Big family, long relationship, tight budget, and way too many opinions. Joshua and Abena were staring down the kind of guest list that turns a wedding into a full-time job. Instead, they chose a destination wedding at Moon Palace Cancun and used location, logistics, and a little psychology as a “polite filter” that kept the peace and kept their day small enough to enjoy.

In this episode of Passports & Promises, host Shalene talks with the couple about how they went from considering a traditional hometown wedding to realizing Mexico solved most of their problems in one move. They share how a resort wedding let them invite everyone who expected an invitation without ending up with a 400-person ballroom, what it was like to manage a huge African family’s expectations, and why the guests who really wanted to be there found a way. Joshua and Abena also unpack the less glamorous parts of the process, including planner communication that went quiet at the worst possible time and wedding photos that felt disappointing at first and slowly turned into favorites years later.

Listen to the full Passports and Promises episode to hear about Joshua's honeymoon cake consumption, why Abena's mom understood the destination wedding strategy immediately, and what it's like rediscovering your wedding photos five years later with completely fresh eyes. Ready to plan your own celebration without the drama? Reach out to Latitude Concierge Travels to start a conversation about what's actually possible.

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Latitude Concierge Travels Ltd

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Moon Palace Cancun

Most group trips end with at least three people never speaking again. Marcy has planned four of them, and everyone's still friends. On this episode of Passports and Promises, host Shalene sits down with one of her very first clients to figure out how she pulled that off. Marcy organized her sorority's 25th line anniversary trip to Costa Rica using an actual democratic poll, navigated Paris with her family for the first time, and still gets asked by her kids about that fruit punch at Dreams Dominicus nearly a decade later. She breaks down the committee approach that kept everyone happy, how she handled last-minute itinerary changes when her group was having too much fun at the pool to leave, and why the Black Paris cultural tour became the highlight of her European adventure.

Marcy reveals the surprising winner of her destination poll (spoiler: not the cheapest option) and why all-inclusive resorts eliminate the financial surprises that ruin group dynamics. If you're coordinating a milestone reunion, planning multi-generational family travel, or trying to get a group of friends to agree on literally anything, this conversation offers practical frameworks that turn potential disaster into trips people actually remember fondly.

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Latitude Concierge Travels Ltd

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Marcy

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Dreams Dominicus

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Secrets Papagayo

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In this episode of Passports and Promises, Shalene reunites with Michael Morimoto and David Geist to discuss their 98-guest destination wedding at Secrets Moxché in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. What started as wedding planning overwhelm with destinations ranging from Greece to the Dominican Republic became a masterclass in detail-oriented planning, thanks to the couples' spreadsheet savvy and creative problem-solving. David and Michael upgraded to Impression Moxché for their accommodations and chose the Sky Deck venue at Moxché, a decision that proved perfect when a cyclone hit their wedding weekend.

Michael and David share the real talk about hidden fees that caught them off guard, why they hired an outside photographer instead of simply using the resort's team, and how transparent pricing earlier in the process would have changed their experience. They also reveal why keeping their entire celebration on the enclosed Sky Deck (instead of moving to the pool deck as originally planned) turned out to be the best decision they never knew they were making. Couples planning large destination weddings will appreciate the practical advice on guest list management, the adults-only resort decision, and why starting to plan 14 months ahead made all the difference.

Listen to the full Passports and Promises episode for more details on managing large destination wedding groups and navigating resort planning processes. Reach out to Latitude Concierge Travels to start planning your own next travel destination and wedding celebration.

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Shalene - LinkedIn

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