June 4, 2026
Everyone keeps saying “destination wedding” like it means one thing.
It doesn’t.
A destination wedding can be 10 people on a cliff in Iceland. It can be 80 of your favorite humans on a Tuscan vineyard for three days. It can be just you and your person, barefoot in the Florida Keys, with nobody watching except your photographer.
So when couples ask me what is a destination wedding, my honest answer is: it depends entirely on you.
Let me actually explain it.
What Is a Destination Wedding (The Actual Definition)
A destination wedding is any wedding that requires you, your partner, and at least some of your people to travel somewhere meaningful in order to get married. That’s it. That’s the whole definition.
It doesn’t have to be international. It doesn’t have to be expensive. It doesn’t have to involve passports or 14-hour flights.
If you live in Atlanta and you get married in the mountains of Colorado, that’s a destination wedding.
If you live in New York and you get married in Sedona, that’s a destination wedding.
If you live in Orlando and you fly your family to Italy, that’s a destination wedding.
The “destination” is just somewhere that isn’t your hometown. Somewhere you have to show up on purpose.
What a Destination Wedding Is NOT
Let me clear some stuff up.
A destination wedding is not just a fancier version of a regular wedding. It’s a fundamentally different kind of day.
It’s not a beach photo with a white dress and a guy in linen pants. That’s an aesthetic. A destination wedding is logistical.
It’s not automatically more expensive than a hometown wedding. Often it’s actually less, because your guest list shrinks naturally.
It’s not just for people with unlimited budgets. Couples plan beautiful destination weddings on tight budgets all the time. The trick is being smart about location and guest count.
And it’s not the same thing as an elopement. Though it can be one. More on that next.
Destination Wedding vs. Destination Elopement: What’s the Difference?
People mix these up constantly, so let me untangle it.
A destination elopement is just the two of you. Maybe a witness. Maybe nobody. You travel somewhere stunning, you get married, you celebrate however you want. No reception. No 100-person guest list. No timeline that involves your great aunt’s seating preference.
A destination wedding usually means you brought people with you. Anywhere from 6 to 60 guests is the sweet spot for what most people call a “destination wedding.” Big enough to feel like a real celebration. Small enough that the location can hold it without losing the intimacy.
Both can happen in the same kinds of places. Both can be incredible. They just feel different.
If you’re still trying to figure out which one you actually want, I wrote a full step-by-step guide on planning a destination elopement here: How to Plan the Perfect Destination Elopement in 10 Steps.
The Three Shapes a Destination Wedding Usually Takes
Most destination weddings fall into one of these. Pick the one that sounds like you.
1. The Intimate Destination Wedding (3–25 guests)
This is the version most of our couples land on. Small enough that everyone there really matters. Big enough to still feel like a wedding, not just a ceremony.
You can do this almost anywhere. A villa in Italy. A cabin in the Smokies. A national park lodge. A house rental in the Florida Keys with a backyard ceremony at golden hour.
The benefit? Your day actually feels like yours. You’re not running between 12 tables of relatives trying to say hi to everyone. You can hug every person there. You can actually eat dinner.
2. The Mid-Size Destination Wedding (30–60 guests)
This is where things start to get more logistical. You’re still keeping it intimate, but now you need lodging for more people, transportation, food, and probably a venue or property big enough to host the whole crew.
This is usually a 3-day affair. Welcome dinner. Wedding day. Send-off brunch.
It’s a real production. But it’s also a real party.
3. The Big Destination Wedding (60+ guests)
Most common in multi-day Indian weddings and big family-centered cultures where the celebration is the point.
This is where you really need a planner, multiple vendors, and a serious timeline. It’s a beast. But when it’s done right? Unforgettable.
We’ve shot these in Mexico, the Caribbean, and all over the U.S., and we love them. They’re not for everyone. But if your family is your whole world, this is the version that gives them a full week of you.
Who Is a Destination Wedding Actually For?
I’ll be straight with you.
A destination wedding is for couples who care more about the experience than the guest count.
It’s for the couple who’d rather have 20 people who really matter in a place they actually love than 200 people in a banquet hall ten minutes from home.
It’s for the couple who wants their wedding to feel like a trip. A pause from real life. A few days where nobody is checking work email and everyone is actually present.
It’s for couples who travel well together. Who don’t lose their minds when a flight gets delayed. Who can roll with weather changes and last-minute pivots.
And it’s for couples who want photos that don’t look like every other wedding.
Who Shouldn’t Do a Destination Wedding?
Equally important.
If your biggest priority is having every single person you’ve ever known at your wedding, a destination wedding isn’t going to fit. People can’t always come. That’s the trade.
If the idea of planning something far from home stresses you out so badly you can’t function, that’s a sign. (Unless you hire someone like me to handle the logistics for you. More on that in a minute.)
If you’re someone who needs to physically visit your venue four times before signing a contract, a destination wedding is going to test your patience.
Know yourself before you decide.
How Much Does a Destination Wedding Actually Cost?
This is the question everyone wants the answer to.
The honest answer: less than you think, and more than you think, depending on what you choose.
A 15-person destination wedding in a national park or at a vacation rental somewhere in the U.S. can run anywhere from $15,000 to $40,000 total. That includes travel, lodging, food, vendors, and the actual ceremony setup.
A 50-person international destination wedding with a planner, a multi-day itinerary, and a full reception can land anywhere from $40,000 to $100,000+.
