r/DestinationWeddings

In the very early stages of wedding planning but we’re planning on eloping then having a destination celebration in Cancun. I am OVERWHELMED on Facebook groups so I’m coming here!

We ideally just want to block some rooms out for friends and family and have a nice dinner - kind of like a rehearsal dinner feel. We do not want to do a ceremony or reception. I found Destify and decided to try it. So far, I’ve had a good experience (we just had a call and were sent some places) but now I’m looking at reviews and I am SCARED LOL

Is there another company that does this or for what my fiancé and I want, is sticking with Destify ok? Is there anyone here you recommend??

Hey everyone,

My fiancé and I are looking to plan a destination wedding for either July 2027 or Spring 2028. Just for context, we’re actually getting legally married back home first, so this trip is purely a massive celebration and party for our closest friends and family.
We’re trying to figure out if our budget is realistic or if we need a major reality check.

The Details:
Guest Count: Expecting anywhere between 40 to 60 guests max.
The Vibe: It's a mix of adults and kids (including our own), so we absolutely need a family-friendly resort. Ideally, somewhere with a good balance so the adults can still have their own space to relax and party.
Locations: We are looking strictly at Punta Cana or the Cancun / Tulum area.

Resorts we're eyeing:
Right now we've been looking into Sandos Caracol Eco Resort in Cancun and Dreams Flora in Punta Cana. We like the family stuff at Sandos, but we're definitely leaning toward the more modern, upscale vibe of the Dreams brand.

Our Budget Dilemma:
We want to keep the actual wedding events/package around $12,000 to $15,000 max (not including our own flights/room). We just got a baseline quote for Sandos that sits right around $12k for our guest count, but I know how fast hidden fees, private reception upgrades, and decor add-ons can rack up.
Would love to hear from anyone who has gotten married at either of these properties or done a similar size wedding in these areas:

1. Is $12k-$15k actually doable for 50-ish people at these types of resorts, or am I being naive and need to bump up our budget expectation?
2. If you used Sandos or a Dreams resort, what did your final invoice actually look like after all the upgrades?
3. Any other resort recommendations that fit this vibe but won't completely blow past a $15k event budget?
   Appreciate any advice or resort recs you guys have!

Looking for recommendations on a photographer/videographer for a small/medium wedding in a small town in the Michoacan, Mexico area (Guadalajara, Morelia, Zamora) for late October/early November 2027.

Ideally looking for someone with a photojournalistic or possibly documentary style approach. Fly on the wall, comfortable with minimal-limited posed photo ops. We are thinking local would be best but would be open to being connected with someone who is able to capture the spirit of the venue/guests/traditions in a natural and culturally respectful way. Venue would be private ranch/ranchito/hacienda as well as possibly town plaza/restaurant/hotel activities.

2 day coverage would be essential but also open to 3-5 day coverage to cover welcome party, rehearsal dinner, ceremony, reception, post-wedding activities/festivities etc. Fluent in Spanish would be + but not at all necessary as majority of wedding party is bilingual.

If anyone has any ideas or people to throw our way we'd appreciate it! As of now we are not going through a wedding planner (as much of a headache it's been, we might change our minds on that LOL)

EDIT: Videography option or capabilities would be great but wouldn't be a dealbreaker.

Hi everyone! I know im late but I need to start planning my wedding for next summer, im thinking of doing it somewhere in europe maybe in Portugal, spain, or italy. Can you send me a list of nice venues maybe castle/manor kind of vibe or something by the beach for like 40k euros max for 150 guests?

My fiancée and I are getting married in India in 5 months (we live in the USA) My parents hired a wedding planner based on a referral before really taking our preferences into account. To their credit, they helped us negotiate with the hotel and secure the venue.

The problems started afterward. It took them almost 2 months (despite repeated follow-ups) to provide a basic décor proposal and cost breakdown. During that time, we found another design company whose aesthetic we strongly preferred.

