Destination Weddings: The Pros & Cons

Destination weddings can be an amazing experience for you and your significant other. For some, a destination wedding is perfect and for others, they are less than ideal. There is a popular perception out there that a destination wedding is more expensive than a local wedding. In some cases, yes this is true but in many cases, it can be much cheaper. It just depends on how you approach it. Would your destination wedding be you and your fiancé just eloping while you include a few close friends? Or would it be a full out party where everyone gets invited? In the case where it’s you, your fiancé, and a few close friends, this wedding has a good chance of being cheaper because you’re not paying for a large venue, hundreds of meals, decorations etc. Plus, you would need to include how much were you planning on spending for your honeymoon because now your destination wedding is also your honeymoon. On the flip side, the more people you invite to your destination wedding the more expensive it will become, especially if you are paying for part of your guest’s air-fair or hotel stay. There is a lot more to consider before choosing a destination wedding, we hope the follow few pros and cons will help you decide if a destination wedding could be right for you.

Pros for Having a Destination Wedding

• You can buy a convenient resort package deal where they include everything from cake, officiant, marriage license, activities for guest and etc.
• You can avoid any stress/pressure of inviting people you feel obligated to invite but don’t really want to. Since your wedding would be a destination, typically it would be smaller so that second cousin twice removed you don’t really need to invite.
• Chances are you will actually be able to save money on your destination wedding depending on how you do it of course. If you’re not paying for a venue and 200 hundred people to eat dinner and drink drinks all night, it will probably save you some money. Plus, now your honeymoon expense can be put towards the cost of your destination wedding.
• Who doesn’t love the beach, or Rome, or Paris? You will have great memories and great photos all in a great place.

Cons for Having a Destination Wedding

• If you’re not getting married at a resort with an all-inclusive package you will have the responsibility and potential red tape of planning all the detail of a long-distance wedding. There is a possibility you will have complications trying to get a marriage license, florist, photographer or venue in a foreign country or state.
• Family members and friends may not be able to afford to go to your wedding and so you may lose out on some guests you were hoping to have there. If you have the money, one option could be paying for a portion or all of your guest’s expenses. If you’re on a budget this might not be the best option.
• If your wedding is a destination wedding but also your honeymoon will you actually get a real honeymoon? Certainly, you can if you plan it right but if you don’t you may be sharing your honeymoon time with family and friends more than your spouse.
• If you’re a homebody but far from home, you may get homesick and long to back in what’s familiar. It really depends on your personality.

We hope these few pros and cons can help you make a sound and wise decision on whether a destination wedding is right for you and your spouse. For more information consider talking with someone who has had a destination wedding before. Ask them to be unbiased with you and talk through what some of up’s and down’s might look like for your situation. Best of luck, choose wisely!