Is a Destination Wedding Right For You?

The Caribbean, Hawaii, Europe, and Greece are popular spots for couples looking to tie the knot away from home. Destination weddings are hot. Find out what brides are saying and if the DW is right for you.

Barefoot on the Beach

Leah, Phoenix, AZ: "Soon after my fiancé proposed, I began planning a traditional wedding. But my fiancé wasn't offering any opinions about the planning because, as it turns out, he was so uncomfortable about standing in front of 200 people. I knew my family was taking a trip to Cancun for Christmas. I thought it would be a great idea to get married while we were all away. Even better, we would be doing so on my parents' wedding anniversary! When I told my fiancé about my plan, he loved it. In fact, everyone loved it and we have 25 people traveling to be with us. We're planning for our ceremony (it will be non-denominational which is easier document- and price-wise in Cancun) to take place on the beach, barefoot in the sand. Afterwards, we will have a simple reception dinner with dancing."

Happy Hostages

Paige, Seattle, WA: "I'm hosting my DW at the Semiahmoo Inn in Blaine, Washington. Its catering and room rental fit our budget, plus our family and friends (we're inviting 150 people, many of whom live on the East Coast) will be able to experience first-hand the awesome beauty of the Pacific Northwest. We're looking forward to keeping them all hostage for three days of mixing, mingling, and activities that include golf, spa treatments, and a beach bonfire. The beauty of a wedding like this is that everyone is on vacation!"

Blue Hawaiian Bride

Melanie, Portland, OR: "We chose Maui for our DW. I'm a huge Elvis fan, and shortly after my fiancé proposed to me, we saw the old movie "Blue Hawaii." There's a huge wedding scene at the end. It was gorgeous, and my fiancé and I thought, hmmm. We sent our guests all the information they'd need a year in advance so they could plan and save money for the trip. My fiancé and I and most of our guests took the same flight to Maui a week before the date. It was so much fun! We arranged several outings, like snorkeling and a dinner cruise, to pull everyone together. The wedding ceremony was very emotional, not a dry eye in the house. After the wedding week, the two of us honeymooned on Kauai for another week. Everything was spectacular!"

Personalized Perfection

Thais, Austin, TX: "I was a guest at a DW in the Ozarks near Ponca, Arkansas. We stayed at the Wind River Lodge, which sits atop a mountain and provides a thirty-mile view. Our group, which included twenty-four people (5 were young children) had the entire lodge to ourselves. The ceremony and reception were held on the lodge's deck with the beautiful view as a backdrop. The bride's best friend (she's an ordained minister) performed the ceremony, and several guests said prayers and offered their views on marriage and love. It was all very casual and spiritual. I would definitely plan a DW for myself. I would want it to reflect my and my fiancé's tastes and be enjoyable for my guests. I think it's an extremely personal way to get married!"

Think It Through

While the destination wedding can be fabulous, brides and grooms who choose it have several things in common that go a long way to pulling the whole thing off smoothly. Howard Green, CEO for MoonRings, Inc., which specializes in planning romantic travel and unique honeymoons, says there are several factors that motivate couples to choose the DW.

They tend to be older, having attended numerous traditional weddings. "For their own wedding, they don't want to do the same old thing with their 'closest' 200 friends in attendance," says Green.

With a DW, it is likely that the location will be a significant distance away. "This factor can automatically reduce the guest list, which can be beneficial when budget is an issue," says Green.

Sometimes family problems are the motivator. "If you have a crazy parent who is meddling too much in the planning, couples will turn to the DW as the perfect way to check out and go do something less stressful and more fun," says Green.

DW couples are focused on the big picture as opposed to the details. The traditional wedding finds brides obsessing over the ceremony and reception. With a DW, some of the more exotic locations may have only two florists, one caterer, and three photographers. "With a DW, you have to let go of these details and accept what's out there," says Green. He adds, "DW couples view the event as a fun-filled get-away where they're getting married and guests are going to be blown away by the scenery."

DW couples may have to help subsidize their guests. Traveling to distant locales is a large commitment of both time and money. At the very least, a couple may have to provide guests with plenty of advance notice so they can arrange to be gone. Furthermore, a typical Caribbean resort will cost from $800 to $2000 per person for a 4-night stay. Couples may need to entice them by offering to pick up, say, two night's worth of lodging or pay outright for everything.

The trend to host a destination wedding is definitely growing, but couples really need to think it through before they choose Tahiti over Hometown, USA.

Wedding Gazette