Having done the traditional wedding once already, are you looking for something different this time around?
Are you wondering whether a destination wedding is a good choice for a second marriage?
Are there advantages to having a destination wedding?
In this article, we are going to go over why destination weddings have become such a popular alternative for encore brides.
So why are destination weddings so popular among second marriages?
Destination weddings have become a very popular alternative to a traditional hometown wedding. According to Conde Nast traveler, almost 16 percent of all couples are choosing to have a destination wedding and that number continues to rise. Of all the destination weddings, a third are second marriages.
Here are the reasons why couples are choosing a destination wedding over a traditional one.
A Break From Tradition
If you’re getting married for a second time, then you’ve probably done the traditional walk down the aisle with your dad routine and are now interested in doing things their own way and on their terms. Most couples who are getting married again are older (Median age for second marriage for women is 34 and men is 37), and in better financial shape than they were at the time of their first wedding.
Having the freedom to let your best friend give you away or to wear flip flops and khakis to your own wedding is an idea that is as appealing as the beach as a setting.
Intimacy
Many couples who are remarrying don’t want the full scale wedding with 200 guests. What they crave is the intimacy of a wedding that is small and private. Being a bit older (and wiser hopefully), they want to call the shots at their wedding.
You Call The Shots, Not Your Parents
Julie Sawyer has a typical story of her first wedding. “Once we announced out engagement, both of our parents wanted the wedding to occur in their hometown. My dad wanted it in New York City, and his parents wanted it in Seattle. It took us two months just to get them to agree to the location of the wedding (NYC), but the infighting did not end there. Both parents just butted heads all the way through and all we wanted was a simple wedding that reflected our tastes”.
“When I got engaged for the second time, my fiance and I discussed the idea of a destination wedding so we booked it. Then we told everyone that we were getting married in Vail, on top of a mountain, during ski season. We invited those we loved and the wedding was truly a reflection of what we wanted, as a couple”.
Bonding With The Kids
If this is a second marriage and if either of you have kids, then a destination wedding provides a great way to get everyone to get to know each other.
Book an all inclusive resort or cruise and get them involved in the wedding process. Make them your ring bearers and flower girls at the wedding. Make it a memorable vacation for them so they have something to reflect upon when they get back.
No Obsessive Planning Required
If you have a busy career and don’t have the time or the interest in planning a wedding three thousand miles away, then you don’t have to. Just book an all inclusive resort that offers a wedding planner and they take care of the all details. All you and your guests have to do is show up.
How many guests can I expect to show up at my destination wedding? And what does it cost?
A traditional wedding will cost a little over $30,000 to pull off in your hometown. The average destination wedding, however, will cost you slightly less at around $26,000 with a little over 60 guests attending the ceremony. Your actual destination wedding costs will vary depending on the style and length and location of the event.
Speaking of location, what are the most popular ones for a destination wedding?
Popular Locations For A Destination Wedding?
- Las Vegas (125,000 weddings a year)
- Hawaii (20,000 weddings a year)
- U.S. Virgin Islands (5,100 weddings a year)
- Jamaica (5,000 weddings a year)
- Bahamas (4,000 weddings a year)
- Mexico and Florida are also important locations for destination weddings
Las Vegas attracts the most destination weddings out of any location in the world. It is famous for its 24 hour chapels and quick weddings (and annulments). However, Las Vegas is also recently becoming popular for a much more intimate kind of destination wedding as larger casinos and hotel chains have begun to offer a more robust menu of wedding choices. In fact, many resorts and casinos in Las Vegas now offer some great wedding packages that would rival the Caribbean resorts.
Other popular locations for a destination wedding are Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean Islands. To learn more about each of these locations, read our destination wedding locations page.
As you have now learned, destination weddings for second marriages have become a very viable alternative to the traditional at home wedding. They provide a fresh start to couples that want to get married on their terms.
So what should you do next?
Look into the various destination wedding options