A destination wedding is where you and your partner host a wedding that requires you, and the majority of your guests, to travel extensively to attend.
Now, travel extensively means different things to different people. I’d say that a destination wedding is more than just having to stay in a hotel for the night, because you don’t want to have to drive home. It’s a wedding that requires everyone to make travel arrangements.
This means finding accommodations, booking flights, or even updating passports. It’s a wedding where you may have vendors you’ve never met in person before, or a venue that you’ve only seen in pictures. It requires a bit more planning and coordination than a hometown wedding.
The wonderful thing about destination weddings is that they can provide so much opportunity that regular weddings don’t. They are interesting and memorable. Destination weddings have built in travel, and can even be combined with your honeymoon. They provide a unique experience for everyone involved. And though there are some downsides, for the right couple there is appeal to them.
Is A Destination Wedding Right For You?
This post is going to try and help you determine if a destination wedding is right for you. Maybe your partner and you are considering it, and might not be on the same page. Perhaps you feel that the extra effort has major benefits, and want to do something special for your wedding. It might be that where you are from isn’t where you see yourself getting married, and you’d like to explore your options.
Whatever your thoughts on destination weddings are, let’s go over the positives and negatives that are associated with them.
As mentioned above, there can be a lot of great outcomes with a destination wedding. Each of them depends on your personal preference, guests, and general wedding vision. When looking at them, ask yourselves if these are the type of reasons that will sway you towards a destination wedding. If you’re willing to put in the effort to achieve them, then a destination wedding may be perfect for you.
DESTINATION WEDDINGS ARE GREAT IF YOU LIKE TO TRAVEL
If travel is a big part of your life, or relationship, then a destination wedding could be an excellent chance to create a memorable trip. Plus, you may be inspired to explore a certain location based on past experience.
Perhaps you’ve already been somewhere with your partner, and feel it’s perfect for your wedding. Or, you’ve always discussed going somewhere specific together, and want to use this opportunity to go there. There may even be a location that is special to your family, and that is motivation to plan a wedding there. Hosting a wedding at these types of locations will make that place even more special.
DESTINATION WEDDINGS CAN SAVE YOU MONEY
Now, I know what you’re thinking. How can a destination wedding save money? There are travel expenses and added unknown costs just to make it happen. Well, there are some other cost-saving factors that may offset those expenses.
For example, destination weddings tend to have a lower guest count. This will save you on almost everything wedding related, from food to rentals. With less guests to accommodate, you may find that there’s money in your budget for the travel expenses. Also, if you’re able to find an all-inclusive venue, many costs may be competitively or bulk priced.
Of course, as with any wedding, costs can have the potential to add up fast if you’re not intentional. Be sure to map out all possible costs ahead of time, ask your venue and any travel agents a lot of questions, and read the fine print before signing any contracts.
Have a conversation with your fiancé about what you’re going to provide to your guests. Some of them may expect that you’re covering their travel, accommodations, experience, and food, and you’ll have to make it clear what is and isn’t included for them.
ALL-INCLUSIVE VENUES CAN MAKE WEDDING PLANNING EASY
An all-inclusive wedding venue can save you a lot of money, and basically do the planning for you.
Of course, you may be able to find an all-inclusive venue in your area. But here’s the thing. If you’re looking for a destination wedding venue, and you find one that will provide everything and give you limited decisions to make, plus give you all costs up front, it can make it super easy to plan your wedding from far away. And, you’ll still have the ability to have a wedding in a great location.
The flip side of this is that you’ll have to do your research on the right venue. All-inclusive venues may have limited choices, and you may not have the ability to actually see or taste any of your decisions ahead of the wedding. It can also be tricky to coordinate if there’s time zone differences, or language barriers. So, before you commit to a location, make sure they are experienced working with people from where you’re from, and be okay with any limitations or risks.
DESTINATION WEDDINGS HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH THE GUEST COUNT
As mentioned before, with a smaller guest count, you’ll save costs. But you’ll also be more in control over who is invited.
Now, with the pandemic, most people are pretty understanding when they aren’t invited to a wedding. However, many places are opened back up now, and there may be pressure on you to invite a large group of people. If you’re having a destination wedding, it can become much more understandable when you don’t invite literally everyone you know. And, even if you do, many of them may not be able to come.
Of course, missing out on some guests coming to your wedding may be a big reason for you not to have a destination wedding. Costs, health, family commitments, and work may impact the ability for some of your guests to make a trip happen. If you find that some essential guests won’t be able to make it, and you wouldn’t want to get married without them, a destination wedding may not be right for you.
However, if you’d like a smaller guest list due to costs, or coordination efforts, a destination wedding may be the way to go without hurting any feelings, as long as your essential guests can attend.
DESTINATION WEDDINGS CREATE A BUILT-IN EXPERIENCE, BUT YOU’LL HAVE TO PLAN IT
For the guests who do make it to your wedding, it can be an amazing experience.
If you’re having a local wedding, chances are you’re going to spend four to six hours with your guests. However, a destination wedding is different. You may be spending days or even weeks with them. This allows the excitement of the wedding to linger for longer. As part of the experience, you can even plan additional events for everyone based on your destination, such as group dinners or day trips.
This can create awesome memories, help families get to know each other, and new friendships to form. However, this may mean that logistics need to be determined by you and your partner. You’ll have to inform guests how to actually travel to your destination. You may need to let them know about special rules or requirements. Some guests (or you) may even need a passport or immunizations.
If you’re up for informing others about travel details, and helping them understand what it takes to attend your wedding, than a destination wedding may be worth it for the group experience.
DESTINATION WEDDINGS CAN DOUBLE WITH YOUR HONEYMOON
If you’re the kind of couple who don’t want to wait to go on your honeymoon after the wedding, a destination wedding can help you roll everything into one.
For example, you may consider your trip to your wedding as the introduction to your honeymoon. Or, you may be able to travel a short distance to your honeymoon from your destination’s location. Essentially, you could save on some travel time and costs just by doing this.
DESTINATION WEDDINGS MAY ALSO NEED A LOCAL WEDDING, TOO
Alright, this can be seen as a positive or a negative, depending on your preference.
If you get married away from where you live, you may need to get married again, where you live, to make it legal. This all depends on the location of your wedding and where you are. It could also depend on your religion.
To understand what is needed of you and your partner to make your marriage legal, contact your local jurisdiction and ask them what you need to do. Also, contact the location where you’re getting married to find out what they need. There may be requirements like being at your destination for a period of time, or having family living there, to have a wedding there at all.
It might end up easier for you to just have two weddings, one to make it legal close to home, and a symbolic one at your destination.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Okay, friends. Is a destination wedding right for you? Besides factoring in all the above elements, you’ll have to discuss with your partner about what works best for your relationship, families, and friends. It will come down to your priorities and preferences. If you love travel and planning, you may lean towards a destination wedding. If you have it in your budget, and are adventurous, go for it. It’s important that you and your partner are on the same page with this, as it’s both of your wedding. Happy wedding planning!
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