It’s no secret that we’re traveling way more than out parents ever did – over 60% of millennial families say they’ve been on an international trip in the last year. The same trend rings true in the wedding industry, with many sources showing that international destination weddings are on the rise. Destination wedding are all great, but we have a particular love for international weddings outside of the US – if you’re considering hosting an international wedding, we say get those passports ready! Here’s everything we love about weddings outside of the United States…

Keep it Intimate

Giant weddings are great for a lot of reasons, but small weddings have their own charm for sure. With an international wedding, you kind of get the best of both worlds – you can invite all of mom’s friends from Yoga so they don’t feel left out, but most likely you’ll get more negative responses due to the travel costs and time involved in attending. Only the people you really want there will invest in an international adventure for your wedding, so you’ll get to spend more time with all of your guests and have a more memorable experience instead of the 250-person whirlwind!

Double up for the Honeymoon

Um, DUH! The most popular destinations for international weddings (for Americans) right now are The Caribbean and Mexico. Can you say perfect honeymoon spot? This way you can tack on a relaxing vacation to the end of your wedding, without adding any extra travel stress to your life. Your guests can enjoy a vacation if they want to as well! Just order yourself a Pina Colada and you’re there…

Save Money

This will of course depend on where you are and your exact needs, but you absolutely can save money by having your wedding internationally. For one thing, you’ll have fewer guests attend, so that saves some dollars. The cost of living in places like South America, Africa, Central America, and Eastern Europe can work in your favor. Most weddings in other countries are less elaborate and costs for wedding vendors can be comparably lower than in the US. You may not feel such a need to invest in over-the-top décor when you’re getting married in an ancient castle already!

The Invitations

Okay, sure, I’m a little biased – but wedding invitations for international weddings are SO. MUCH. FUN!!! A lot of my clients opt to combine the Save the Date and invite into one mailing, but make it more elaborate. Think about it – maps of the area, watercolor venues, playing with foreign languages, tourist information guides, itineraries, etc.! We typically provide a lot more information for international weddings, due to most guests being less familiar with their surroundings.

The Culture

Probably the best part of throwing your wedding in another country is infusing little bits of that area’s culture into your event. Especially if you or your fiancé’s heritage is related to that country, adding in local wedding traditions, local sayings, colors, and décor can make for a truly unique experience for you and your guests. Plus, the FOOD. The food is always my favorite part of a wedding (yes, even more than the invites!), and you can bet that Argentinian food is going to taste better in Argentina than it will in North Carolina. The more you can bring local culture into your wedding, the better – that’s what sets your day apart from all the other weddings that your guests have seen!

Okay have we convinced you yet? I sure hope so! If you’re leaning more towards a destination wedding, we have a whole post dedicated to helping you plan that right here. Let us know below where you’re hoping to get married – we love dreaming up vision boards based on old castles and tropical paradises!