Destination Wedding: Is It For You?

Destination weddings can be the ultimate dream for any aspiring bride.

And why wouldn’t it be? It’s virtually a romantic getaway to your own private paradise. And then imagine saying vows in front of a stunning backdrop. And having your closest family and friends with you can’t hurt… or can it?

Destination weddings are beautiful, but it does have its own pros and cons. Let’s take a look at them!

The Pros of Having a Destination Wedding

1. It’s a mini-vacation.

This is probably the most obvious benefit of having a destination wedding. You get to visit — and get married in — a beautiful place! Whether it’s an island, the mountains, or a different country, you will surely experience the exhilaration of exploring a new location together.

2. It’s also an instant honeymoon spot!

News flash: You don’t have to look for another venue for your honeymoon! Your destination wedding can cover the ceremony, the reception, and the honeymoon. That may save you money, which is a plus!

3. You can narrow down your guest list.

Let’s face it: not everyone will be able to attend your wedding. Aside from that, destination weddings are often smaller and more exclusive, which helps you narrow down your guest list. Only invite your absolute dearests and no one will bat an eye.

4. It will be easier to count the RSVPs.

This is true especially if your guests are required to book a flight to your choice of destination. You can easily count how many are sure to go because everyone committed to going will have already bought tickets ahead of your wedding date.

5. It’s an opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones.

Your destination wedding just might be the ultimate bonding experience you need. Aside from spending quality time with your spouse, you’ll have a lot of time with your closest family and friends, too.

6. Your wedding will surely be memorable — and the place, too.

I’m sure you have attended a lot of weddings in the past…but how many can you remember? We’re talking details and scenery! You must admit that local weddings can get quite generic, while a destination wedding — because of the travel factor — can be more memorable. Also, the place where you got married will become very memorable to you and your spouse.

The Cons of Having a Destination Wedding

1. It can get very expensive (a lot of unseen expenses)

Even though you can save on the honeymoon venue, the amount of possible unaccounted expenses can take you by surprise. It’s very likely that you’re going to pay for your wedding crew’s expenses, and what about your guests’? Are you going to host another party for the people who weren’t able to attend when you get back? You should consider all possibilities and not just the upfront costs when planning for a destination wedding.

2. You might get little to no privacy.

So you’re in a tiny little island away from civilisation…what’s stopping you from ravishing your spouse right there and then? Well, in case you’re forgetting, your guests are also staying there. To get your much-deserved post-wedding privacy, remember to book your guests in a hotel somewhere else! If that’s not an option, make sure your cabana or room is away from where everyone else is staying.

And tell everyone that you’re not planning on entertaining guests for at least a day.

3. Legalities might get complicated.

This is where things get really tricky — and legalities are a huge thing, you know — so you need to do a lot of research. This is especially true if you’re planning to get married overseas. Is your home country going to recognise marriage that took place in this particular country? Will it be null and void or voidable? You would not want to deal with these stuff after the wedding, so before you even book a flight, you need to know for sure.

To avoid these hassles, one option is to simply get married civilly in your home country before your destination wedding.

4. Consider the uncontrollable, unforeseen factors.

Once you hire your overseas wedding coordinator (obviously optional but helpful), pay for your plane tickets, invite your guests, and book your accommodations, there’s very little leeway left for change of plans. The date and venue of your destination wedding are already pretty much set in stone at this stage. So when there are unforeseen circumstances like a weather disturbance, things might get difficult. To counter this, always have a Plan B!

5. Your responsibilities might go beyond the wedding.

In a usual wedding ceremony, a bride’s or a groom’s responsibility is to act as host for their guests. In many cases, this responsibility goes to the maid or matron of honour and the groom’s best man. But in a destination wedding, because you’re flying your guests off to somewhere far (and perhaps exotic, too?), your responsibility might extend from simply being the host of the ceremony to…pretty much everything else. Your guests will likely rely on you for their schedule, the setup of their accommodations, etc. Heck, they will even make you their tour guide if they wanted to.

But this will happen only if you allow it to. Give your siblings or friends responsibilities — one can take care of the scheduling, another for the accommodations, you get the idea. Don’t forget to show them your gratefulness!

Let’s face it: a destination wedding is a lot more complicated than your typical wedding. However, if your heart longs for it and you can’t imagine having anything else, I say go for it! Know the risks, plan ahead, and be ready with precautions and you just might have the perfect destination wedding!

Did you have a destination wedding? How did it go?