Destination wedding pros and cons

More and more couples choose this kind of wedding for its advantages, but there are drawbacks too. To help you decide, here are the pros and cons as I see them as a destination wedding photographer.

For many couples the main reason is the place itself. The location you choose is usually the one that moves you most, and the beach is popular because the backdrop does the work: you hardly need any decoration. Your photographer can make the most of it in every picture.

Not all your friends and relatives will have the time and money to travel, and a smaller guest list makes the wedding intimate. At a destination wedding it is easy to create cosy spaces at the venue and focus on the details that make your guests feel welcome.

With fewer guests, the wedding can cost less than a big one at home with all your friends, relatives and neighbours, but remember to add travel to your budget. It can also be less stressful, because the package often includes rooms for you and your guests, decorations and more.

Destination weddings can cost less than local ones. The couple pays for their stay and the wedding package, including the design, and guests pay their own way to the venue. Some venues offer deals if you book a number of rooms, stay longer or spend your honeymoon there.

Only the friends and relatives you choose will be there, so you can book rooms for a few days. Your guests get time to relax and have fun before and after the wedding.

If you marry abroad, check first how to get married there and which documents you need for the marriage to be legal. Marriage laws differ from country to country, and you do not want to find out later that your wedding is not legally valid.

Some of the people who matter to you may not be able to come, for all kinds of reasons.

If you spend your honeymoon at the same place, you might not get much time alone: many guests will want to stay on too.