Carol’s son and his new bride.

As members of the baby boomer generation, a romantic destination wedding didn’t even cross the consciousness of Carol and I when we planned our wedding nearly 30 years ago.  And because of this, weighing the pros and cons of such an idea was completely foreign to us.

However, Carol’s son recently married a wonderful gal and they chose to do a destination wedding at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea.  And now that we’ve experienced this wondrous occasion in one of the most romantic settings in the world, I thought I would share a few thoughts and tips with you.

First of all, you should know that according to a recent survey of 17,500 brides by two prominent wedding planning sites, a whopping 24% of couples are opting for a destination wedding.  Why?  According to this same survey, the average wedding budget in 2012 was $28,427.  And believe it or not, a comparable wedding at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico would only be $6-10,000.  And that’s with all the bells and whistles.

Plus, if you want your destination wedding to be in a really swanky destination, the cash outlay might still be less or comparable to having the wedding in your own hometown. Even further, because you’ve chosen a destination wedding, you’re already at the location of your honeymoon!  Mind boggling, isn’t it?

Walking the beach near the Four Seasons Maui

Positives of a Destination Wedding

• Think of your most dreamy travel destination, and you can absolutely have a destination wedding in that location.
• Most luxury travel destinations have onsite wedding managers who can arrange all of the details for you in one easy phone call.  Imagine the time and frustration you’ll save yourself with that service alone.  One call does it all!
• At the Four Seasons Maui, the introductory wedding package includes a wedding manager, appointment for the marriage license, a non-denominational wedding officiant, a traditional bouquet for the bride, boutonniere for the groom, a canopy with two floral arrangements, a floral petal scatter for the aisle, chairs, a solo wedding musician for the ceremony, and a wedding photographer for two hours.  This all starts at $7,500 and can be upgraded, if you like, from there. Not bad, right?  And just think, you’re at the Four Seasons Maui for crying out loud!
• After the ceremony, you don’t have to worry about traveling for your honeymoon.  You’re already there!
• Because, generally speaking, destination weddings don’t have 200 people in attendance, you’ll find great savings at the wedding dinner because of the smaller guest list.  And to keep the folks happy who didn’t attend the wedding ceremony, you’ll have a reception for all of your friends when you get home.  This can certainly be less formal, and therefore less expensive.

Negatives of a Destination Wedding

• Because of the expense for your guests to travel to your desired destination, it’s likely that some will not be able to attend.  However, bring back a video and share it at your hometown reception.
• It’s possible that some of your guests might extend their stay and be around during your honeymoon.  That could be good, or bad.
• Some people are just plain grumpy and will think it pompous that you’re doing a destination wedding.  It’s kind of selfish really.  But it’s sure to happen.
• Some destinations won’t provide you with a legally binding marriage.  Make certain that you do a little homework before you make assumptions on that part.

Room View at the Four Seasons Maui Resort at Wailea

While I’m quite confident that I haven’t touched upon every possible pro and con to a destination wedding, I think you’ll agree that a destination wedding should certainly be one of the considerations when planning a wedding in the 21st century.  After all, what could be more romantic than a destination wedding in a place like the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, or one of any number of romantic spots around the world.

If you would like to explore a destination wedding at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, or any other romantic spot around the world, give us a call at (480) 550-1235, or use our handy online information request by clicking the red button below.  We’d be honored to help you plan this most romantic of occasions.

Plus, with our Virtuoso connections, we can also bring along some special VIP perks for the stay of the bride, groom, and all guests.

About Virtuoso:
Virtuoso® is the leading network of luxury travel advisors and entities.  This by-invitation-only organization comprises 335 agencies with more than 7,200 elite travel specialists in 20 countries in North and South America, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, as well as over 1,700 of the world’s best travel providers and premier destinations.  The network’s member agencies generate over $12.5 billion annually in travel sales, making the group the most powerful in the luxury travel segment.  Their relationships with the finest travel companies provide the network’s affluent clientele with exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access. Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an independent affiliate of Hager’s Journeys, a Virtuoso Member.

Disclosure: a portion of our experience was provided by the kind folks at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. The Roaming Boomers maintains all publishing control and we’re happy to share our experiences with you without interference.  We call ’em as we see ’em.

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