Review is written by Staff @ The Ring and is based on • Interviews with this vendor • Interviews with past brides
Dawn Fairbanks, Destination Wedding and Honeymoon Specialist and owner of Destinations by Dawn isn't your typical travel agent. With a "travel rolodex" that includes contacts in just about every area of the world, experience planning 150+ destination weddings (and counting) and a talent for finding the best possible destination wedding deals, Dawn is taking the mystery out of planning a destination wedding for Southwestern Ontario brides.
Working with Dawn means that you have your own personal destination wedding expert to educate you on wedding packages at different resorts - the inclusions, the extras, the private reception/dinners, the costs, the perks and the finer details - available at specific resorts or hotel chains. Secondly, Dawn works within your budget to secure the best possible travel quotes for you and your guests. And the best part? When you book your wedding through Dawn, her services won't cost you a thing!
Here's why we think destination brides will love working with Destinations by Dawn...
Personally Speaking
Long before becoming a Destination Wedding and Honeymoon Expert, Dawn owned a bridal shop where she spent her days helping brides find the perfect wedding dress. But, seventeen years ago, Dawn saw an opportunity to follow another passion and decided to make the career change from gown specialist to travel specialist.
After seven years in the travel industry, Dawn was back to working with brides...in a whole new way. "Travel agents were told to find a niche market ... this is what I chose!" Today, Dawn spends about 90% of her time helping clients plan their destination weddings and honeymoons, and hasn't looked back since.
Lowanna Patterson had such a great experience working with Dawn for her destination wedding that she also had Dawn book her honeymoon and an upcoming group trip. She told The Ring, "Dawn really takes a lot of pride in planning the perfect wedding that is unique to each couple. You're not just another number or a commission. She genuinely cares about her clients and is willing to go the extra step to make sure they are happy with their destination wedding and to help when faced with unforeseen dilemmas."
Over 150 weddings around the world...
Education and experience have played a big part in Dawn's extensive knowledge of the travel industry. Over the past ten years, Dawn has booked a total of about 150 weddings and averages about thirty per year. She also holds a degree in Travel & Tourism and is a destination specialist in travel to Tahiti, Ireland/Scotland, St. Lucia as well as Sandals Resorts around the world.
One of the nice things about booking with Dawn is that she has first-hand knowledge of the resorts you're considering for your destination wedding. She has personally been to many major resorts and most smaller resorts as well. She also gained first-hand knowledge of planning a destination wedding from a clients perspective, when her daughter said 'I do' in the Dominican, "I've personally done the destination wedding choice many times as a Travel Agent...but also as a mother!"
Charlotte Antill of Transat Tours Canada has worked with Dawn on many destination wedding bookings. Charlotte says she has seen first-hand that Dawn truly does everything possible to make a bride and grooms' special occasion the best day possible, "Dawn is professional, caring and always proactive in ensuring that her destination wedding clients are taken care of...she is always a pleasure to work with and stands behind her ethics to ensure that all details are attended too. She is one of the best destination wedding specialists out there today and you can’t go wrong when booking with Dawn."
Dawn says that part of her appeal is the personal commitment that she makes to her couples to ensure that their wedding experience is as stress-free as possible. "I'm always there for brides and grooms because I care. They always gravitate towards me in the office because I have the most patience!"
Michela Walsh and Shane Alexander are currently working with Dawn to plan their up-coming destination wedding. Michela told The Ring, "Dawn and I met at a wedding show and we hit it off RIGHT away. She's so friendly and easygoing. Dawn really helped me see a crystal clear vision of how I wanted to plan our wedding."
Places, Packages & Pricing
Of course, packages range in price depending on the season and location of your wedding. When you book with Dawn there is no extra charge for her services!
As far as location goes, right now, Dawn is booking lots of weddings in Jamaica, "it's super easy to get married there!" and Punta Cana, "it's a good solid family choice with great beaches!" However, Dawn loves it when couples choose totally unique locations, "it's nice when I get to book places like Panama or Roatan...if your guests have never been there, they're more likely to go."
Trends & Tips
Dawn says that more and more couples are choosing destination weddings and a popular trend right now is an off-site destination wedding. This means that couples are staying at a resort but are having the wedding at an outside location. For example, Dawn recommends an off-site villa in Roatan for brides who are looking for something a little bit different. "It's very private, very authentic and very cool!"
