Why did you choose to have a Destination Wedding rather than a traditional one?

[Bride010101]

Growing up I had always had 2 "dream" weddings... the first was in the garden's at Glensheen Mansion overlooking Lake Superior and the second being a DW on a beach somewhere beautiful.

 

After we got engaged FI and talked a lot about it... and ended up going with the later for the following reasons:

 

1. His family is in Canada and mine is in the States. DW made it so we didn't have to choose one country over the other... plus it allows our families a chance to actually get to know eachother by making it family vacation.

 

2. We wanted to get married before graduation (mostly I did for name purposes and because I didn't want a long engagement... would have gone nuts), but with our coming schedule of rotations and residency our dates were really limited. Our options were the first week of Jan '09 or waiting until after he completes his residency in May '10. We decied Jan 09 was what we wanted and DW was the way to go (Gardens of Glensheen in Duluth, MN in January doesn't really work)

 

3. Like some girls before me... I (and my FI) don't really like being the center of attention of a huge group of people. Our home wedding list would have probably grown to be quite large w/ extended family, all our classmates, family friends, etc. A DW let us keep the group smaller - with only our closest family and friends - who know and love us the way we are. Less pressure and way more fun.

 

After doing our research... and seeing all the pictures and ideas on this site, FI and I were both sold on a DW!

[Kristy!]

I am so tired of the same exact cookie cutter wedding everyone has. Out of all my friends and family, I was the last one to get engaged, 2nd to last to get married. (One of my best friends got engaged before me but is getting married 2 months after me.) I needed to do something different or I'd go insane. Plus I wanted the wedding to be what we really wanted, not involving all sorts of traditions we'd feel obligated to do. And then there's the issue of me being Protestant and him being Catholic. We both loved the idea of inviting just who we wanted (no cousin's aunt's half-sister's nephew or whoever) and having a fun vacation together.

[Aimless911]

I'm a weird one....as a little girl, I actually could never picture myself getting married. I didn't have those dreams running through my head. When I met Matt, things changed...he's the only one I've ever been able to picture myself walking down the aisle with!

 

We both love the beach, LOVE amazing sunsets, and my parents live in Mazatlan for 7 months out of each year, and the three just came together perfectly by picking Mexico....oh yeah....and I start sweating and break out into a rash even thinkin bout being the center of attention, but with just a few close family and friends, I know I'll be able to laugh, relax and ENJOY it!

 

Simple reasons, but that is why we chose DW!

[TATrisha]

I am sick of normal weddings! We are the second to last couple to get married and they have all been the same! I'm just sick of it!

And I've ALWAYS wanted to get married on a beach somewhere. I'm not religious at all, so a church just seemed VERY wrong to me. But being outside with the waves crashing is just amazing to me!

[DanielleNDerek]

I never wanted a big wedding, I don't like being the center of attention and I would hate a big ceremony and reception I would feel like all eyes were on me. Not my thing.

 

Always wanted to get married on a beach. fsil was married in a gazebo off the beach in riviera maya and the whole week vacation together was so much fun and her wedding was what i consider to be perfect, small intimate and a ton of fun.

 

Less expensive was also a plus, but now it's seems like things are adding up.

[SIMBASIM]

My FI and I are non traditional to say the least. I was previously married and wanted more than anything to have a Destination wedding this go round. Him, on the other hand, not being previously married, wanted to have this big to do at home in New Orleans. After a quick check on prices, he quickly decided that not only is a wedding at home going to cost a fortune but I convinced him that rather than 1 day you get a wedding week with all of our closest friends and family. He is now counting down the days to the wedding.

 

Good luck planning! I am sure whatever you choose will be fabulous!

[Celina]

Another Denver bride! YAY!!

 

Although my FI and I discussed it and looked at some great places for receptions here locally; he always dreamed of getting married on the beach.

 

We were undecided until we had a BBQ last 4th of July and I realized that no matter what I do, my dad's family would never come to anything I hosted.

 

I was so irritated and pissed after realizing that my dad's family would only come if free food and alcohol were provided. I asked all of the guests at our BBQ that day if we got married in PV if they would come and they all said if given enough notice - YES!

 

So right then and there I decided for us that we would get married in PV. My FI was happily surprised with the decision. We went on our site visit 4 months later and picked our hotel and here we are today posting all our plans on BDW!!

[rodent]

My reasons are like so many posted before

 

~I've been a BM 9 times. I started to find the traditional wedding to be boring. I just wasn't excited at all about planning a wedding

 

~I don't want to be the center of attention either. I like the idea of having 20-30 people & just all have fun together

 

~The thought of planning a wedding made me sick to my stomach & I'd start sweating

 

~I love planning vacations so planning a DW is so much more fun for me

 

~originally i didn't want to really plan the wedding at all. I wanted to show up & get married. Obviously that has changed. But, it's because I'm having fun planning which is something I didn't expect. This forum makes it fun & I've enjoyed all the DIY projects

 

~My mom would be a wreck as a traditional mother of the bride. She is way more relaxed about a DW.

 

~we are able to do so much more for the same money

 

~I live in NC & my family is in Texas so we'd be flying anyway.

 

~I love the backdrop of turquoise water

 

~I can't wait for a big vacation together

 

There has been problems with flight prices, people not being able to make it, etc. But, it's totally worth it. I just got our immediate family booked & haven't worried about anything else. it really doesn't upset me when someone can't make it. I didn't want a bunch of guests in the first place.

[Hartyt509]

I wanted a DW because I got sick of all the other weddings I went to that were very traditional and mind numbing. Unfortunately I waned just myself and FI but he's never been married before and he decided he wanted to invite everyone!! its taken a while and now he has realised he doesn't want a big wedding and so it'll be no more than 20!!

 

That to me is huge and totally defeats the object but i'm kinda banking on the fact that his lot won't be able to afford it so won't come lmao Especially the FMIL and her new hubby!! but somehow I may shit out on that one lol

 

Still so much easier to have a DW as he has a massive family and I don't and I refuse to pay to feed people I can't stand lol

[Spazz]

The two of us just always knew we wanted a DW.

- We're not big on religion, so getting married in the church was something we didn't want to do and it would have been sort of forced on us if we got married at home (both of our moms are sorta strict practicing Catholics).

- A big at-home traditional wedding doesn't really "fit" our personalities.

- We are saving TONS of money doing it this way - our guest list was cut down from 300 to 85!

- All of our siblings and our closest friends always said they would definitely go to our DW, so we knew those most important to us would be there.

- The final deciding factor was when my dad passed away last year. I knew there was no way in hell I could walk down a church aisle or have a regular reception without a dad/daughter dance or anything else associated with those type of traditions without him here.