*Photo via Sandals
Many couples dream of throwing a destination wedding, whether it’s on a snowy mountain or a tropical beach. Of course, there are both benefits and drawbacks to hosting your celebration far away from home. Should you have a destination wedding? Only you can say for sure, but here are a few pros and cons of destination weddings that will help you make your decision.
Pros of a Destination Wedding
- Resorts often have all-inclusive packages. Planning a wedding from afar can be tricky, but many resorts take the stress off of you by offering all-inclusive wedding and elopement packages. This means you won’t need to worry about the nitty gritty details. You just need to focus on the big picture, and let the resort coordination team (and maybe your wedding planner) take care of the rest.
- You’ll get extended vacation time with your spouse, family, and friends. One of the biggest benefits of a destination wedding is that you have a chance to get all of your closest loved ones together to explore a gorgeous area – something that can be hard to pull off under normal circumstances! While it’s great spending time with family and friends at any location, having your wedding at an incredible destination makes the gathering a little more special.
- You can be more selective with your guest list. Destination weddings are typically smaller affairs, so when creating your guest list, you can focus on the people who are nearest and dearest to you, and cut out others. Granted, this may also be a con for those who dream of a larger celebration
- You’ll get breathtaking wedding photos. If you have a destination wedding, you’re practically guaranteed to get gorgeous wedding photos that you’ll cherish forever.
Cons of a Destination Wedding
- It may be harder for some of your loved ones to attend. The farther away a destination is, the more likely it is that some invited guests won’t be able to attend. Some may have financial restrictions, while others may not be able to take the extra time off of work to travel. You should also consider any of the needs of your older guests – some may not be able to do long-distance travel.
- Planning a destination wedding can get complicated. As mentioned above, if you’re working with an all-inclusive wedding package, matters will be a lot easier. However, if you aren’t using a resort package for your wedding, destination wedding planning can get complicated. You may be dealing with language barriers, different currencies, different time zones – and the simple fact that you won’t be physically at your wedding location makes planning a bit more difficult. This is why it is highly recommended that you hire a wedding planner for destination weddings.
- You’ll need to plan in advance. This won’t be a bad thing for all couples. However, if you’re looking to have a short engagement, a destination wedding probably isn’t a viable option for you – particularly if you’re having anything larger than a very intimate celebration. With destination weddings, you’ll need to have your save the dates sent out at least 8 to 12 months before the celebration.
- You may have to deal with legal complications. This will depend on where you’re getting married, but different countries and areas will have their own requirements for getting legally married. This means you’ll need to do some extra research and outline exactly what you need to do to make things official. Of course, the destination wedding ceremony can be symbolic, and you could just get married legally at a courthouse back home.
If you are in the process of planning your wedding, come to the next Georgia Bridal Show near you. You will have the chance to meet with professional wedding vendors of all talents who can help bring your vision to life!
Georgia wedding vendors, as well as other wedding professionals across the Southeast, can contact us about opportunities for exhibition and online marketing with Georgia Bridal Show.