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The real reasons couples pick a destination wedding, what independent surveys say about guest cost and attendance, and how to decide if it suits you.
Couples choose destination weddings to combine the wedding with a trip, to keep the guest list naturally small, and to marry somewhere that means something to them. The trade-off is cost and access for guests: in a 2018 LendingTree survey, attending a destination wedding cost guests $1,422 on average, and 51% of those invited to one had declined. It suits couples who are happy with a smaller, travel-willing crowd.
There's no recent independent survey measuring why couples pick a destination, so these are the reasons commonly described, not ranked statistics.
The best independent data on destination weddings is about guests. A LendingTree survey of 1,000 US adults who had recently attended or taken part in a wedding, run April 26 to May 1, 2018, found:
Legal requirements vary by country. Some countries have residency periods, document translation or civil-ceremony rules. Many couples marry legally at home and hold the ceremony abroad. Check the destination's official guidance and your own government's advice on marriage abroad. Our guides to getting married in Italy, Greece and Mexico cover specifics. Plan earlier than for a local wedding. Guests need time to book flights and leave. See how far in advance to plan a destination wedding. Expect lower attendance. Plan the venue for the people who will realistically come. What percentage of wedding guests attend explains why there's no reliable national figure, and how to estimate yours.
It tends to work when:
Because fewer invited guests travel, the guest list works differently. Invite the people you would be sad to miss, not the number the venue holds, and expect replies to arrive later than for a local wedding while guests check flights and leave. Set an RSVP date that still leaves time to confirm room blocks and final numbers with the venue. When should wedding RSVPs be due? covers the timing, and if you are hosting a welcome dinner or a day trip too, track replies for each event separately.
Tell people early, with an honest idea of costs. Make it clear there are no hard feelings if they can't come. Share accommodation options at several price points. Consider a relaxed party at home afterwards for those who couldn't travel.
Commonly to combine the wedding with travel, keep the guest list small, and marry somewhere meaningful to them. No recent independent survey ranks these reasons.
It varies. In a 2018 LendingTree survey, 51% of people invited to a destination wedding had declined, so plan for noticeably lower attendance than at a local wedding.
Not in itself, but it asks a lot of guests. In the same 2018 survey, 55% of respondents said destination weddings can be inconsiderate. Early notice and no pressure to attend help.
Often, if it meets the destination's legal requirements, but rules vary by country. Many couples do the legal paperwork at home and hold a symbolic ceremony abroad.
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