According to the Knot, destination weddings have remained a consistent and popular option for couples, making up nearly a quarter of the market. And with that, has come the evolution of the industry itself. No longer are destination weddings known for cookie-cutter beach celebrations—these days, wedding getaways can be high-end or highly cost-effective, and either way, highly personalized, so there’s no reason to make any assumptions.
The increased focus on custom destination wedding packages paired with nearly unlimited opportunities to personalize the Big Day is now attracting larger budgets, and, with that, a rise of luxury destination weddings.
All-in-one packages serve couples on all points of the budget spectrum and these days, there are a wealth of upgrades available for those with a taste for the finer things in life. If food and beverages are a couple’s priority, for example, they could craft menus that include additional courses, organically- sourced ingredients and top-shelf liquor.
While one of the benefits of a destination wedding has always been their stunning backdrops, couples are now choosing to enhance their surroundings with upgraded décor- from exotic floral arrangements and custom linens to professional lighting design.
Couples are also setting their sights on high-end destinations for their nuptials–in addition to the ever-popular Caribbean, couples are also taking their luxury celebrations abroad to places like Tahiti, Iceland and Italy for a unique and unforgettable experience. In some cases, these luxury destination weddings are held at all-inclusive resorts that cater to everyone’s needs whereas others choose unique venues like boutique hotels, historic castles or grand estates.
With a rising emphasis on guest experience, excursions for the couple and guests alike are becoming increasingly widespread. Winery tours, horseback riding on the beach and scuba diving are all great options for wedding parties that want to make the most of their time in the area.
No matter the preferences of the couple, a destination wedding is always a great way to make the most out of one’s budget. As the luxury destination wedding market continues to grow, we are looking forward to seeing what new trends couples will introduced in 2017 and beyond.
Rebecca Hochreiter is the Vice President of Marketing & Customer Engagement at DestinationWeddings.com, the world's leading destination wedding and romantic travel planning company. DestinationWeddings.com has worked with nearly 25,000 couples and half a million guests to plan dream destination weddings. DestinationWeddings.com is one of the award-winning brands in the Celebration Travel Group collection.
