What I Pay Attention to First When I Meet a New Couple

The story behind the name is quite personal and emotional for me!

When I first meet a couple, before we ever talk about hotels, venues, or packages, there are a few things I pay very close attention to.

Not because I’m judging — but because these details tell me how to guide them well.

The first thing I look at is travel experience.

Do they travel often as a couple?
Have they traveled internationally together?
And just as important — what is the travel experience of their guests?

For example, flying into Cancun and being fifteen minutes from your hotel immediately creates confidence. Flying into Cancun and then taking a two-hour transfer to Tulum is a very different experience. Neither is wrong — but they are not the same, and they require different expectations, planning, and communication.

The same goes for destinations themselves. Staying within a walkable city like Playa del Carmen offers charm and accessibility, but often comes with smaller hotels and different logistics. Every choice has a tradeoff, and understanding those tradeoffs early prevents frustration later.

The second thing I pay attention to is the dynamic between the couple.

There is almost always one person who is more outspoken. It would be easy to plan everything around that voice — but I don’t work that way.

Two people are getting married.

I make space for the quieter partner, and I gently ground the more outspoken one. Not by silencing anyone — but by creating balance. Because when one person says, “Whatever you want, it’s all about you,” it may sound generous… but it can actually place a lot of pressure on the other person.

I’ve seen it many times.

I even lived it myself. When I got married, my husband tried the classic line: “You’re a wedding planner — you handle it all, I’ll just show up.”
Nope.

Two people are getting married.
Two visions matter.
Two people should feel excited, heard, and involved.

My role is to guide that process so it feels fun, not scary — and fair to both.

And finally, I pay attention to the questions.

What are they asking?
What are they worried about?
What do they already know — and what feels overwhelming?

I’m an open book in those first conversations. Couples get to ask anything. And just as important, we get to see if our personalities align.

Because this is a relationship.

And honestly? About ninety percent of the time, it feels like mutual recognition. We connect, we trust each other, and a few days later we’re working together — with clarity and confidence.

That’s why the first meeting matters so much.

Before venues.
Before budgets.
Before decisions.

Because when you start with understanding — everything else flows.