Destination Weddings

He’s popped the big question. You said YES! Now all you need to do is make the big plans. Do you want a traditional Church wedding? Or just simply elope and save some money? Or, should you go all out and make it not only a wedding but a destination wedding adding your dream vacation as the venue?

And just what is a destination wedding? Destination weddings are weddings outside the traditional church setting per say. Most destination weddings are designed and organized to take place away from home and come with the ease of planning to include a minimum of guests and shorten the to do list while offering the bride and groom and 2 for one deal; a wedding and honeymoon on the grounds of their dream vacation. In this edition of HER, we’ll take you to some of the world’s most romantic, elegant & affordable places to say “I do”.

#1 Place for Destination Weddings: Mexico South of the border, Mexico entices couples with its warm, sunny weather, colorful culture, extensive coastline, spicy cuisine, and wide choice of accommodations.

#2 Most Popular Place for Destination Weddings Away: Jamaica
A lush island, Jamaica has beaches, waterfalls, mountains to explore. Add in more all-inclusives than anywhere else in the Caribbean and a reggae beat, and it's no wonder it's so popular with couples who want a destination wedding followed by a beach honeymoon.

#3 Place for Destination Weddings Away: Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic has both fine boutique hotels and price-competitive all-inclusives. Outside of isolated enclaves on the island's southeastern side, however, couples may encounter sanitation issues.

#4 Place for Destination Weddings Away: Bahamas
The beautiful Bahamas, just off the coast of Florida, offer couples everything from 24/7 excitement to total laidback bliss, depending on whether they opt for developed Nassau, Freeport, Paradise, and Grand Bahama Island or one of the low-key Out Islands.

#5 Place for Destination Weddings Away: Hawaii
It's a long flight to Hawaii from just about anywhere, yet couples flock to the state's gorgeous islands in order to have a memorable destination wedding in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

#6 Most Popular Place for Destination Weddings Away: USVI
As a United States territory, it couldn't be easier to marry in the USVI. Couples can island hop from St. John, a vast nature preserve; to St. Croix; to shopaholic's dream St. Thomas, the destination where visitors are allowed to bring back more duty free items than from any place else.

#7 Most Popular Place for Destination Weddings Away: Aruba
Dry Aruba, south of the hurricane zone, welcomes wedding couples year-round. Its clean, wide beaches beckon lovers by day, and its dozen-or-so casinos keep the action going till the wee hours.

#8 Most Popular Place for Destination Weddings Away: Fiji
Exotic Fiji, with its gentle culture and castaway-island charm, is the choice of couples who want an unusual getaway-from-it-all wedding destination.

#9 Most Popular Choice for Destination Weddings Away: Cruise
Not only are cruise weddings affordable, they give couples opportunities to sail on their honeymoon to a variety of ports immediately following the wedding. Many ships have dedicated wedding chapels and can also arrange port-side weddings.

#10 Most Popular Place for Destination Weddings Away: Europe
Historic and romantic, Europe's great cities and small villages alike provide unforgettable settings for destination weddings. However, many countries within Europe have stringent requirements for marriage that can include a long residency period. For this reason, many couples who want a destination wedding in Europe first marry at home and then have a symbolic ceremony in Europe.

If your planning to say I do this year, visit the official websites of some of the above venues. Destination weddings are becoming a more popular and savvy approach to today’s wedding. While there are still traditional weddings planned in the Church, destination weddings are most popular because of the all-inclusive added value.

Anitra Byers
Travel Consultant/Business Owner
Wallet Happy Vacations
www.wallethappyvacations.com

additional research found @honeymooncruisehoppers.com