YES.
Full stop.
I can vouch for this both personally and professionally (keep on reading to find out why).
But before I get into all of the nitty gritty, here are some general advantages of destination weddings:
- Scenic Beauty: Destination weddings are usually held at a beautiful location such as a beach, a vineyard, a castle or a mountain resort, providing a picturesque backdrop for the ceremony.
- Intimate Setting: Destination weddings tend to be more intimate since only close family and friends usually attend, creating a more personal and meaningful atmosphere.
- Extended Celebration: Destination weddings often last longer than traditional weddings, allowing for more time to spend with loved ones and celebrate the union.
- Built-in Honeymoon: Since the wedding is at a destination location, the couple can start their honeymoon right away without the need to travel to a separate location.
- Unique Experience: Destination weddings offer a unique and unforgettable experience that is different from a traditional wedding, providing guests with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel and explore a new location while celebrating the couple’s love.
Destination weddings can offer a unique and enjoyable experience for the couple and their guests.
Destination weddings often take place in beautiful locations, which can make for stunning photos and memorable experiences. Additionally, since destination weddings are typically smaller and more intimate, guests may have more opportunities to interact with each other and with the couple, which can create a more relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.
Another factor that can make destination weddings more fun is the opportunity for guests to turn the wedding into a mini-vacation. Guests can explore the local area, participate in activities, and enjoy the local cuisine, which can make for a fun and memorable trip.
Take my wedding for example. We got married 15 years ago on the beach in the Bahamas. It was beautiful. We had 27 guests with us. They used our wedding as a vacation and we all had the absolute best time ever. Do I regret doing a destination wedding? Not one single day over the last 15 years have I regretting that decision. I wish we could redo it year after year. Our guests thanked us for inviting them on one of the most epic vacations they have been on (and the best wedding they have ever attended).
What are the best locations for a destination wedding?
The best location for a destination wedding will depend on the your preferences and priorities, as well as your budget and logistical considerations. However, here are some popular destination wedding locations:
- Beaches: Beaches are a popular choice for destination weddings, with destinations like Hawaii, the Caribbean, Mexico, Peru, and Thailand offering beautiful beaches and warm weather year-round.
- Vineyards: For couples who love wine, vineyards can be a romantic and picturesque setting for a destination wedding. Napa Valley, Tuscany, and the South of France are popular destinations for vineyard weddings.
- Mountains: For couples who love the great outdoors, mountain destinations such as Colorado, Switzerland, and New Zealand offer stunning scenery and a range of outdoor activities.
- Castles: For a fairytale wedding, couples can consider getting married in a castle. Destinations such as Scotland, Ireland, and Germany offer historic castles with beautiful grounds and grand ballrooms.
- Cities: Cities such as New York, Paris, and Rome offer a romantic and sophisticated setting for a destination wedding, with a range of venues and attractions for guests to enjoy.
Other popular destination wedding locations include national parks, islands, and resorts. You should consider your priorities, budget, and logistical considerations when choosing a destination for your wedding. It’s also important to research the local laws and regulations regarding marriage licenses and ceremonies in the destination country. Better yet, hire someone to do all of this for you (I’ll help you with that below!).
How to Plan a Destination Wedding
Step 1: Hire an amazing planner.
This all brings me to maybe the most important part which is how to plan a destination wedding. I DO NOT recommend you do it on your own. I’m a wedding professional and I hired help when I decided to have a destination wedding for me and my husband. It is needed. I recommend a wedding planner who specializes in destination weddings like Oh Hello Event Planning. Amanda, who is co-owner of Oh Hello, had a destination wedding when she got married (like me). I think it really is important to hire someone that not only works in the destination wedding field, BUT has lived through it in their own lives. We have unique perspectives and insights when it comes to being on the bride side of things.
Step 2: Hire an awesome photographer.
Hi, it’s me! You want a photographer that is travel ready and has traveled extensively personally and professionally. A photographer that knows the ins and outs of photographing in foreign countries, in national parks, has experience traveling with photography equipment, shoots destination weddings regularly, and does all of the above with ease and confidence. I have packed all of my photography equipment into one (large) backpack and traveled across the country with it. I’ve also trekked many miles with it on my back. Trust me when I say you want an experienced, professional travel and destination photographer hired for your destination wedding.
Step 3: Plan!
And because of Step 1, this is going to be easy. Did you know the average couple spends 500 hours to plan a wedding? That equates to a full time job for three months. I’m going to take a guess that you don’t have that much time on your hands (I know I certainly don’t). Amanda, at Oh Hello, tells me her couples only spent 3-4 hours per month on their wedding. She does all of the heavy lifting and they get to do the fun stuff. For every six hours you would need to spend on planning, Amanda can accomplish the same thing in an hour. I can tell you with 100% certainty that a good wedding planner is worth their weight in gold. They are wizards and magicians.
So are you ready to plan the wedding of your dreams?
Links:
Beck Photo Co https://beckphotoco.com/
Oh Hello Event Planning https://www.ohhelloeventplanning.com/
