, bathrooms, pools, bedrooms and even beaches all for you. In hotels while you get some of these things that are private, you still share all the common areas and amenities. With a villa, all these things are reserved for you and your family/friends. Imagine hanging around your private pool with just your friends and family feeling fully comfortable to be alone. You won’t have to deal with people outside of your group throughout your entire weekend. When other people are around, you tend to hold back a bit. But when you can be alone with only the people that make you comfortable, you’re allowed to be yourself. 

Next is being able to be with the ones you love for a longer period of time. Being able to fully immerse yourself in the intimacy of staying with friends and family versus everyone staying at different hotels is unmatched. Having your friends and family all staying under one roof makes it feel like home. You can get past the initial excitement (and sometimes overwhelm) of being together for a short time, and actually spend quality time together under the same roof. It truly is such a different experience and one that is worth every penny especially when it’s your wedding.

Okay, but let’s talk price. Is it more expensive than a regular wedding venue?

Lyss: Everyone thinks that just because you book private and luxury that it means it’s more expensive. This is not true. In reality it’s going to be either the same or possibly less expensive than booking a regular wedding venue. And it’s ALWAYS going to be more bang for your buck. Think about it…a regular wedding venue is one day. One night with not only your closest loved ones, but every extended member of your family that you may not even talk to. This can cost upwards of 50k for just one night. 

When booking a private villa for a destination wedding, you’re more than likely cutting that guest count down a lot AND you’re getting multiple days worth of festivities and experiences. You’re also getting more space and amenities than being in a hotel. Not only one private bedroom and maid service, but 8-10 bedrooms, chef on request to make all your meals and drinks, private pools and beaches, kitchens, family room, bonfire pits, and private transportation for everyone. People have done it for as low as 25k and that’s for the whole weekend/week rather than just one day. It so far outweighs the traditional wedding, I don’t understand why everyone doesn’t do it!

So what type of fun holidays have you booked for people?

Lyss: I’m doing one for Aruba right now, which is great because in more tropical areas you have much more free access to private beaches. In more European areas, the beaches are harder to come by, so sometimes you have to specifically request private beach access.

I’ve also done some incredible boat weddings! I book the couple and their closest friends and family either a yacht, catamaran, sailboat and they take their wedding to the sea! Not only do you have the entire boat to yourself, but you also have access to sea doos, jet skis, slides, mini secluded pools that hang off the back of the boat, snorkeling gear etc… You can also request to have lunch on private beaches. It’s such a cool experience to have something different and unique. Sailing through the Mediterranean with your closest loved ones, exploring different cities for a week for your wedding. And of course bringing along a photographer and videographer to capture those memories and incredible views! I can’t even imagine anything better. 

Neither can I! So how do people book with you? What does that look like?

Lyss: The first thing I need from you is your budget. Luxury means something different to everyone. To me it looks like a private villa, jets, going big or going home. But to others, it can be a small, boutique hotel for $1000. Decide what luxury means to you and your budget is number 1. Then I need to know how many people are going, and preferably a location/vibe/area to look into. I’ve had people who want to hike and be outdoors and maybe don’t want to drink. I took that and ran with it and it ended up being a romantic hike through Iceland! I can make anything work!

Some travel agents, depending on what they offer, charge a service fee. If you decide to book with me, I charge a $50 base rate upfront before any proposals are sent. And that service fee can fluctuate depending on how many people you’re planning to bring along with you. But honestly you either have time or money to invest. If you value your time more, paying someone else $50 to learn all about where you’re going, booking everything and making sure you have all the accommodations you need is a small price to pay for peace of mind and zero stress! But if you want to book a wedding with all of those details, you’re going to want to make sure you bring on Kennidy to help with that! I can help with the travel accommodations, she’s the wedding details expert 😉

Thank you so much for chatting with me, Lyss!

All in all, having that time with your friends and family before and after the wedding to really spend together, and not feel rushed is priceless. You can party longer and without limitations. No late night cabs home, no afraid of where you’re sleeping for the night or getting there. You’re partying where you’re staying. You’re already home. It’s truly a dream scenario. Huge thanks to Lyss for her infinite knowledge. If you want to watch our Instagram Live where we go a bit more in depth about these topics, check it out here.

And if you’re like, OKAY I’M SOLD, and want to get started planning your destination wedding of your dreams, you can inquire with Lyss here for luxury travel accommodations, and with me here for all the small wedding details and to capture your dream wedding on film forever.