Destination Weddings

Betsy and David were excited to be getting married. What they weren't excited about was the hastle of pulling together all of the details involved in pulling off a wedding. This left them with three options.

• Grin and bear it.
• Hire a wedding planner to take care of everything.
• A Destination Wedding.

The chose the destination wedding and it turned out to be the perfect choice - for them. They got married on a perfectly manicured lawn ringed with volcanic rocks, palm trees, and orchids against a back drop of the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean. It was almost like a fantasy.

But that's not the real reason it worked out for them: The real reason it worked out for them is that with a destination wedding couples tend to be more focused on the big picture as opposed to the details. In a wedding in an exotic or far away locale you have to let someone else take care of the details. Indeed many exotic locations may have only two florists, one caterer, and three photographers. With a destination wedding you have to let go of these details and accept things as they are. This allows couples to view the event as a fun-filled get-away - where they're getting with only a few guests to help them celebrate this most beautiful time of their lives.

As a matter of fact, destination weddings often turn into a combination wedding, honeymoon and a family reunion vacation all wrapped up in one.

There are several downsides to destination weddings to consider before you make your decision:

• Your guest list is severely limited.
• You have to be able to relinquish control over the details of your wedding and be happy with whatever the planner / hosting company provides you with.
• Cost. While a destination wedding sounds great, the reality is that the expense makes it impractical for most people. At the very least you will have to give your guests ample warning so they can budget and schedule a the trip. But in many cases the bride and groom end up footing much or all of the cost for all of their guest's travel expenses. Ouch!

For these reasons, weddings in exotic locations tend to be more popular with older couples who can handle the financial burden and are less interested in the guest list and wedding details than they are with making memories with their loved ones. In Betsy and David's case, this option worked because they are not detail oriented people and a destination wedding by the sea with their family and closest friends was the best memory for their wedding day that they could imagine.

The Destination Wedding Option

The destination wedding is an option that has gained popularity in recent years. This option generally abandons the idea of a large wedding in favor of a ceremony with just a few friends and family members in an exotic local that the couple can look back on forever as a wedding that was not just like every one of their friend's wedding.

One appeal of the destination wedding is the very trait that turns many off to the choice: When the wedding ceremony is over, typically the friends and family stay in that exotic location with you and help you celebrate. In effect, for at least a few days after your ceremony, your guests are there with you on your honeymoon. For some people this is a great thing. For others, not so good. Either way, it is one characteristic that a perspective couple should talk through before choosing this option.

The destination wedding option is not the cheapest option but it might be the easiest. The reason for this is that since you are coming in from out of town - unless you can afford to make multiple trips or stay there for months prior to your wedding - you have to pay someone else to take care of all of the details. So, if all goes as planned, all you do is choose your gown and show up.

Fortunately, there are companies (resorts, wedding planners, and wedding hosting companies) everywhere that I am familiar with that will be happy to do this for you. This is true regardless of whether you are wanting to be married in a Scottish Castle, or on a Caribbean island, on the Atlantic, at sunset in Hawaii, or against the rugged beauty of the Oregon Coast or Canadian Rockies.

The obvious downside to a destination wedding is that they are often most expensive option you can choose. The reason is simple: Travel. You not only have to pay your own travel expenses, but you need to be prepared to pay for the travel expenses of everyone in your wedding party as well. That's a big expense, but that's the trade off.

The obvious exception to this is a Las Vegas wedding. If you live within driving distance of Las Vegas, etc and your party is content to drive, well needless to say, your costs could be more manageable.

Fortunately for today’s bride, with a consultation with a good wedding planning service, she can choose a wedding that is as traditional or unique as she chooses it to be.

If you are unsure of what kind of wedding you would like, consult a planner who will most likely be full of with wedding ideas.