The Magic of a Destination Wedding: More Than Just a Day
Your destination wedding may be the only time you have everyone most important in your life gathered together for an extended 3 to 4 days. Let that sink in for a moment.
When my husband and I were married back in March of 2015 (almost 10 years ago now!), it wasn’t just the wedding day that made it special—it was the entire weekend. I remember my sister-in-law ordered seven desserts at dinner (it’s an all-inclusive; you’ve got to make the most of it!) and my friend mistaking the coconut trees for mango trees. There were endless moments of laughter and stories that still live on, woven into the memories of that weekend.
And that’s the real magic of a destination wedding. It’s not just the wedding ceremony itself but the entire experience with the people you love most. I can’t think of another time in my life when my friends, family, and colleagues were all together under the same palm trees as they shared laughs and unforgettable moments.
Of course, I remember my wedding day—the joy on my husband’s face as I walked toward him. My dad at my side as he walked me down the aisle. But if I’m honest, I had to sit here for two hours to remember the song I walked down the aisle to (it was an instrumental version of All of Me by John Legend if you truly need to know...). I can’t even remember the exact courses we had for dinner...though I do remember being thrilled about the steak and lobster I picked out on the menu.
In 10 years, those tiny details that seem so important at this stage in your wedding planning journey will blur. Life moves forward and sometimes it whizzes by. Here I am now raising my daughter who is almost 8, growing my career, and both my dad and grandma have since passed away. But the memories from my destination wedding? They’re still crystal clear. I have photos from those days all over my house, and my family and friends still tell the same funny stories to this day.
A wedding at home, while beautiful, can’t quite capture the magic of a destination wedding. It’s just one day, and then everyone returns to their lives. But a destination wedding? That’s a collection of moments over multiple days, and an experience that connects your loved ones in a way nothing else can.
So, if you’re on the fence about having a destination wedding and wondering if people will actually come- here’s my take: the people who truly matter will find a way to be there. And if that means having a smaller, more intimate group, then it's a chance to strengthen connections and maybe form new ones.
In the end, the real magic of a destination wedding isn’t just about the wedding—it’s about the time you all spend together. In paradise no less!
