Why I Love Destination Weddings

I love to travel! There is definitely something special—and important—to experiencing other cultures, communities, and traditions. I think encountering lifestyles different from your own in general life is significant in order to be a well-rounded person, be a kind and empathetic person, and see others’ point of view. Respecting and seeing people different than you, is one reason traveling the world is so important. Part of that experience and discovery carries over into why I love destination weddings.

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I love couples who love to travel. Those couples who have the same wanderlust in their heart—I am on the same level! Exploring the globe is one of my passions—especially sandy beaches. I am very much a sunny, blue skies, bask upon the sand while looking peacefully out over the ocean type of person, over a snowy mountaintop person. Specifically, I am in LOVE with Jamaica! Not just for the sandy beaches, but because the people are so warm-hearted, kind, and can find the joy in everything. Truly anywhere in the Caribbean area, is mind-blowingly gorgeous, and the people are friendly, kind, and down to earth.

The waters of Jamaica are mesmerizingly beautiful, and the way I edit photos lends itself to beach settings perfectly. The landscape itself is beautiful, and the way my photos turn out works perfectly in that scenery. You cannot go wrong with anything in the Caribbean: the tranquil blue of the water, the kind people, the warm sun—ahh it’s so good! If you are ever traveling to the Caribbean or Jamaica specifically, I’d love to chat more with you about their amazing resorts, spots I love, places to eat, and where to go to immerse yourself in the culture.

I did not start traveling until I was an adult, but my love for seeing new places and experiencing different ways of life started long before then. When I was young, my family took a train to the Grand Canyon, rented a car, and explored Arizona. It was my first big adventure! After that, I didn’t do any major traveling until my high school band traveled to Paris for a week. That was the first time I was on a plane! I sat terrified and exhilarated on the plane, my clarinet as my carry-on, and flew from Chicago to Paris! Those six or seven packed days was the best Spring Break of my high school career—I loved it!

My husband, Trevor, and I traveled a bit when we dated, and we even weighed the pros and cons to a destination wedding. I definitely wanted to, but neither of our living grandparents would have been able to travel; I don’t think I would ever catch them on an airplane actually! Wanting those important family members to be at our wedding, we decided to get married close to home. The compromise was a fantastic honeymoon to Jamaica, which was a BLAST and a great way to celebrate our marriage.

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I think it is fantastic if a couple loves travel and adventure so much, they decide to take their wedding on the road, go hang out on a beach somewhere, or even on a snowy mountain peak. Having that option open to your wedding experience is important to celebrating the two of you—not to mention an added bonus of an adventure while you say I do!

If people are conscious about their overall wedding budget, a destination wedding is actually a nice option. You can spend more money on your dress, photographer, and honeymoon because you are spending less on your wedding day by booking an all inclusive resort wedding. Choosing to have your wedding at a resort means meals are included, you’ll have an intimate guest list, and you will not have to pay for your guests to eat. Have your closest friends and family who can make it, come along! Pamper those people with a gift bag upon arrival, but your money can go even further when you have a smaller guest list.

There are pros and cons to a destination wedding, but people with any budget can really enjoy a destination wedding. That beautiful place doesn’t have to be somewhere warm, full of tropical plants and sandy beaches. For people in the Fox Cities, a wedding in the Door County area is a destination wedding! You could go to Florida, the East Coast, or Northern Wisconsin—anywhere for a destination wedding! If you’d like to chat about your very own destination wedding, feel free to connect with me here and read more about what I can offer you here.

Traveling is important for so many reasons, bringing people closer together and spreading love and kindness across borders. Taking vacations and traveling is really important to Trevor and I, and we will be celebrating our tenth anniversary back in Jamaica (hear that, COVID? Simmer down so we can travel safely in Summer 2021)! We are beyond excited! I encourage you to stay curious, adventurous, and spread kindness throughout the world.