Photo by Lydia Freudenberg
Venice, Italy
When it comes to tying the knot, there are countless ways to make the experience memorable. Though most weddings take place close to home, some couples long to travel for their big day. According to The Knot’s annual Real Weddings Study of nearly 13,000 U.S. brides and grooms married in 2017, one in four marriages are destination weddings.
If one thing is certain, it’s that destination weddings aren’t for the faint of heart. In almost every case, couples require some form of professional planning or coordination to manage the event and travel logistics. And even if a couple decides they are willing to accept all the trade-offs, there’s no guarantee that their guests will do the same.
Let’s Go!
If you have the availability and the means to attend a destination wedding, there’s a lot to consider. What sort of gift is appropriate in this scenario? Should you take a plus one? What level of formality is expected for a beach wedding?
With all of the extra expenses you’re expected to incur, it would be tempting to forego giving a gift. However, the rule of thumb is to send a gift for any invite you receive, whether you plan to attend or not.
Pro Tip: According to Jennifer Spector, director of brand strategy for Zola Weddings, a suite of online wedding planning tools, there’s always a way to give a gift that doesn’t break the bank. She suggests finding a bottle of wine from the region in which the couple will be married or framing a nice photo of the couple.
One way to take full advantage of this opportunity would be to book your own mini getaway around the wedding festivities. If you go early and stay a few days late, all of a sudden you’re embarking on an exotic vacation.
We identified some of the top wedding destinations, each including suggested excursions should you choose to make a trip of it.
Australia
- This is definitely an adventurous destination; if you wind up on the guest list for a wedding down under, consider planning a few activities like scuba diving and snorkeling, trekking the outback, and white-water rafting. Make sure to check out the Great Barrier Reef, too!
Caribbean
- Perhaps the first thing you imagine when you think destination wedding, the white sand beaches of the Caribbean offer some of the most popular spots to tie the knot. Bermuda, though isolated from the other Caribbean islands, often offers cheaper flights, beautiful golf courses, a botanical garden and scuba diving among reefs and shipwrecks.
Italy
- Aside from the killer wine selection, Italy boasts popular spots to say “I do,” including the Amalfi Coast, Tuscany, Venice and, of course, Rome. This is a great opportunity to see classic tourist attractions and indulge in the local delicacies.
Iceland
- Iceland offers diverse locations for the special ceremony, including on top of a mountain, inside an ice cave, on a black sand beach, among mystical waterfalls or even in an Icelandic national park. Though the bride and groom may have to narrow it down a bit, as a guest you can potentially see it all. At the very least, make sure to witness the captivating northern lights.
New Zealand
- New Zealand, though almost 24 hours away via plane ride, is home to some of the world’s most spectacular landscapes. If you’re attending a wedding here, and happen to be a Lord of the Rings fan, make sure to check out the film tours offered.
Had to Say No?
According to The Knot, the average wedding guest spends $888 on clothes, traveling, hotel accommodations, gifts and other expenses. Add an exotic location and seasonal travel costs to the mix, and that price tag inflates even more. Of course, you want to support the couple, but how much are you willing, and expected, to spend on the ordeal?
Pro Tip: If you’re hosting a destination wedding, be prepared for about 50 percent of the guests on your invite list to say no. That’s a 40 percent increase from the decline rate that can be expected of a traditional wedding, but it comes with the (foreign) territory.
First and foremost, consider your relationship to the bride and groom. If you aren’t immediate family or in the wedding party, you shouldn’t feel obligated to travel for the wedding. Send your regrets as soon as you know it’s out of the question.
Eliminating the cost of travel and accommodations, especially in the case of destination weddings, might even allow you to give a bigger gift. Be aware of your budget and choose a gift from the registry that you know they’ll love.
Jenny Wise is an associate editor. Feedback welcome at jwise@cityscenemediagroup.com.
