The Growing Trend - Destination Weddings

I know a young couple who traveled to the Azores for a destination wedding this past Spring and are invited to three more destination weddings this year and next - two in Italy and one in California. While these trips will dip into their savings, they're using these destinations to extend vacation plans.

More and more couples are opting to turn their nuptials into a "wed-cation", getting away from the traditional hometown location to an exotic destination. Couples are choosing more non-traditional domestic venues, as well as lesser-known international destinations. So what is prompting this trend? Several factors are at play:

1. The Means for a Personal and Unique Wedding. The average age of engaged couples has gone up substantially over the years. This means they've been to a lot of weddings and are looking for a one-of-a-kind way to celebrate. Because they are older, they may have more funds to finance a destination wedding. According to Brides Magazine, in 2025 on average couples will plan to visit 3-5 resort venues during their pre-visit, digging in to get the best fit for their destination wedding and may pay as much as $1,000 per guest.

2. Intimate and Budget Friendly (maybe). Destination weddings traditionally have fewer guests and couples can stretch their budgets, opting to spend more per guest. Site visits, vendor travel, guest transportation, and additional lodgings are considerations during the planning stages. However, a destination for 50 people can run $25,000 - $50,000 depending upon the location and venue.

3. Guest Experience. While guests will pay more to attend the wedding, couples are looking to create a lasting, memorable experience for those that attend. Add-on experiences might include sightseeing tours, outdoor activities, transportation, food and wine tastings, etc. over a multi-day schedule of events.

4.  Sustainability. As environmental awareness grows, many couples are opting for sustainable weddings. This includes choosing eco-friendly (green) resort venues and supporting the communities in their destinations by hiring local planners, photographers, makeup artists, bands, and other vendors.

5. Unedited Content. With the rise of social media, couples are hiring content creators to capture the “raw" content of their destination wedding experience to post, share, and relive the most special parts of their big day in real time.

The trend doesn't seem to be slowing down. According to the Destination and Wedding Global Market Guide, by 2027 the destination wedding industry will be worth more than $78 billion. So grab your bags and make an excuse to attend a wedding and take a vacation all in one!

"I've traveled the whole world, but you're still my favorite destination."

Tagline from a destination wedding invitation