If you haven’t attended a destination wedding yet, you probably know someone who has. What’s the attraction of being married far from home?
Well, there are a few attributes that make a destination wedding an excellent choice for a growing number of couples. Not least among these is the feeling that you’re stealing away from your daily life for a romantic ceremony in an exotic location – something that only celebrities used to do.
The practical advantages of a destination wedding include the fact that it can actually cost less than a traditional wedding. And, you can give your guests a fun opportunity for a brief or extended vacation, while you and your beloved get right to the honeymoon.
When planning a destination wedding, it’s important to work with a travel professional, who can negotiate the best prices for you and your guests, coordinate everyone’s flight schedules, and help you decide where exactly to tie the knot, whether it’s on a beach, at the top of a ski slope, or in a Medieval garden. Your travel professional can also help you arrange for a qualified officiant and check on any residency or license requirements at your destination.
With a destination wedding, your most difficult task may be deciding where to go. Depending on your budget, you might consider the jaw-dropping beauty of Tahiti, a true South Pacific paradise; Italy’s scenic Amalfi Coast; or one of the quiet outer islands of the Bahamas.
One of the most popular wedding destinations for U.S. couples is Mexico, where either the Gulf or Pacific Coast is perfect for a lovely ceremony followed by a beach honeymoon. Jamaica’s white-sand beaches and reggae beats make it another very popular choice.
If you want or need to stay a bit closer to home but still desire an exciting destination wedding, look no further than Orlando’s Disney World, which offers a variety of wedding packages; the Grand Canyon, where spectacular Shoshone Point or Grandeur Point can be reserved for weddings; or the ice field of a glacier in Juneau, Alaska (the bride may wish to wear something other than white so as not to blend in).
Starting your destination wedding planning is easy – just call your travel professional.
This travel column was written by BlueRibbonNews.com special contributor Robbert van Bloemendaal, an experienced world traveler, native of Australia, an Ambassador with the Rowlett Chamber of Commerce, and president of Travel Leaders of Rowlett.
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