What blows the budget? Guest count. Always guest count.
Cutting your list from 100 to 25 will save you more money than any vendor negotiation ever will. That’s the math of destination weddings, and once you accept it, everything else gets easier.
What Does a Destination Wedding Actually Look Like?
Let me drop you into one.
You and 18 of your favorite people land in Tuscany on a Thursday. You’ve rented a villa with 9 bedrooms. You spend the first day drinking wine, eating pasta you didn’t have to cook, and showing your guests where the pool is.
Friday is the welcome dinner. Long table outside. String lights. The kind of dinner where everyone stays at the table until midnight.
Saturday is the wedding day. Ceremony on the lawn. Photos in the olive grove at golden hour. Dinner under the stars. A dance floor nobody wants to leave.
Sunday is a slow farewell brunch. Hugs. Goodbyes. Promises to do this again somewhere new.
That’s a destination wedding.
Now picture the same thing but in Colorado. Or the Florida Keys. Or Costa Rica. Or Zion. The container changes. The feeling doesn’t.
If you want help figuring out which location is right for you, I broke down the best national parks to get married in right here: Best National Parks to Elope in 2026: Pros, Cons, and Vibes.
Why Most Couples Avoid Destination Weddings (And Why They Shouldn’t)
The number one reason couples don’t do destination weddings? They don’t think they can pull it off.
The logistics scare them. The “what if grandma can’t come” guilt scares them. The unknown scares them.
Here’s my honest take.
Most destination wedding fears come from not knowing what you don’t know. The minute you have someone in your corner who’s done this before, the fear goes away.
I’ve shot weddings and elopements in 36 countries and across 47 national parks. Eric and I have flown to places most photographers have never been. We’ve handled airline delays, dress emergencies, lost luggage, monsoon weather, and altitude sickness at 13,000 feet.
We know how to do this.
That’s why every destination wedding I shoot comes with The Full Planning Experience. Location scouting. Timeline building. Vendor recs. Permits. Weather backup plans. Custom location guides for you and your guests. All of it.
You don’t have to figure it out. That’s literally my job.
How to Know if a Destination Wedding Is Right for You
Ask yourself this.
When you picture your wedding, do you see it in your hometown? Or somewhere else?
If somewhere else, where?
If you can name the place, you already know. That’s where you should get married.
The hard part isn’t deciding to do a destination wedding. The hard part is admitting you actually want one and then giving yourself permission to make it happen.
Give yourself permission.
What to Look for in a Destination Wedding Photographer
If you’re going to do this, hire someone who actually travels. Not someone who’ll fly to your destination once and figure it out on the ground.
Look for:
A photographer with a real portfolio in multiple locations. Not just their hometown city.
Experience with the kind of wedding you’re planning. Intimate, big, multi-day, cultural. They should have shot something like yours before.
Logistical chops. They should be able to talk you through travel, timing, weather, and backup plans without flinching.
A calm energy. Destination weddings have a lot of moving parts. You need someone who keeps it together when something goes sideways.
Real reviews from real destination clients. Not just local ones.
And if your photographer can also help with planning, vendor recs, and timeline building? Even better. Most can’t. The ones who can are gold.
You can read more about how Eric and I work together as a destination wedding photographer and elopement team here. And if you’re closer to home, our Florida elopement photographer page and Orlando wedding photographer page have more on what we do locally.
Frequently Asked Questions About Destination Weddings
What counts as a destination wedding?
A destination wedding is any wedding that takes place somewhere you and your guests have to travel to. It doesn’t have to be international. If your wedding requires flights, hotels, or even a road trip from where you live, it counts.
Is a destination wedding cheaper than a regular wedding?
It can be. A smaller guest count usually means a lower overall cost, even after factoring in travel. Most couples save money by going from a 150-person hometown wedding to a 25-person destination wedding. Cost-per-guest goes up. Total cost goes down.
How far in advance should you plan a destination wedding?
Twelve to eighteen months is the sweet spot. That gives your guests time to plan travel, book flights at reasonable prices, and request time off work. International destination weddings sometimes need even more lead time depending on the location and any legal paperwork involved.
Do guests pay for their own travel and lodging?
Usually, yes. Guests typically cover their own flights and accommodations. Some couples cover lodging if they’re renting a villa or house big enough for the whole group. Either way, communicate clearly early so guests can plan and save.
What if our guests can’t come?
That’s part of the deal. A destination wedding means a smaller crowd by design. The people who really want to be there will figure it out. The people who can’t make it can be celebrated at a casual party back home after the wedding. Both can exist.
Can our destination wedding also be our elopement?
Absolutely. Plenty of our couples blur that line. You can have a “destination wedding” that’s just the two of you and call it whatever feels right. More on that on our destination elopement page.
You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone
Here’s the thing.
You don’t have to know all the answers before you start. You don’t have to have the location picked. You don’t have to have a guest list. You don’t have to know if you want it big or small.
You just have to know that you want something different.
That’s where I come in.
I’ll help you figure out the location. Build the timeline. Find the vendors. Talk through the weather plans, the legal stuff, the dress logistics, the family dynamics. I’ll come prepped. I’ll keep my cool. And I’ll make sure you actually get to live your wedding instead of just survive it.
Now booking 2026 and 2027 destination weddings and elopements.
If you’ve been sitting on this idea for months, this is your sign. Let’s make your dreams a reality.
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