We proposed a compromise: let the original planner handle everything except décor (planning, logistics, transportation, guest management, hotel coordination, AV, vendors, food, execution, etc.) while the new company handled only the creative design and décor.
Instead of discussing it, the planner immediately rejected the idea, became defensive, started calling my parents directly, and later began offering discounts to keep the décor scope. They also implied we owed them additional money for hotel negotiations, despite already having been paid ₹1 lakh.

Now they’ve said they’ll only continue if they handle the décor too. My parents don’t want to sever the relationship and are pressuring us to let them do everything.
The problem is that both my fiancée and I no longer want to work with this planner. My fiancée has been incredibly flexible throughout the wedding planning, is contributing around $60,000 of her own money (despite only 17 of her guests attending), and this is the one issue she’s firmly stood her ground on.

At the end of the day, I feel like preserving a vendor relationship has become more important than what the bride and groom actually want.

Are we being unreasonable for wanting to move on?

I've always wanted to experience an authentic Italian wedding. Not because of the food (although I'm sure that's amazing), but because I've always loved experiencing different cultures and seeing how people celebrate such important moments.

The funny part is, I realized I don't even have Italian friends. 😅

I'm 25M from Canada, and I'll be visiting Italy during the first week of September 2026. I know this is probably a long shot, but if anyone is getting married around that time and wouldn't mind having a respectful stranger tag along as a plus one (or if someone happens to need a plus one), I'd genuinely be honoured.

I'm not looking for a free meal or anything like that; I just think it would be an unforgettable cultural experience. I'm happy to dress appropriately, be respectful, bring a wedding gift, and celebrate with everyone.

Has anyone ever done something like this before? Or is this completely crazy? 😂

I’m looking for a venue in France for a wedding weekend, but it feels like I'm looking for a unicorn as I'm struggling to find the right thing.

I’m not looking for a traditional wedding venue, château or rustic farmhouse. I’d actually much rather find an architecturally beautiful hotel, restored village, private estate or design-led property that just happens to host weddings or private events. I want to avoid how much outside decoration I'll have to bring in. And we don't have a huge budget (although not sure yet what it'll be because no idea how much this kind of place will cost!!)

The vibe I’m after is somewhere between Mediterranean modern, contemporary clean, Belle Époque and Art Deco. I like an aesthetic that's clean, elegant and understated rather than ornate. So like warm wood, beautiful furniture, terraces, gardens, interesting architecture, airy lighting. I love places like Castel Bay, Domaine de Fontenille and Les Roches Rouges.

Ideally we’d be able to privatise the property for a long weekend so that around 110–130 guests could all stay together on the same estate (it doesn’t have to be one building though, could be a restored hamlet, boutique hotel or collection of houses, or perhaps somewhere most guests could stay with other options nearby).

Our preferred regions are Provence (around Aix/Marseille) or the Vendée/Loire, as my fiancé is French and those areas are particularly meaningful to us, but Paris is also an option.

The budget isn’t enormous, so I’d especially love suggestions for places that aren’t marketed primarily as wedding venues. Hidden gems, hotels, estates, vineyards, hospitality projects, former monasteries, restored villages, architect-designed properties, anything along those lines.

Has anyone come across somewhere that fits this description? Am I trying to find the impossible here?

My (32F) fiancee (38M) and I got engaged in April 2025 and jumped into wedding planning right way. We decided to have a destination wedding; for context, I live in the Middle East (I’m from the region but not the country we live in) and my fiancé is from a completely different region and has only lived here for a few years but has lived in a few different countries and so has friends and family spread all over, this meant that a lot of people would have to travel for our wedding anyway. We picked a location that’s not expensive for visitors/tourists and that offers a lot for them to do throughout the week, and that is easy to obtain a visa to. Another reason is that weddings where live can be a little uninspiring unless you have a massive budget, and a normal wedding would have cost us 3 times what we’re paying.

