Issue #2: Three resort wedding deals hit a deadline on New Year's Eve

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Welcome back. Every week we re-read the official wedding pages, terms and brochures behind resortweddingrules.com and tell you what changed. Every figure below comes from an official brand page, and anything we couldn't confirm there is labelled "Not confirmed".

Lead story: three wedding deals hit a deadline on New Year's Eve

If you're planning a 2027 resort wedding, the next nine weeks matter. Three offers on our list end on or around December 31, 2026:

• Sandals Free Jamaica Wedding: "Book Now – December 31, 2026 for travel January 2 to December 20, 2027". It's the most generous free offer we track: up to 50 people (1 to 25 rooms), with a 5+ night stay in a Club or Butler room at Sandals Montego Bay, Caribbean Cay or South Coast only. It covers legal weddings only (no vow renewals), Monday to Thursday, 9am to 2pm. The $250 licence/admin fee and the $250 deposit are waived, and Sandals puts the value at $1,250. (Sandals weddings)
• Hyatt "Big Weddings, Big Rewards" (new on our list): for new contracted social groups hosting a wedding, book by Dec 31, 2026 for travel through Dec 20, 2027. It offers up to 10 complimentary rooms and upgrades, a complimentary dinner reception of up to 4 hours, and no 10% deposit at signing for blocks of 51 to 80 rooms. Single-occupancy rooms are capped at 30%, and there are no rollbacks or re-bookings. (official offer page)
• Palace Complimentary Wedding Package: the official terms say "Valid through December 31, 2026". Note the wording: it says valid through, not book by, and the page doesn't say whether that date applies to the booking or the wedding itself. No 2027 replacement is posted yet. How many rooms you need to qualify is still Not confirmed on Palace's own page. (Palace terms)

What to do: if one of these is your plan, ask the resort's wedding department in writing whether your date qualifies, what "valid through" or "book by" means for you, and what happens if you change the date after Dec 31. Don't rush a deposit just because a deadline is close.

What changed this week

• Hyatt Wedding in Paradise got a 2027 extension, and the price looks higher. The live official offer page now says "Book By: December 20, 2027" and "Starting at $1,349 USD or complimentary". An older copy of Hyatt's page, which we could only see as a search-engine snippet because the page blocks our checker, showed "Book By: December 23, 2026" and "Starting at $1,149 USD". So the paid price appears to be up $200, but we couldn't compare the two pages directly. Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun is also no longer in the participating list. (official offer page)
• A Royalton offer that's expired but still advertised. Royalton's weddings page still promotes "15% OFF + A $1,000 CREDIT" for South Asian weddings in 2027 and 2028, with "Book by August 31,2026". That date has passed, so confirm with Royalton before you plan around it. The official resort list now also includes Royalton Vessence Barbados. (Royalton weddings)
• Sandals still shows two prices for the Test Drive. Sandals' wedding terms say $300 a night, while its Jamaica weddings page says $275 a night. Ask which one applies before you book. (Sandals wedding terms)
• No other free package changed on the official pages we could read. Sandals, Beaches, Karisma, Bahia Principe, Barceló, Excellence/Finest, Hard Rock, Club Med, Couples' wedding platform, Iberostar and RIU are unchanged since Oct 24.
• Now fully confirmed on official pages: all of Hyatt's Wedding in Paradise terms (see below), and Palace's inclusions, legal rules and restrictions.
• Still Not confirmed: Palace's room requirement, Royalton's complimentary package terms, RIU's qualifying rules and fees, and Couples' package page (it blocked our checker again). We'll keep trying.

Scam watch: "please verify your card" messages

No new FTC or police notice specific to destination-wedding scams this week. But two official warnings fit resort weddings closely:

• Fake messages from your "hotel". On Oct 9, 2026, the Singapore Police Force reported at least 148 cases since January (at least S$185,000 lost) of WhatsApp and email messages pretending to be hotels or booking platforms and asking guests to "verify" their card details. Some messages included real booking details, which made them convincing. Their advice: check "through the official contact details listed on the hotels' webpages". (Singapore Police Force advisory)
• Look-alike sites and phone numbers in ads. The FTC warns that scammers "use paid ads and put their number alongside a well-known company's name, or link to a website that only looks like it belongs to a hotel brand". Type the brand's site into your browser yourself instead of clicking an ad. (FTC consumer alert, June 17, 2026)

What this means for your wedding:

• If a message asks for card details, a deposit or a "room block confirmation", don't reply to it and don't use its link or number. Call the resort's wedding department using the number on the brand's official site.
• Never pay by wire transfer, gift card, payment app or crypto. The FTC says that's "a scam, every time". (FTC: Avoid scams when you travel)
• Get your room block confirmed by the resort itself, in writing, before guests pay. In a Nassau County (NY) Police case, a travel agent took deposits for a destination wedding and the resort venues were never booked. (Nassau County Police)
• Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. More tips are on our Scam watch page.

Package of the week: Hyatt Wedding in Paradise

This is the free package that just got a 2027 extension, and every term is now confirmed on Hyatt's own offer page.

• Where: participating Hyatt Inclusive Collection resorts: Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya, Zoëtry, Secrets, Breathless, Dreams, Hyatt Vivid and Sunscape.
• How to get it free: book "the required room category or higher for a minimum of 7 nights OR 5 rooms in any category for a minimum of 3 nights". Ask for it when you book, at least 30 days before the wedding. Otherwise it starts at $1,349.
• What's included: a symbolic ceremony, an on-site coordinator, a bouquet and boutonniere, and cake with a sparkling-wine toast for up to 10 guests. You also get a newlywed package, late check-out and free anniversary nights (5 paid + 2 free, or 4 paid + 1 free).
• The catches:
  • The ceremony is symbolic. "Additional fees apply for service of a judge or minister", and they vary by resort.
  • Double occupancy only.
  • It can't be combined with the Honeymoon Package, so taking the free wedding means giving up the free honeymoon offer.
  • There's a $250 cancellation penalty once it's confirmed within 6 months of the wedding.
  • It also works for vow renewals.

See the full breakdown on our Hyatt Wedding in Paradise page.

Want it to be legal?

A symbolic ceremony doesn't make you married. For the legal side (documents, waiting periods, apostilles and government fees by country), see our sister site Wedding Abroad Rules.

Planning a resort wedding?

Planning a resort wedding? Get free help from a travel agent. She can help you compare resorts, set up a group room block and book guest travel.

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Not legal advice; prices change, so confirm with the resort.

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