Wedding Planning Tips, Your Event Career
Our 11 Picks for Destination Weddings in 2020
Destination weddings are on the rise across the globe! Whether you’re wondering how to become a wedding planner, you’re already a destination wedding planner, or you’re organizing your own destination wedding, you might be looking for the best destination wedding locations. Lucky for you, the QC staff just LOVES to travel! Here are our top destinations that would make for fabulous wedding spots in 2020!
#1 – Riviera Maya, Mexico
From Tulum to Playa del Carmen, the Riviera Maya is a gorgeous piece of coastline along Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. With no shortage of all-inclusive resorts and pristine beaches, this picturesque location makes for perfect fairy-tale weddings. Most resorts along the coast have the whole wedding process down to a science, and can easily accommodate most requests.
Riviera Maya also has throngs of activities for all types of travelers. From immaculate cenotes, to thousand-year-old ruins, to bustling marketplaces, even to coral reefs for scuba diving and snorkeling… There’s always something for everyone!
#2 – Amalfi Coast, Italy
Southern Italy hosts a gorgeous coastline of cliffs and beaches. Here, you’ll find the land dotted with small villages, vineyards, groves, and millions of tourists. The Amalfi Coast is among Italy’s most popular destinations – and for good reason! You or your client can experience the Italian culture to its fullest with a vineyard tour in the morning, followed by the beach in the afternoon. But what if you’re itching for a big city trip? Not to worry; Naples is just a 90 minute drive away! Why not plan a day trip to Pompeii, and visit Mount Vesuvius while you’re at it? Our point is: you can, if your heart desires!
The Amalfi coast’s cliffs and beaches – not to mention the numerous old churches and chapels in every village – make Italy a prime location for your destination wedding. It also makes it a vacation the guests will never forget.
#3 – South Africa
They say go big or go home, right? So why not think outside the box, and head to South Africa for an adventure! Destination weddings are likely going to be your guests’ primary vacation for the given year. Many of them likely wouldn’t have taken this trip on their own, so this is a definitely treat. Give them the time of their lives!
South Africa has amazing culture. But it offers so much more, too! Between the cities, coastlines, and national parks, your wedding guests will find themselves with loads of options on how to spend their vacation time. For example, you can:
- Book an exciting game drive
- Enjoy a relaxing afternoon on a vineyard
- Embark on a great white shark encounter that will get your heart racing
- And SO much more!
There’s quite literally is a little something for every type of traveler waiting in South Africa.
#4 – Bahamas
After the devastating hurricane hit the Bahamas last year, this small Caribbean island nation has been struggling to rebuild and get back on travelers’ radars. Tourism is one of the biggest industries on this small chain of islands, so your stay can help make a big difference to people’s lives!
There are plenty of resorts on the islands that were not affected by the hurricane. Trust us when we say that these locations make for absolutely stunning destination weddings! What’s more: prices are relatively inexpensive, and the Bahamians are some of the nicest and most caring people on the planet. With all the amenities and adventures you’d expect from a Caribbean holiday, head down to the Bahamas and unwind while having your dream wedding!
#5 – New Orleans, Louisiana
If you’re someone who loves a good party, head on down to New Orleans. Here, the fun never stops. Seriously. Those who say that New York is the ‘city that never sleeps’ have clearly never been to New Orleans! Whether you want to splurge for a Bourbon Street wedding, or maybe something a little less expensive, you and your guests are guaranteed to have a great time. Between the city’s history, its culture, the amazing food, and its prime location right on the Gulf, your guests will thank you for choosing this vibrant town for your wedding.
#6 – Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
Cape Breton is on the easternmost shore of Nova Scotia, Canada. It’s also home to some of the world’s kindest people. A popular whale watching destination, Cape Breton houses thousands of tourists over the summer months (but not so much during the harsh Canadian winter, mind you.)
Take a bike or car trip down the Cabot Trail through the highlands, or head on over to Sydney, NS, for its annual music festival. If you’re game, dip your feet in the waters of the frigid Atlantic Ocean! A destination wedding in Cape Breton is a great way to host a “small town wedding” in a unique and diverse landscape, where your guests are sure not to get bored.
#7 – Ireland
Whether you want to host your destination wedding in Dublin, Belfast, Galway, or somewhere else in this small nation, Ireland has lots to offer for your destination wedding! If you’re the type of traveler who doesn’t like to be rooted in one place throughout your whole vacation, then this is the perfect choice for you. The island is small and diverse enough that you can easily travel to three or four unique destinations during your week long vacation!
Ireland also offers an abundance of prime wedding locations: from historic castles, to rolling green hills. Of course, there are also the many seaside cliffs that’ll make for breathtaking wedding photos. Offering amazing food, a bustling arts community, and everything in-between, you and your guests will love to explore the wonders of this unforgettable land.
#8 – Nantucket, Massachusetts
For the more traditional destination wedding couple, check out the island of Nantucket. This secluded community used to be a whaling hub in the 19th century. Now, it’s a very elite summer destination for some of the wealthiest people in America! From high-end restaurants and shops along cobblestone streets, to immaculate beaches and hordes of historical lighthouses, Nantucket is a prime spot to host a Luxury AND destination wedding. Here, you can truly create something magical.
#9 – Loire Valley, France
The Loire Valley is a huge area in central France, and as we all know, France is basically the romantic hot spot of the whole world. True to form, the Loire Valley is filled with castles, vineyards, old churches, and cathedrals. It also offers your typical French countryside towns, where the butcher, baker, and candlestick maker are all on a first name basis.
Take a bike tour through the countryside, or enjoy a glass of wine at your favorite local bistro. It’s a perfect place to unwind and take things one day at a time. For destination weddings, you can legitimately rent a castle for a few days, if your dreams happens to be a classic, fairy-tale wedding. Or, if you’d prefer something a little more low key, you can book a traditional french vineyard wedding.
#10 – Banff, Alberta
Canada is such a vast land, full of incredible tourist spots! In its western province of Alberta, settled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, you’ll find the town of Banff. This popular resort town is filled with little shops and restaurants, and is surrounded by national parks that make a perfect getaway for the eco-minded, nature lover. Oh, and FYI: local wildlife sightings – from elk to grizzly bears – is not uncommon. Banff has no shortage of glacier-fed waterfalls, crystal-clear lakes, and some of the most stunning hiking trails you’ll ever see. So bring comfortable shoes, and enjoy all Banff has to offer!
#11 – Fiji
Let’s take a pause and dream for a moment, shall we? Imagine your destination wedding is at a private resort, on your very own island in the south pacific… A sunset ceremony on the beach as the tide is coming in… A 5-star dinner cooked by world-class chefs, and a night of laughing and dancing to island music with your beachfront open bar. You and your new spouse are then whisked away by motorboat to your own private island, for a night of romance! Meanwhile, your guests continue to party into the wee hours of the morning, with a little slice of heaven as their backdrop.
Fiji has all this to offer and more, if you’re willing to pay for it. Even if the dream private scenario above is out of your price range, the resorts found on this island paradise still have something for just about everyone. As long as you can stand the long flight(s) to get to this remote location, you’re sure to be wowed when you get there!
What are some of YOUR favorite wedding destinations? Let us know in the comments!