I’ll start by saying that we anticipated some people would not be able to make it, but we sent out Save The Dates a year in advance, and the official invite not long after. We anticipated between 120-150 guests but invited more because we knew some people would not be able to make it. Our wedding was initially meant to be in May of this year, and we had a little over 100 who RSVP’d yes, but a few people dropped out a few weeks prior.

However, with the war happening earlier this year, things got too uncertain and we had to postpone to September. That meant that we had to resend invites and restart the RSVP process all over again. We knew that meant some people wouldn’t be able to make it anymore, while some people who initially couldn’t now could, but I was expecting things to look a bit better at this stage. We’re currently at 63 RSVPs (including 3 children lol) and are waiting for around 10 or so people to confirm, but that’s pretty much it. Everyone else has declined, or wasn’t able to change their bookings the first time around and so took the vacation anyway.

I’m trying to stay positive about it but can’t help but feel sad and worrying that the wedding won’t be enjoyable for our guests who do make it. I’m also worried that people will drop out again before the wedding.

The pros/cons I’ve had in my head are:

Pros:
- It’s made me appreciate the people who are making the effort a lot more
- I know we can spend time with all our guests and not feel guilty about not giving them attention - I’ve been to weddings where I’ve barely said hi to the bride and groom
- I can reallocate some of our budget/spend onto other things that I wanted but had to omit
- We won’t have people there who don’t care about us that much and only come because “why not” and who will leave right after dinner.

Cons:

- I’m a little embarrassed honestly. Arab weddings typically have at least 200 people on the smaller or more moderate end; I definitely didn’t want that, but I thought I’d made a lot of friends over the years and now I feel like a loser. Apart from my immediate family, none of my family members will be coming.
- A lot of people don’t know each other so I’m worried it won’t be enjoyable for them. We have a full itinerary planned out in the week leading up to the wedding so people will have a chance to meet, but I don’t know how that will go. I’m not sure if I should bother arranging for an afterparty because I’m worried most will want to leave early.
- There were people who I care about and was fully expecting to be there who won’t be. I completely understand some people genuinely have valid reasons like parents with kids, or who are not doing great financially, but I have friends who don’t have kids and who go on vacation multiple times a year who aren’t making it and who didn’t get back to me until I chased about RSVPs.
- We hired a venue that accommodates up to 300 people; while we can definitely dress it to appear smaller (we were going to do that anyway), I still worry that it will look empty

If you’ve read this far, thank you so much and I appreciate you. I’m just seeking some reassurance that things will turn out okay in the end :’)

Hey guys, would love some advice here. We're looking to do a destination wedding but both my fiance and I have massive families. Would it be realistic to tie everything up within a budget of $250k or are we being delusional?

Here's a little breakdown of the events. We aren't paying for our guests' rooms, just close family and those who can't afford it. The last day (Casual BBQ) is for ~100 people.

Would love some help to understand what we can expect. Also advice on cheaper countries. We're based in the Middle East with friends and family from Europe and the US.

https://preview.redd.it/njjc5wtlm2bh1.png?width=1958&format=png&auto=webp&s=846d859b954e6a50a7e90802cad784c36ac5a7e2

My partner and I got engaged recently and we are looking to book a destination wedding in late 2027-2028.

The biggest restriction is that I am starting a masters program in Sept 2027. This means I would likely get a break/time off in Dec, but likely not until after the 22nd. I know this is typically peak season, and there may even be resort blackout dates for booking weddings, or at the very least large increases in costs. This leaves late April/May, when classes stop (I plan to speak to my supervisor about this time period in the coming weeks). My biggest concern is the higher heat and sargassum for any beach side resorts.

We have a hopeful budget of around 20000-25000. Still discussing this. We expect anywhere from 50-100 guests (we haven’t had the time to talk to everyone about the feasibility for them for attending a destination wedding).

