Everyone loves to complain when they are invited to a destination wedding, and to be honest, it's not hard to see why. Destination weddings can be pricey, time-consuming, and a little bit of a hassle. They can also seem selfish and extravagant, and make you feel, well, a little bit bitter and grumpy. But you know what? I'm going to make a pretty strong case for them, because I think there are lots of reasons why you should go to a destination wedding. Seriously!
I know that not everyone has the money or the time to purchase a plane ticket, or go away for a few days with a fancy dress in their bag. I totally get that some schedules and budgets can't allow for destination wedding trips, and that's fine. But if you do think you have the resources to go, you should. The trip just might end up being really, really fun.
Here are 10 reasons why you should definitely go to a destination wedding. Just a warning, though: Reading up on all the ways destination weddings are awesome may just have you wanting to plan one for yourself. (That happened to me — doing research about destination weddings totally made me want one!)
1. It's like a little vacation with all of your friends.
Assuming you're going to a destination wedding for people you know and not as a guest where you don't know anyone, it can be kind of like a mini vacay with your friends. When else are you going to get to go away somewhere beautiful with a whole bunch of the people you love? Do you know how hard it is to plan those kinds of things? It's not just about the wedding — you'll also get to hang out!
2. It's a legitimate reason to take some time off and get away.
No one can make you feel guilty for taking time off to go to your cousin's destination wedding, because really, what choice do you have? You also can't make yourself feel guilty.
3. You can often get a pretty good wedding rate or deal.
Since a large group of people are going, the bride and groom can often find a great package deal for the attendees. While you're not exactly saving money, you will probably spend less than you would have if you were just going on your own.
4. The ceremony itself will be less fancy and stuffy.
Destination weddings are smaller, so they're typically more relaxed and casual. This is especially true if it's at a beach, or on an island. While getting glammed up to be super fancy is fun, it can be a lot of work. Sometimes, it's nice to just take it easy, and enjoy a wedding without stressing over your shoes.
5. You'll get to experience lots of fun wedding stuff instead of just one night of it.
The actual wedding is obviously the most fun part, but there are other things that can be a good time as well. Usually, only bridal parties get in on those, but with destination weddings, more people are usually involved. It's like a two or three day wedding instead of just one night!
6. It's pretty romantic.
Whether you bring a long-term significant other, decide to ask someone kind of random, or you're going as someone's guest, a destination wedding can be romantic. Even if it's not on the Caribbean, it's still a sweet atmosphere. It's the perfect time for quality time with your boo.
7. You can make it into an even longer vacation.
Say the wedding is in Jamaica, and you've been dying to go there. Look into the price of making the vacay a few days longer either before or after the wedding. Since you'll already be going, it makes sense to stay a while!
8. You don't have to worry about how you're getting home from the ceremony.
If your favorite thing about a wedding is the open bar, this is good news. With destination weddings, your room is usually just a five minute walk away. That means you can drink as much as you want without stressing over how you'll safely get home.
9. It gives you something to look forward to.
One of the best things about a vacation is the excitement leading up to it, and the same thing goes for destination weddings. It's nice to have something fun to look forward to.
10. Everything else about the wedding should be relatively inexpensive.
Yeah, you'll be spending a lot on traveling. But usually when a couple has a destination wedding, they try to keep everything else pretty low-key. Does this mean you're saving money? Doubtful, but why not put a positive spin on things?
Images: Ashley Deason/Flickr; Giphy
