Say “I Do” Away from Home: The Ultimate Guide to Destination Weddings

Imagine exchanging vows with the love of your life on a sun-drenched cliffside overlooking the Aegean Sea, in a misty Scottish castle surrounded by rolling green highlands, or beneath the lush canopy of a tropical Costa Rican rainforest. For a growing number of couples, the traditional local ballroom or hotel banquet hall just doesn’t capture the magic they envision for their big day. Enter the destination wedding: a celebration of love and commitment that combines a wedding ceremony with a getaway vacation, typically held in a location away from where the couple resides.

Whether you are newly engaged and dreaming of an exotic escape or simply curious about this booming trend, here is everything you need to know about what a destination wedding is, why couples choose them, and how to pull one off seamlessly.

What Exactly Defines a Destination Wedding?

At its core, a destination wedding is any wedding held outside of the couple’s hometown or home region. While traditional weddings usually take place within driving distance for the majority of the guest list, a destination wedding typically requires travel—ranging from a short flight to another country to a cross-continental voyage.

Generally, a destination wedding involves:

• A Travel Element: The couple, and usually most of their guests, must book flights, trains, or extended drives and secure overnight accommodations.
• Extended Celebration: Rather than a whirlwind five-hour event, destination weddings often span a multi-day itinerary (