Destination weddings can be a polarizing topic. Some people love them while others think they’re selfish and too expensive. At Eventective, we think destination weddings are a great way to gather with your loved ones — especially if you’re planning a micro wedding with a smaller guest list. Keep reading to explore four common myths about destination micro weddings and why we think they’re worth the effort.
Myth #1: You Need to Travel Far
Location, location, location. While a destination wedding is all about the locale, that doesn’t mean you have to plan your wedding in a different country. You can consider anywhere outside of your hometown as your “destination” — the college town where you and your fiancé met, your favorite mountain town four hours away, or a picturesque venue in your favorite city.
Myth #2: Beaches Are the Only Option
When people think of a destination wedding, they often picture sandy white beaches and bottomless margaritas. And while the beach is a perfectly acceptable destination for your micro wedding, it’s not the only option! In fact, data from The Knot shows that only 17% of couples opt for a tropical destination.
Consider these other popular venues for your destination micro wedding:
- National parks
- Historic chapels
- Museums
- Gardens
As you scour the internet for your perfect destination wedding venue, consider places that can double as both your venue and guest accommodations. After all, when else will you have all of your favorite people in one place? Find a short-term rental or boutique hotel that can host up to fifty guests and keep the party going all weekend long.
Note: as of 2020, Airbnb no longer allows rentals for weddings or large events. Consider VRBO or private rentals instead!
Myth #3: Destination Weddings Are More Stressful
Some people shy away from destination weddings because of the added logistics. Wedding planning is stressful enough, much less when it’s in another city, state, or even country! Luckily there are plenty of ways to plan a destination wedding without adding too much stress to your plate.
Some couples hire a destination wedding planner to handle the local details. Websites like Eventective can help you find a wedding planner near your dream destination to help with the venue search, event decorations, and more. By hiring someone who knows the area and local vendors, you’ll feel less stressed leading up to the trip and can focus on other details.
You could also use AI to plan your destination micro wedding! Tools like ChatGPT and Nupt.AI can help you research potential locations, find venues within your budget range, plan itineraries, and much more. To get the best results, be sure to include relevant details like your maximum headcount and budget.
A few prompts to try:
- Give me a list of wedding venues in [city] with space for [#] guests or less. I don’t want to spend more than [budget].
- What is a good itinerary for a micro wedding weekend in [city]? Plan for [number of days] days and [number of people] guests.
- Create a packing list for guests at my [month] micro wedding in [city]. Include casual and dressy options.
Myth #4: No One Will Come
Another common misconception with destination weddings is that fewer guests will attend. This can be both a positive thing (for your budget) or a negative thing (for your memories). Micro weddings have a guest limit of fifty or fewer. Of those guests, you can likely expect fifty to seventy percent to RSVP “yes” to your wedding.
If you want to make sure your friends and family can attend your destination micro wedding, it can be helpful to ask them ahead of time. Once you have an idea of the general timeframe and location for your micro wedding, reach out to your VIP guests and check their availability. Your guests will appreciate the heads up and can decide if the trip is feasible with their budget and schedule. If you start hearing more regrets than excitement, you can always reconsider and find a closer venue or off-season date that is more realistic for your guests.
Planning Your Destination Micro Wedding
If you’re planning a micro wedding, we hope we helped demystify the downsides and show you the value of a destination celebration. For more tips and resources to help you during the wedding planning process, visit our wedding hub.
Rachel Kauffman is a Detroit-based content writer, bookworm, and cat mom to two feisty felines.
