What is a Destination Wedding?

Have you ever imagined getting married in another place besides where you live? You have probably seen wedding venues and receptions outside of your town and dreamed of having your wedding at the same place. This article is perfect for you, then! Let us try to find out the meaning of the specific phrase for this wedding. 

A “destination wedding” is a wedding that takes place outside the city or town in which the couples live. The wrong connotation of a destination wedding is that most people associate it with attending luxury weddings. But the truth is, a destination wedding is simply holding the wedding ceremony and reception in another place outside the town; that does not necessarily mean going to extravagant countries. Deciding on a destination wedding means you need your guests to travel to the site.

What to remember in a Destination Wedding 

 wedding in a garden

Choose a location – The first thing that couples need to think of is the location. Planning the venue will give them enough time to personalize the theme or motif that the wedding will have. It would also be convenient for them to know whether they should travel ahead of schedule or on the wedding day. Securing the location also means obtaining passports and meeting visa requirements if the wedding is outside the country. 

Plan a budget – Planning a budget is also necessary to ensure that all the necessary expenses will be covered. Having extra money for other costs that might arise after the event. 

Hire a Wedding Planner – To make a destination wedding a reality, couples must ensure that they have the necessary backup to make their dream a reality. Hiring a wedding planner makes your plans for your wedding go smoothly. Wedding planners can book the right vendors and meet needs that couples might miss out on when they plan the wedding themselves. 

Book the venue early – It is also necessary to book the venue earlier to ensure the wedding ceremony and reception go smoothly. Booking the platform is also helpful in avoiding cancellations of weddings that couples want to have in the exact location.

Send out save-the-date-invitations early – Aside from ensuring that the venue is successfully booked, couples must also ensure that guests are aware of the location ahead of time. 

Visit the location – To anticipate the problems that may arise during the wedding ceremony or at the reception, it would be best to look at the site and have a backup plan for specific issues that occur during the ceremony.

Negotiate – If the destination travel has significant costs for the people attending, look for group discounts and other options to reduce the overall costs. 

Best Destination Wedding Ideas

1. Beach Wedding Destinations

Most destination weddings that couples visit are beach locations with a fresh and calm vibe. Budget-friendly beachside destinations in the Caribbean (Bahamas) or Mexico’s Caribbean coast offer affordable and all-inclusive options. Hawaii also provides year-round beach wedding venues that make a beautiful backdrop. 

beach wedding

2. Garden Wedding Destinations

A garden wedding is one of the best destination weddings for couples who love Flora and Fauna or any hint of green and flowers. Suppose you are a neighbor of England and plan to have a destination wedding there. You might be lucky to have a palace wedding at Banqueting House, Hampton Court Palace, or Kensington Palace, which feature splendid formal gardens, elegant cobbled courtyards, and superb Tudor and Baroque architecture as the backdrop of your wedding.  

garden wedding

3. Mountainside Wedding Destination

Mountainside wedding ceremonies can be a magical experience for couples and guests, especially with an enormous mountain backdrop. Colorado USA highlights wedding venues adjacent to the stunning Aspen Mountain Club. Other mountainside wedding venues are possible at Grand Teton National Park, Hurricane Ridge, and North Cascades National Park, to mention a few. If you are lucky, most mountainside venues have waterfalls or rivers that make a beautiful backdrop.

 couple in a mountain

4. Vineyard Wedding Destinations

A vineyard wedding is also a one-of-a-kind wedding venue experience with fine wine and beautiful outdoor scenery. Great vineyard destinations include the one in Malibu that boasts panoramic views of the Santa Monica Mountains and rolling hillsides of California. Another is in North Garden, Virginia, which highlights the sweeping view of rolling hills and vineyards paired with a culinary experience. 

couple in vineyard

5. Other Out-of-the-Box Wedding Destinations

Aside from the usual destination wedding ideas above, several wedding venues will be unique and match a fun couple’s personality, like a museum or a library. Consider the American Museum of Natural History in New York as one of the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery in Bristol for a museum wedding. For a library wedding, the New York Public Library is one wedding venue that has an ample dose of glamour. 

Thoughts

A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that couples look forward to. So, choosing the right place—one that will surely be a precious memory to look back on—is a priority.