Your reasons for having a destination wedding?

[shes2013]

After going over trying to plan an at home wedding, everything was just getting to me. I was inviting people that I really didn't care that were there or not, and the cost. 5 hours, 20,000$ +, people i don't even really know, ect. It just seemed like the perfect idea was to go & spend a whole week with the one i love & want to be with most with a few of our close friends & family. & partly I always dreamed of getting married under the sun

[alpwedding2013]

My fiance and I both love to travel, so having a destination just made sense.  Also, when we imagined our dream wedding, we don't think of it in the midwest lol.  

[Ty Roane]

The idea of a destination wedding came after I started a guest list for a traditional wedding. My side alone, with deep cuts, was over 200 people.  NO WAY!! Then we couldn't agree on venue.  He is an outdoorsy, frisbee-throwing, beach lover and I am one who could spend forever in the water.  He wanted an outside wedding, I was too afraid of the weather.  So when I finally asked him what he really wanted, he says, "I just want to say "I do" with my toes in the sand".  We both have never traveled and thought it would be a great way for us to do so.  Also, we have family & friends all over the US so we figured, a common area would be great!

[olive0y1]

My FI and I went to our first cruise trip last October for my girlfriend's wedding. Here was very very small and initmate and we loved the idea of having everyone go w/ us on vacation as well as celebrating our marriage. Two in one! But with big family and friends, my mom wanted to compromise having a reception back home so downfall wise, it's like planning two weddings. But fortunately, I'm a planner so it's working out pretty well for us I'm just getting nervous now w/ the DIY stuff that I know I need to get done since I'm such a procrastnator.

 

Since we're going on a cruise, I found it's much more cheaper to have coordinator in the location you're getting married. Unless you have the budget, then it may be easier overall to coordinat w/ the ship. Best of luck!

[EVKnowsitall]

Originally Posted by bcbride2013 

 

Hi ladies (and perhaps gentlemen!),

 

So glad I found this site - it's an unbelievable resource! 

 

Not sure if this is the best area to post this, but I was just curious to ask what made some of you decide to have a destination wedding? Was it always your dream? Easier logistically?

 

Also, for anyone who happens to be reading this after the big day, are there any little traditional things that you feel you missed out on because you chose to have a destination wedding? 

 

I'm trying to decide between getting married and home or away and just wondered what decision-making process some of you followed.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

This is a great question! And this forum is a great source of information. I haven't read all the posts but it seems most people have destination weddings for the same reasons. Here are mine:

 

1) My fiance and I both LOVE to travel and last year, we went to Mexico and saw a destination wedding on the beach from our room balcony. We fell in love. 

 

2) We started planning a small wedding stateside but ran into a few issues that turned me off completely- Most catering halls have a minimum that we could not guarantee. Although we have huge families, I wanted my wedding to be about the people who are actually involved in our lives- not some flashy shown for people related by blood, but not any other means. The lowest guest count we found at catering halls was a guaranteed 120 people. 

 

3) Most of my friends married before me and they are either still paying for the weddings, complaining they didn't get to enjoy the day- eat drink or anything- because they were too focused on their guests- that seems so wrong to me. Didn't want that to be the case.

 

4) We budgeted a wedding in the states (I'm from NY- which was just revealed as the most expensive city to host a wedding) and it would cost us $45,000 for one day, 5 hours VS. a destination wedding costing us $25,000 and lasting an entire week.

 

5) You really cannot beat the beauty of a destination wedding. And its something your guests will remember and talk about for a long time to come. All my married friends have called us to tell us they flipped their lids when they received our Save the Dates. They thought we were pretty ballsy but they have all said they are looking forward to it and more excited for our day than their own weddings. We are the first of our friends to host a destination wedding.

 

6) I watch the TLC show Four Weddings and its funny because they put a DIY bride with a modest $25,000 budget against brides spending $100,000 and you know who usually wins? The brides who spend less. More money DOES NOT equal better wedding.

 

7) A destination wedding is the best way I can think of sharing the most important moment of my life so far with the people closest to us. And when the sun sets...we get to wake up and party again. I am buying a white bikini and white dresses for my stay lol I am milking the bridal thing for as long as possible hahahaha

 

Good luck in your planning, no matter what you decide. It did cayse some controversy with our family but I feel that no matter what you do, someone will always be displeased. It's my wedding- better them than me. I deserve to be a little selfish about this one thing in my life and we are doing what we can afford and on our terms. I am so excited!

[ornxoxo]

I see with a lot of brides here.... More money spent at home on a bigger traditional wedding with more distant friends doesn't make it a better wedding or a memorable one.  My FI and I want a destination wedding to be able to spend time with close friends and family and able to keep the cost down without any headaches of who's not talking to who and who to invite and not to invite.  We're so excited after we said 'This is it!  We're having a destination wedding.'

[casontag]

Well our number one reason is that I need a vacation and absolutely cannot afford to do both. Lol! Secondly I have been in too many weddings where the bride does not enjoy her day due to all the formalities. Everyone I know was just ready to leave to their hunneymoon. We have already been living as a married couple with children for years. We already feel married. We just want a vacation and some beautiful pictures to hang on the wall.

[iLuvPinkNPurple]

I wanted to have a destination wedding coz I wanted it to be extra different and extra special. Well, my mom and dad had their wedding held traditionally- a church ceremony and reception was held at a fine dining restaurant. My older brothers had their weddings the same way as my parents' but the 2nd one had a garden wedding. I wanted my wedding to be extra memorable for the people who've attended. I think 30 (50 max) guests is fine. Me and my fiance loves the beach and a beach wedding is just perfect for us. I have great respect for traditional and classic weddings but I think it's about time to look forward to something great, exciting and fun like a destination wedding. Indeed it's a ceremony+vactaion+reunion+partey in one!! 

[Jamielynn55]

It's much easier for me to justify spending that kinda money for a wedding if I get to spend a whole week with my family and friends!

[CourtandMatt]

Originally Posted by Jamielynn55 

 

It's much easier for me to justify spending that kinda money for a wedding if I get to spend a whole week with my family and friends!

 

I totally agree!