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destination weddings: have you ever attended?


shootingstar

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This yr. U.S. couple who couldn't marry at their Belize destination wedding because of cancelled flights. 

Though it's super difficult to lose all that money (or whatever they can recoup will be little), it's probably a terrible lesson no one should ever plan a destination wedding during peak global holidays ie. Christmas-New Year's, etc. that's dependent on air flights. A bride missed her own wedding, lost thousands and spent New Year's alone after Southwest canceled her flight (msn.com)

Hope they will have a wedding somewhere and be together for life, happy. So loss of money will look small 2 decades from now.

**Have you attended a destination wedding?  Where bride and groom chose a location outside of their state/province /country for themselves and guests?  I haven't yet. But then I haven't been to been to alot of weddings. Probably less than 12 in past 40 years.

I seem to have some very close long-term friends (over 30 yrs. long)....who haven't even married at all or never had a serious long relationship. But I'm certain my "wedding" exposure is very different from many other folks.

 

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22 minutes ago, Kirby said:

Nope.  I went to one in Puerto Rico, but the bride was from there even though she hadn't lived there for years.  But her extended family was all there so it wasn't just a random choice.

Cool. That would be meaningful for the families.

I would be willing to fly for any nephew or niece's wedding in the Americas if invited.  Or for a good close friend...but there's nothing developing for latter friends.  Somehow I would be super surprised if any family member chose Europe for a destination wedding. There is a streak of practicality running through...  Asia would be actually "foreign" for us to have "destination" wedding ....we wouldn't see it as "romantic".  There's no relative we can speak English with for closeness. Zero.

A friend's nephew, resident in Calgary with now his Calgary wife, had his stag getaway in Whistler BC. She also had her stagette in Whistler at a totally different time period. Their wedding was a local, banquet....at our zoo which has nice facilities. I'm not kiddin'. They are in their 20's.

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Yes

Daughter's wedding was in the Canary Islands. Saved me a bundle of money vs Switzerland or Florida. Unbelievable how inexpensive Lanzarote was. Out 2 br apartment a block from the ocean was $79/night. 

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Depends on your definition of 'destination'

We tried to convince both daughters to think 'destination wedding' as I envisioned palm trees, sandy beaches and cheap rum on a Caribbean Island, but one picked Prince Edward Island and the other chose Banff.

In my mind, no, I have never been to a destination wedding.

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13 minutes ago, Zephyr said:

Depends on your definition of 'destination'

We tried to convince both daughters to think 'destination wedding' as I envisioned palm trees, sandy beaches and cheap rum on a Caribbean Island, but one picked Prince Edward Island and the other chose Banff.

In my mind, no, I have never been to a destination wedding.

But those places in Canada ARE destinations...away from home province. We do have some beautiful spots in Canada.  Yes, Banff/Lake Louise is a popular Canadian destination wedding spot.  I have never met a Canadian who thought Banff area was not scenic at all.   However, parts of Vancouver Island would also be destination spots for non B.C. couple.

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24 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

I turned down a couple of Caribbean weddings.  One was Cuba and the other was Dominican Republic.  Both resort weddings and I dislike resorts.  My daughter started down that road but chose Niagara on the Lake instead.  I was happy with that choice. 

Niagara on the Lake is a lovely place, spring or early fallish would be nice. I suppose summer...with possible humidity. Then there are wineries... nearby for guests before..to get some bottles.

I don't come from a true beach lover extended family.  My nieces and nephews haven't been to the Carribbeans, Mexico nor Central America  -- yet. No one.

Some family members  have been to Hawai'i on our own, including myself, etc.  Nieces and nephews all know how to swim though. Myself and no sibling do not know how to swim...which might explain why beach vacations isn't at the forefront in planning, all the time or overwhelming need. Nor any of us pine/go down to tropics during winter.  The love just isn't there.....at all. At least, I haven't seen it so far. Or maybe wrong time in their lives.

And it won't be to get tan. I mean really...when we all tan so easily.

 

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Nope. Our son was best man at one in the Dominican Republic. It was at a resort. He liked it because it was all inclusive and he has a tight budget if he was going to do one, that was the best way for him. 

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46 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

I've not only enjoyed destination weddings as a guest, I had a destination wedding myself.  I gotta say, if you invite me to a wedding and the location is a "bonus", then I am all in!

What's the downside to a destination wedding?

Where was it, Razor?

Downside, can be if the destination is far from where majority of guests live and they can't really afford such a trip AND they may not like the destination area.  Cost is a huge factor, because wedding guests also have to provide a gift of some sort in many cases.  Fairly elderly /fragile folks may not be able to fly by air or travel anywhere. It's a hard reality.

For a beautiful area with reasonably predictable good weather, it can be a great excuse to visit plus attend a wedding too.

For instance, if there was a wedding in Vancouver area.. (which there could be a strong possibility within next 5 yrs. or so), my mother couldn't fly by air from Toronto. If she's still alive by then.

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7 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

Where was it, Razor?

VEGAS, BABY!

7 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

Downside, can be if the destination is far from where majority of guests live and they can't really afford such a trip AND they may not like the destination area.  Cost is a huge factor, because wedding guests also have to provide a gift of some sort in many cases.  Fairly elderly /fragile folks may not be able to fly by air or travel anywhere. It's a hard reality.

For a beautiful area with reasonably predictable good weather, it can be a great excuse to visit plus attend a wedding too.

For instance, if there was a wedding in Vancouver area.. (which there could be a strong possibility within next 5 yrs. or so), my mother couldn't fly by air from Toronto. If she's still alive by then.

For me (and many), a wedding involves family and friends as invitees.  My family and friends are scattered across the country (world, actually), so collecting them in a place for a ceremony that has no need to be in my home area, likely has little or no real cost consequence.  Someone frying in from CA or CO or FL to DC area is just as likely to be happy to fly to Vegas or Cancun or Niagara Falls as they are to fly into my area.  At least with the "destination" bit, they can choose to extend it and make it more than just a long weekend. 

Neither my mom, dad, in-laws, nor any aunts and uncles live(d) in my area so it was a trip for any of them regardless.  If folks can't travel hours by car or plane, they can't do it whether it is in Reston VA or Las Vegas, NV. :D

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16 hours ago, Airehead said:

We eloped to Vegas. Chauffeur driver was our witness. 

Yeah I guess ours was a destination wedding too!  We went to Vegas as well, got married in the Graceland Chapel.  We couldn’t afford for Elvis to sing for us but he was our witness.  “Uh you realize my real name isn’t Elvis right?”  He did take a couple of pictures with us.  It was fun!

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