Destination weddings have become increasingly popular since the COVID pandemic. According to TheKnot.com, almost 20% of couples married in 2023 chose to get married away from their homes. That wasn’t a post-pandemic fluke, either. Market trends show that we’ll see even more of them in 2025 and beyond. Currently, Rebecca is helping plan one in St. Lucia and another in the Dominican Republic that both sound dream worthy! I love the idea of getting married on the beach, and turning the entire celebration into a vacation with all your loved ones.
In our newsletter, I’ve mentioned my best friend, who wanted a small, intimate celebration for her wedding. It was also important to her and her husband that they get married by the ocean. They had conversations with their closest friends and family and worked around everyone’s budget as much as possible. I was thrilled to be her bridesmaid and happy to plan my yearly vacation around a trip to the destination they chose. We planned group events, like visiting the historic lighthouses in the area, and also spent time “vacationing” separately. While their destination was not somewhere I had considered going before, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the unique beauty, especially the wild horses that ran along the beaches. To make this trip affordable for everyone, we rented a huge house on the beach and many of the guests carpooled as well. Hotels will often offer discounts on multiple rooms, too. Rebecca is great at finding deals and discounts for many kinds of groups, not just destination weddings. She is planning a school trip to Costa Rica currently, and Smiley Travel has hosted several girls’ trips that had me calling all my girlfriends.
If you’re still wondering if a destination wedding is for you, we’ll break it down for you.
A destination wedding might be for you if… you want a small, intimate wedding with your closest loved ones. A trip could be the perfect way for your new blended family to bond and start making memories!
A destination wedding might not be for you if… you want to invite everyone you know! The more people you invite, the less likely it is that everyone can afford or have time for a vacation. According to ParadiseWeddings.com, guest lists for destination weddings average around 65 people.
A destination wedding might be for you if… those loved ones like to travel and don’t mind making a trip for your big event. You or your fiancé may even have ancestral ties to a certain place that make you want to include it in your special day. Rebecca and I both love hearing your stories and she’s great at helping incorporate it into your trip. Getting married in an ancient Scottish castle and exploring the highlands your grandpa grew up in at the same time? Someone queue the Outlander music.
A destination wedding might not be for if…you have loved ones who are averse to travel. Maybe Grandma may have been a globetrotter in her youth, but airplanes just don’t agree with her bones anymore. I get it. Get married at home and save the big trip for your honeymoon. (We can help with that, too! 😉)
A destination wedding might be for you if… you and your fiancé have sentimental ties to a certain place away from home. Did you fall in love on the pristine white beaches of Cozumel? Not only romantic, but full of adventure like parasailing and snorkeling, you two could get all the true love vibes while also making lifelong memories with your closest friends and family. Many couples consider their destination wedding in place of their honeymoon, making it a much more affordable option.
A destination wedding might be for you if… it’s within your budget.
Since they have increased in popularity, destination weddings have become much more attainable for couples and their guests. The average wedding in the US costs about $30,000, but according to ParadiseWeddings.com, destination weddings in gorgeous locales like Mexico or the Caribbean islands cost couples on average between $5,000 and $10,000, and that’s including airfare, accommodations, and wedding packages.
That’s where we come in, though! Rebecca is a pro at finding the best deals on airfare, accommodations, and anything else you might need.
Are you ready to start planning the tropical wedding of your dreams? Or maybe you’re dreaming of a white dress set against the snowy alps… either way we’re here to help. Click “book now” in the menu above to give Rebecca more information about your dream destination wedding!
Until next month, Smiley Travelers,
Keep exploring,
Rachael <3
Smiley Travel Writer & Editor
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