Your Ultimate Guide to Destination Weddings
Destination weddings are increasingly popular with brides and grooms-to-be. Not only do they allow for a more unique wedding, but they also make for a great holiday and unforgettable memories. They also give couples the chance to break away from tradition. Last, they can also be a wise financial choice if planned correctly.
If you are a bride (or groom) with a growing desire for unique experiences, who feels the allure of cultural and exotic destinations, then a destination wedding might be the right choice for you too.
Let’s explore the ins and outs of destination weddings in our ultimate guide to marrying abroad.
1. What is a Destination Wedding?
A destination wedding is a wedding held in a place that is different from where both the bride and groom live.
Nowadays, many couples choose to celebrate their wedding outside of their original hometown or country of residence.
Destination weddings technically include both domestic (you live in NY, and decide to have your wedding in Hawaii) and international destinations (Italy, France, Fiji, etc.). However, at least outside of the US, the term is more commonly associated with a wedding in another country rather than in another state.
Of course, there is much more to a destination wedding than just selecting a wedding venue far away from home. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, an opportunity to spend time with your loved ones in a dream destination, and an unforgettable memory you, your partner, and your guests will forever be fond of.
2. Why Do Couples Choose to Marry Abroad?
There are many reasons to choose a destination over a local wedding. Usually, couples opt for a destination wedding for three reasons. They want to save cost, have a more unique wedding, and create a true once-in-a-lifetime event.
1. Managing Wedding Costs and Your Guest List
Let’s be real: a destination wedding is not necessarily cheaper than a local wedding. The US is, however, the country with the highest average wedding cost. European countries tend to offer better value for money when it comes to weddings.
TIP: Find our full destination wedding vs local wedding cost comparison here.
Also, destination weddings tend to have a more focused guest list than local weddings. Only close family and friends are invited. This makes a destination wedding more of a casual affair than a more formal or traditional local wedding.
“While a destination wedding typically includes more budget categories than a local event—including site visits, vendor travel, guest transportation, and additional lodgings—they also often come with a smaller guest list, making the overall cost potentially lower.” – Brides Magazine
With a destination wedding, you can focus your spending on your closest family members and friends. Only those people in your life that you really want to be by your side when you say “I do” get to attend. You choose quality over quantity.
Instead of spreading your US$35,000 wedding budget across 150 guests (distant family, high school friends, your mum’s best friend, 3rd-degree cousins), you get an opportunity to treat those who are near and dear to you to a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Some destination weddings can even be as small as 15 to 20 guests, making them a great choice for a micro-wedding.
2. A Destination Wedding Is a Wedding Your Way
Usually, destination weddings feel more unique and personalized. You celebrate your marriage in a dream destination of your choosing: a French chateau overlooking lush lavender fields, an Italian Renaissance villa on the shores of Lake Como, or a beachside villa in the French Riviera.
In addition, destination weddings allow couples to make their own rules and focus on what matters to them. It is less bound by tradition and allows for more flexibility for the big day. This can simplify the overall wedding planning process compared to a more traditional, local wedding. It also means that parents with a more traditional view of weddings have less of a say in the planning.
3. A Wedding In a Dream Destination Is a Chance of a Lifetime
Any wedding – regardless of whether it’s a wedding near your home or a destination wedding – is a once-in-a-lifetime event. So let’s make the most out of it!
With a destination wedding, you can create an experience for you and your guests that is unique, unforgettable and truly amazing. Let’s face it: unless you call Hawaii or Fiji your home, there are places on Earth that are more scenic and romantic than your hometown. Celebrating a wedding in one of those places is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
3. Do You Actually Get Married at a Destination Wedding?
No, you typically only hold a symbolic ceremony at a destination wedding. Instead, you get legally married in your home country and have a destination wedding to celebrate the marriage.
For example, couples who choose Italy or France as their wedding destination (and where neither bride or groom are Italian or French), do not legally get married there.
A destination wedding is first and foremost a celebration, rather than a legal act. Even though an overseas marriage license is typically valid in the United States or in any other country, the effort of getting it recognized there is not worth it.
Our advice is to have a private, civil ceremony to tie the knot in your home country. Celebrate your wedding with a symbolic ceremony abroad.
4. Who Pays for Guests’ Transportation and Accommodation?
At a destination wedding, it is commonly accepted that guests bear their own cost for transportation and accommodation.
To ease guests’ financial burden, they are usually not asked to offer a wedding gift (their presence is the gift) or only small gifts are accepted (those which fit into your suitcase on the way back home). Many couples who opt for a destination wedding decide not to have a wedding registry, for example.
5. What is Most Important When Planning a Destination Wedding?
Without a doubt, the number 1 thing to get right for a destination wedding is the location. Scenic beauty and finding a venue that is in some way meaningful are the main considerations of couples who choose to celebrate their marriage away from home.
If the wedding venue is particularly beautiful and well-equipped you can also save money on other parts, such as decorations, furniture or flowers.
6. Do I Need a Wedding Planner?
No, you don’t need a wedding planner for a destination wedding. It is absolutely feasible to plan a destination wedding without the help of a professional wedding planner. There is one caveat: once your guestlist exceeds 100 guests or more, it is probably wise to have a wedding planner or at least a coordinator.
If you plan your destination wedding without the help of a planner, Facebook, Instagram and Reddit are all great resources for finding advice and vendors. Some venues also offer planning services and have a team onsite to assist your during your big day.
Two last words of advice: visit your destination wedding venue at least once before your big day and take a video of everything. As your wedding day approaches, arrive at least a few days in advance to take care of any last-minute preparations.
TIP: Here are our top 10 tips for planning a destination wedding in France.
7. When Should We Start Planning Our Destination Wedding?
Start planning as soon as possible.
Start by searching for wedding venues first and do so one or two years in advance.
Popular wedding regions, such as Lake Como, Tuscany or the South of France are typically fully booked at least one year in advance.
If you are only starting to plan your wedding with less 12 months to go, make sure to ask for a discount from the wedding venue. Wedding venue owners are typically willing to give discounts if you book at short notice (i.e. anything less than 12 months in advance).
8. Is It Okay to Keep a Destination Wedding an Adults-Only Wedding?
It is okay to tell your guests that your destination wedding is an adults-only wedding. After all, planning a destination wedding takes a lot of effort, and you are making this effort to spend quality time with family and friends.
Also, a wedding abroad is usually a multi-day event and unlike American weddings which tend to stop at a fixed time in the evening, destination weddings typically go on until late. You are entitled to have expectations towards your guests’ participation in your wedding in the same way your guests will have certain expectations towards you regarding your destination wedding.
Last, the guest list of a wedding abroad is typically smaller than that at home, so guests usually understand that you have to make some choices on whom to include/exclude from your guest list.
More Questions?
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