We have special place in our hearts for destination Weddings. When we met Jessica and she told us the reasoning behind wanting to have her Wedding as a vacation for her friends and family, I knew we'd get along! It took us awhile to find the perfect location in Florida - but once we did, Hammock Beach was definitely the place! In beautiful Palm Coast, it's a spansive property with beautiful views and plenty of opportunity to relax! You'd never even know that the sky opened up and it started to downpour halfway into their ceremony. They danced the night away as if it was all  apart of the plan!

​Photographer: Two Hearts Photography
Venue: Hammock Beach
Florist: Art Among the Flowers

We are knee deep in engagement season! The holidays and New Year are a popular time for couples to decide to tie the knot. And after the excitement settles down, it's time to think about your vision for your Wedding (tips on your Vision Board here). We've previously given you tips on the first steps to take after you get engaged - but now that you've had some time let it settle in - you can think about what type of wedding you'd like!

Destination Weddings are one of our favorites to produce. They may seem overwhelming and more difficult to plan (and they can be), but there are lot of positives that make wedding guests say (every damn time!) - "that was the best wedding i've ever attended." So if you're on the verge of taking that leap or you're still thinking it through - here are some reasons why you won't regret it:

We say the true definition of a destination Wedding is when EVERYONE is on vacation - including you. Pick a resort or town where there is a lot to do and your guests can explore and relax without you needing to constantly entertain them. They'll get a vacation out of it - and if they don't have a good time on vacation - well then there's something wrong with them. Let's face it - most people are a lot happier and stress-free on vacation, and isn't that what you want?

This really should have been number one, but it was a close call. The purpose of a Wedding is to celebrate the couple and their families coming together to start this new journey. Your friends and family are going to be interacting for the rest of your lives, so using the Wedding as an opportunity for everyone to bond is key. With a destination Wedding - guests have multiple opportunities to get to know each other, and by the time the Wedding comes - Uncle Joe and your friend from work will be spinning each other on the dancefloor as if they've known each other for years. Trust me, this comes from experience. 

Unfortunately, traveling to a destination Wedding is not possible for everyone. Health, budget, age, work etc are all factors that can conflict with a guest's ability to make the trip. This is definitely something to take into consideration. If you just cannot get married without your Grandmother who is just too old to make a trip that far, a Destination Wedding may not be for you. It's not a heartless move to still move forward with the Destination though. There are plenty of ways to celebrate with friends and family who can't make the trip before or after your Wedding. For those that want an easy way to weed out guests from their list? Well people take not being invited to a Wedding a lot easier when you can say "it's just a small destination Wedding." 

It is inevitable that your guests will spend extra money on something for your Wedding. They are expensive. Whether they need to get a room for the night, a babysitter, or even fly/travel - majority of Weddings require some additional spend. So wouldn't you rather they just spend it towards something they get to celebrate personally also? We aren't avoiding that they can be more expensive for your guests - but if you do your research and do it right - it can be affordable and help their money go further. This also goes for your budget. Many tropical resorts are cheaper and you can get more for your $50,000 budget than one night in your local city.
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PRO TIP: All-inclusive resorts are great and help offset some of your guests allowing you to wine and dine your guests with more entertainment. 

This reason is simple. All the planning, stress and anticipation that goes into planning a Wedding, making it just one night is just a shame. Extend the party to a weekend or week and have a Destination Wedding.