With so much experience booking destination weddings, Dawn offers some great advice for brides. She often asks couples to keep in mind that there's a danger in booking too far in advance, as rates aren't always great. Instead, Dawn advises you to wait as she keeps her eye on group rates and special offers and pinpoints the best time to book.
Dawn also suggests that if you're bringing kids with you, it's a good idea to consider booking the shortest possible travel times. She can work with you to find the quickest flights and most accessible shuttles from the airport to your resort.
The most important piece of advice that Dawn offers is to make sure that your wedding is all about what YOU want first. Secondly, Dawn encourages you to keep your guests in mind. "You want to make your wedding special and unique, but the entire trip should be special and unique for your guests." To help figure out the ideal location for both you and your guests, Dawn says that your target budget is key. Other important points like the beach, pools, food, entertainment and size of the resort will also help you decide which resort is best for you.
Bride Michela Walsh says that she recommends Destinations by Dawn all the time, "I am in contact with a lot of brides on a day to day basis, and tell them about Dawn. Her advice, opinions and expertise on the resort....she's very resourceful. Her style is friendly, easygoing, fun and STRESS FREE!"
Your Dream Honeymoon
When you're booking your honeymoon, Dawn recommends that you choose the most relaxing, pampered holiday that your budget will allow for. Dawn explains, "This really is the start of your life as a married couple and you've dealt with the stress of planning a wedding. Now it's time to relax and just enjoy being together."
Dawn says it's also a great opportunity to go to a dream location, somewhere that you've never been before but have always wanted to visit.
Two of Dawn's favourite honeymoon locations are St Lucia and Tahiti and, as a Destination Specialist for both, she can give couples fantastic recommendations and advice on each location. For example, Dawn says that St Lucia is the number one spot for honeymoons right now, with the Body Holiday and Rendevous being two of her favourite honeymoon resorts.
Planning your Destination Wedding...
To get in touch with Dawn, the first step is to book a private appointment so that you can meet in person. Most couples will meet with Dawn during the evening, at the Northstar office in Kitchener. Before your meeting, Dawn will do some basic research for you based on your budget and destination ideas. She'll also ask you for details such as whether or not you're bringing children, what month you want to travel and what kind of flexibility you have in terms of location and dates.
When you meet, Dawn will spend most of her time listening to your wedding must-haves and wish list- so that she can focus on what you want for your wedding day and what kind of trip you want for your guests. Next, she will match your wants to what's available and also outline the services you'll get when you book with her. She will help you plan your travel, book your wedding date, time and location then connect you with the resort wedding coordinator to take it from there. She also acts as liaison between you and the resort for anything you may need help with.
Next, Dawn will put together a package for you based on your meeting as well as general destination planning information. About half of the couples that Dawn meets already have a good idea of where they want to get married. If you really can't decide between two or three resorts, Dawn suggests that you look closely at their wedding packages and choose one based on your favourite package.
Within a week of this meeting, you'll have solid offers and quotes from the tour operators to help you narrow down your choices.
Bride Lowanna Patterson says her destination wedding wouldn't have been the same without Dawn's guidance, "Dawn really tries to understand what a couple wants from their wedding and works hard to piece it all together for her clients. She is knowledgeable and experienced in the industry, she takes care in obtaining feedback from her clients, and is passionate about her job."
Once you've selected your resort, Dawn will book the wedding day, ceremony time and location with the resort. If you're having a legal ceremony, Dawn will also confirm the officiant's availability. From here, Dawn will book your transportation.
Once the trip is booked, Dawn's job is all about your group travel. She'll manage your group, add guests as they RSVP, make sure that everyone has the proper documentation, and take care of any other travel details that may come up. Throughout the entire booking process, Dawn is with you every step of the way, "It takes the stress off the bride and groom. I want you to love what you're promoting to your guests."
When it comes to inviting your guests to your destination wedding you have two choices. If you're planning your wedding more than one year in advance, you'll want to send out save the date cards with details like your wedding location and travel dates so that guests have plenty of notice. If you're planning less than a year in advance, you'll send invitations with all the specific details so that your guests can start booking their trips!
Throughout your planning process, Dawn works together with the Wedding Coordinators at your resort right up until you arrive for your wedding!
Marci Matejcek worked with Dawn to book her September 2012 wedding and says that she would highly recommend Destinations by Dawn to any bride, "She tailored our needs to find us exactly what we were looking for. She offered suggestions and recommendations which really helped us narrow down the process of finding a resort for our destination. The process was so fast and easy for us."