Still in the very early stages of planning, we really want to do destination but with these concerns, now wondering if we need to pivot completely. Any recommendations, advice, or shared experiences would be very appreciated!

I am starting to look into Marrakech for our wedding, with around 60 guests. Ideally, we d like to find a place where some of the guests can stay on site, so everyone can enjoy the weekend together.

For those who know Marrakech well, would you go for a hotel or sth ? any recommendations ?

Hi everyone! Getting married in Italy in September 2027 and would love this community’s suggestions 🙏

Looking for a villa for around 40 guests (ceremony + reception), ideally sleeping 25-30 onsite too, though that’s not a dealbreaker. Planning for 2 nights/3 days, possibly 3-4 nights if the price works.

**•**	Budget: 6,000-7,000 euros  
**•**	Location: open to anywhere, within about an hour of a major city/airport  
**•**	Region: no preference — Tuscany, Umbria, Puglia, wherever fits!

Also curious if there’s a smart timing window for booking this early without overpaying.

If you’ve gotten married in Italy or know a beautiful villa in this budget, I’d be so grateful for any names, links, or leads Thank you in advance :)

I don’t know if you still call it an elopement, but we’re leaning on just doing a wedding ceremony now with just our parents. Somewhere in europe. Any recommendations? Thank you!!

Hi everyone! I'm starting to plan my wedding for 2028 and have been looking into destination weddings in Spain and Portugal. One of my biggest priorities is having a venue with beautiful views, either coastal or city views. Since all of our guests will be flying in, I'm hoping to stay within about a 1 hour to 1.5 hour drive from a major airport.

I've completely fallen in love with Hostal de La Gavina as a potential venue. It honestly checks so many of my boxes, but I've been struggling to find much information or personal experiences from other brides who have gotten married there. Unfortunately, because we're planning from abroad, there's a good chance we'd have to book the venue without seeing it in person.

I was wondering if anyone here has attended a wedding at Hostal de La Gavina or planned their own wedding there. I'd love to hear your honest thoughts about the venue, the experience, and whether you'd recommend it.

Also, if anyone knows of any venues with a similar vibe to Hostal de La Gavina in Spain or Portugal, I'd really appreciate any recommendations! I'm planning for around 100 guests with a budget of about $50–60k USD. Ideally, I'd love to have the ceremony, cocktail hour, and dinner all outdoors. Thanks so much in advance; I'd love to hear any experiences, advice, or suggestions!

Hi,

I am considering planning a wedding Roatán August 2027. I have been researching the Kimpton Grand or Ibagari and I would any information or advice.

Thank you so much!

HI! I Just got engaged in greece and its my dream to have a destination wedding in europe!
I am open to suggestions, the brief is the following:
target date: april-june 2028 (latest may 2028)
country: open to suggestions
multi-day event, welcome dinner , wedding, day after with activities on each day
still deciding if only immediate family (around 15 people) or wedding of 80 people
prefer to have guest stay on site so its like mini-vactaion for everyone.
guest will pay for their accommodation - they arleady approved this.
budget is max of 30,000 - 40,000 for the couple
honestly looking at castel de ristonchi, in tuscany but looking for cheaper options and open to more venue that include indoor reception with view?

please help! honestly over-whelemed, they say spain, portugal, greece, croatia and slovenia, even southeast of france are options, but i need actual venue recommendations. I am open to these as it will cost cost for us and the guest as well.
Any suggestions are welcome.
thank you! :D

Did you get any backlash from friends/family/husbands family for getting legally married at the courthouse before your destination wedding?

I feel like some people might not understand why a legal courthouse “wedding” needs to be done before the symbolic destination wedding.

We have few venues to consider for our 2027 wedding in Tuscany. Anyone can share their experience with them?
• Casale de Pasquinelli
• Borgo Castelvecchio
• Borgo Stomennano
• Villa Grabau & L’Arancera
• Le Filigare

The only availability is in July, August, and October so we need to consider either good shade or plan B option.