5 Reasons to Get Married Outside of The United States
Here at fioribelle we loooove looove love destination weddings!!! Don’t get me wrong, there are a multitude of beautifully planned weddings that we have been a part of here in the US. But there’s something special about getting married in a place far away from home. I personally got married in Puerto Rico (I know, it’s a US territory, but hear me out) and it was sooo dreamy! Here are the top xx reasons to get married somewhere else!
Intimate wedding
I come from a big family that is spread all over the world. When I was planning my own wedding just the thought of having over 300 guests attending was enough to overwhelm me! Once we chose to have our wedding in Puerto Rico (a place that was not really central to anyone, except my husband’s super small family) we had an epiphany! I could invite all 300 guests, no one would feel left out (i see you, great-great-great-aunt Teresa) but we knew that only a few of those 300 guests would actually make an effort (and investment) to be with us that day. We had 75 guests attend - including us and our parents and siblings - and it was perfect. We weren’t offended by those that couldn’t join us, we understood that a destination wedding is difficult for some of our friends and family. But inviting them allowed them to make the choice that best fit their needs while still feeling appreciative for being included (even if they couldn’t join!).
Jump straight into honeymoon mode!
If you’re already planning to travel somewhere after the wedding, why not travel before the wedding and have it there? No planes to catch, simply switch from wedding gown to swim suit, heels to flip flops. Grab a pina colada, and you're done! For us, our honeymoon was in Spain, so having the wedding in Puerto Rico wasn’t exactly our honeymoon but it did bring us a tiny bit closer to our destination and honestly it was like 2 honeymoons in one. 10/10 would recommend!!
Enjoy a different culture!
The party, the customs, the food!!!!!! How fun would it be to have an exotic cocktail for cocktail hour? Or fresh fruit for breakfast the day after the wedding? How about hiring a local band to keep the party going all night long? Adding details about the location to your wedding decor (and invites, of course) will make it all even more special for your guests. Bonus points if you or your future spouse’s heritage is tied to that place because it just brings everything full circle. If you want kids one day, imagine telling your future kids and grandkids about your wedding day… awww!!!!
Could be cost-effective
Wedding costs were similar in Puerto Rico than they would have been here in the States. That being said, there may be an opportunity to save some money depending on when you plan to get married. Let’s be real, even just a smaller guest list alone could mean huge savings. When looking into the budget for a destination wedding, research the cost of booking venues and hiring wedding vendors at your destination. The cost of living is different from one place to another and that could have a huge impact on your overall wedding budget if your destination happens to have a lower average cost of living than the US.
And again the invitations!!!
If you’re getting married at a castle (like I did) you will definitely want to include a venue illustration on your wedding invitations!!!! (like I wish I had :( ) If you’re getting married in a place where English is not the primary language, how fun would it be to add a few key words in your wedding stationery “bienvenidos' ' instead of welcome or “grazie” instead of thank you. There are lots of fun ways to incorporate your destination into your wedding invitations.
Destination weddings aren’t just for tropical places! Wherever you want to adventure to for your wedding, is up to you! We can make custom invitations to coordinate your destination wedding wherever you decide to go! Let’s chat about all the fun and unique aspects we can include on your invites for your unforgettable big day!