Dawn Fairbanks, Destination Wedding and Honeymoon Specialist and owner of Destinations by Dawn isn't your typical travel agent. With a "travel rolodex" that includes contacts in just about every area of the world, experience planning 150+ destination weddings (and counting) and a talent for finding the best possible destination wedding deals, Dawn is taking the mystery out of planning a destination wedding for Southwestern Ontario brides.
Working with Dawn means that you have your own personal destination wedding expert to educate you on wedding packages at different resorts - the inclusions, the extras, the private reception/dinners, the costs, the perks and the finer details - available at specific resorts or hotel chains. Secondly, Dawn works within your budget to secure the best possible travel quotes for you and your guests. And the best part? When you book your wedding through Dawn, her services won't cost you a thing!
Here's why we think destination brides will love working with Destinations by Dawn...
Personally Speaking
Long before becoming a Destination Wedding and Honeymoon Expert, Dawn owned a bridal shop where she spent her days helping brides find the perfect wedding dress. But, seventeen years ago, Dawn saw an opportunity to follow another passion and decided to make the career change from gown specialist to travel specialist.
After seven years in the travel industry, Dawn was back to working with brides...in a whole new way. "Travel agents were told to find a niche market ... this is what I chose!" Today, Dawn spends about 90% of her time helping clients plan their destination weddings and honeymoons, and hasn't looked back since.
Lowanna Patterson had such a great experience working with Dawn for her destination wedding that she also had Dawn book her honeymoon and an upcoming group trip. She told The Ring, "Dawn really takes a lot of pride in planning the perfect wedding that is unique to each couple. You're not just another number or a commission. She genuinely cares about her clients and is willing to go the extra step to make sure they are happy with their destination wedding and to help when faced with unforeseen dilemmas."
Over 150 weddings around the world...
Education and experience have played a big part in Dawn's extensive knowledge of the travel industry. Over the past ten years, Dawn has booked a total of about 150 weddings and averages about thirty per year. She also holds a degree in Travel & Tourism and is a destination specialist in travel to Tahiti, Ireland/Scotland, St. Lucia as well as Sandals Resorts around the world.
One of the nice things about booking with Dawn is that she has first-hand knowledge of the resorts you're considering for your destination wedding. She has personally been to many major resorts and most smaller resorts as well. She also gained first-hand knowledge of planning a destination wedding from a clients perspective, when her daughter said 'I do' in the Dominican, "I've personally done the destination wedding choice many times as a Travel Agent...but also as a mother!"
Charlotte Antill of Transat Tours Canada has worked with Dawn on many destination wedding bookings. Charlotte says she has seen first-hand that Dawn truly does everything possible to make a bride and grooms' special occasion the best day possible, "Dawn is professional, caring and always proactive in ensuring that her destination wedding clients are taken care of...she is always a pleasure to work with and stands behind her ethics to ensure that all details are attended too. She is one of the best destination wedding specialists out there today and you can’t go wrong when booking with Dawn."
Dawn says that part of her appeal is the personal commitment that she makes to her couples to ensure that their wedding experience is as stress-free as possible. "I'm always there for brides and grooms because I care. They always gravitate towards me in the office because I have the most patience!"
Michela Walsh and Shane Alexander are currently working with Dawn to plan their up-coming destination wedding. Michela told The Ring, "Dawn and I met at a wedding show and we hit it off RIGHT away. She's so friendly and easygoing. Dawn really helped me see a crystal clear vision of how I wanted to plan our wedding."
Places, Packages & Pricing
Of course, packages range in price depending on the season and location of your wedding. When you book with Dawn there is no extra charge for her services!
As far as location goes, right now, Dawn is booking lots of weddings in Jamaica, "it's super easy to get married there!" and Punta Cana, "it's a good solid family choice with great beaches!" However, Dawn loves it when couples choose totally unique locations, "it's nice when I get to book places like Panama or Roatan...if your guests have never been there, they're more likely to go."
Trends & Tips
Dawn says that more and more couples are choosing destination weddings and a popular trend right now is an off-site destination wedding. This means that couples are staying at a resort but are having the wedding at an outside location. For example, Dawn recommends an off-site villa in Roatan for brides who are looking for something a little bit different. "It's very private, very authentic and very cool!"
With so much experience booking destination weddings, Dawn offers some great advice for brides. She often asks couples to keep in mind that there's a danger in booking too far in advance, as rates aren't always great. Instead, Dawn advises you to wait as she keeps her eye on group rates and special offers and pinpoints the best time to book.
Dawn also suggests that if you're bringing kids with you, it's a good idea to consider booking the shortest possible travel times. She can work with you to find the quickest flights and most accessible shuttles from the airport to your resort.
The most important piece of advice that Dawn offers is to make sure that your wedding is all about what YOU want first. Secondly, Dawn encourages you to keep your guests in mind. "You want to make your wedding special and unique, but the entire trip should be special and unique for your guests." To help figure out the ideal location for both you and your guests, Dawn says that your target budget is key. Other important points like the beach, pools, food, entertainment and size of the resort will also help you decide which resort is best for you.
Bride Michela Walsh says that she recommends Destinations by Dawn all the time, "I am in contact with a lot of brides on a day to day basis, and tell them about Dawn. Her advice, opinions and expertise on the resort....she's very resourceful. Her style is friendly, easygoing, fun and STRESS FREE!"
Your Dream Honeymoon
When you're booking your honeymoon, Dawn recommends that you choose the most relaxing, pampered holiday that your budget will allow for. Dawn explains, "This really is the start of your life as a married couple and you've dealt with the stress of planning a wedding. Now it's time to relax and just enjoy being together."
Dawn says it's also a great opportunity to go to a dream location, somewhere that you've never been before but have always wanted to visit.
Two of Dawn's favourite honeymoon locations are St Lucia and Tahiti and, as a Destination Specialist for both, she can give couples fantastic recommendations and advice on each location. For example, Dawn says that St Lucia is the number one spot for honeymoons right now, with the Body Holiday and Rendevous being two of her favourite honeymoon resorts.
Planning your Destination Wedding...
To get in touch with Dawn, the first step is to book a private appointment so that you can meet in person. Most couples will meet with Dawn during the evening, at the Northstar office in Kitchener. Before your meeting, Dawn will do some basic research for you based on your budget and destination ideas. She'll also ask you for details such as whether or not you're bringing children, what month you want to travel and what kind of flexibility you have in terms of location and dates.
When you meet, Dawn will spend most of her time listening to your wedding must-haves and wish list- so that she can focus on what you want for your wedding day and what kind of trip you want for your guests. Next, she will match your wants to what's available and also outline the services you'll get when you book with her. She will help you plan your travel, book your wedding date, time and location then connect you with the resort wedding coordinator to take it from there. She also acts as liaison between you and the resort for anything you may need help with.
Next, Dawn will put together a package for you based on your meeting as well as general destination planning information. About half of the couples that Dawn meets already have a good idea of where they want to get married. If you really can't decide between two or three resorts, Dawn suggests that you look closely at their wedding packages and choose one based on your favourite package.
Within a week of this meeting, you'll have solid offers and quotes from the tour operators to help you narrow down your choices.
Bride Lowanna Patterson says her destination wedding wouldn't have been the same without Dawn's guidance, "Dawn really tries to understand what a couple wants from their wedding and works hard to piece it all together for her clients. She is knowledgeable and experienced in the industry, she takes care in obtaining feedback from her clients, and is passionate about her job."
Once you've selected your resort, Dawn will book the wedding day, ceremony time and location with the resort. If you're having a legal ceremony, Dawn will also confirm the officiant's availability. From here, Dawn will book your transportation.
Once the trip is booked, Dawn's job is all about your group travel. She'll manage your group, add guests as they RSVP, make sure that everyone has the proper documentation, and take care of any other travel details that may come up. Throughout the entire booking process, Dawn is with you every step of the way, "It takes the stress off the bride and groom. I want you to love what you're promoting to your guests."
When it comes to inviting your guests to your destination wedding you have two choices. If you're planning your wedding more than one year in advance, you'll want to send out save the date cards with details like your wedding location and travel dates so that guests have plenty of notice. If you're planning less than a year in advance, you'll send invitations with all the specific details so that your guests can start booking their trips!
Throughout your planning process, Dawn works together with the Wedding Coordinators at your resort right up until you arrive for your wedding!
Marci Matejcek worked with Dawn to book her September 2012 wedding and says that she would highly recommend Destinations by Dawn to any bride, "She tailored our needs to find us exactly what we were looking for. She offered suggestions and recommendations which really helped us narrow down the process of finding a resort for our destination. The process was so fast and easy for us."
