lesleymurphy

Whether you plan to tie the knot domestically or internationally, you’ll want to look into a few things when it comes to the destination. You have to ask yourselves about the most important factors for your big day. Is it location? A huge party with all of your friends and family? Following traditions? Sticking to a certain theme? Personally, we wanted to get married in a location that meant something to us as a couple. That particular location needed to be easily accessible from two continents because we wanted all of our favorite people to come, too. We knew where we didn’t want to get married, so then we grabbed our globe and chose the halfway point between Little Rock, Arkansas and Sydney, Australia 🙂

No matter what location you choose for your nuptials, my number one piece of advice would be to do what the two of you want to do. You’ll get a lot of noise and even more opinions. Stay true to yourselves and listen to your heart.

USA

📍Aspen, Colorado

I’ll tell ya where we’ll go. Someplace warm. A place where the beer flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I’m talkin’ bout a little place called Aspen.

Had to throw that quote in 🙂 I lost track of how many times I’ve visited Aspen, Colorado. I’ve been here on more occasions in the winter, but let me tell you what: summer in Aspen maybe even better! Whether you’re after a winter wonderland in a luxe venue or barefoot in the lush mountains, this may be the destination wedding spot for you!

📍Charleston, South Carolina

The grits are in abundance, the weather is warm, and the southern charm is downright inviting. I grew up in the south so I’m very accustomed to all of those things, and I’d be lying if I said I’m surprised that Charleston is named the #1 city in the U.S. by Travel + Leisure year after year. It’s that good.

📍Newport, Rhode Island

This coastal destination is everything you could wish for in a quaint New England town + beautiful historic mansions, rocky coastlines, and Gatsby-esque parties. Choose to tie the know at the wharf, the mansions overlooking the cliffs, the Newport Winery or even the rocky beaches. Newport shines and thrives in the summer, but you can also have the fall wedding of your dreams in leaf-peeping season.

📍Napa Valley, California

Theres’s nothing better than a classically beautiful backdrop with a smooth Cab and stunning sunsets guaranteed. Think resorts, rolling hills, and ethereal landscapes to transport you to a different country altogether. There is something so timeless about a winery wedding easily paired with a late night barrel-room after party.

📍Maui, Hawaii

Well, I may be biased (we’re tying the knot at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua in a few weeks!)… but there are so many reasons Maui was destined to be our destination wedding. The fact that it’s the halfway point between Australia and Arkansas made it tempting from the get-go. Maui has something for everyone – adventure, black sand beaches, family-friendly options, and the opportunity to truly gift your guests a vacation.

📍Willamette Valley, OR

This west coast wine country experience may be less popular than Napa, but not for lack of beautiful views and delectable wine. Oregon has so much to offer for guests and can be as low-key or luxury as you make it. I love this PNW state and know it would make for a beautiful place to say ‘I do.’

The Caribbean

📍Cayman Islands

The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman steals the show. The Seven Mile beachfront is paradisiacal, the food is delicious and the staff is topnotch. For your guests, it doubles as an adult’s playground. Water sports in abundance here including flyboarding, jet skiing, SUP, sailing, a few bike-meets-paddleboat contraptions as well as a few trampoline-meets-flotation device situations. All in all, it will be an awesome vacation for your guests- no extra planning necessary.

📍Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico, affectionately known by locals as La Isla Del Encanto (the Island of Enchantment) or Borinquén (native indigenous name), has shown me just how enchanting this tiny dot in the Caribbean can really be. With breathtaking mountains, relaxing rivers, sun-kissed beaches, and crystal clear waters, Puerto Rico checks all the boxes for a dreamy destination wedding. Plus, American citizens can enter passport and visa-free, allowing for a tropical getaway close to home that will surely please your guests!

📍St. John, USVI

With seven beaches, turquoise waters, picturesque sail boats on the horizon and tropical cocktails a-plenty, this destination exudes low-key vibes and old-school character making it high-key romantic and fun. Caneel Bay puts on 50-60 weddings a year, agreeing to celebrate only one bride per day. Whether a party of 200 is coming in for the nuptials or it’s solely the groom and his bride, the same amount of work goes into the setup at Caneel. With 170 acres to play with, wedding space is limitles. Since St. John is a U.S. Virgin Island, no passport is necessary, making it even more desirable, as if the palm trees and donkeys weren’t enough.

📍Aruba

With a desert climate, you can bet on a beautiful sunny warm and wonderful day all year round. It’s a favorite vacation spot for east coasters for good reason. Aruba is a small island to explore that’s fueled by tourism allowing your guests to easily turn your beach wedding into a relaxing vacation. Best of all, it lives up to its reputation of ‘One Happy Island’ and is a great place to begin your happily ever after.

The Americas & Beyond

📍Costa Rica

Getting married in Costa Rica would be a dream for obvious reasons (beaches, rainforests, adventure, etc.) but it may also save you a pretty penny! Whether you go lux or lax, you will probably be able to piece together the wedding of your dreams for less than the U.S. If you want to go The Road Les Traveled, the region of Pérez Zeledón where Hacienda AltaGracia resides is full of this undiscovered natural beauty.

📍Banff, Canada

While filming The Bachelor, we traveled to Banff National Park, and I’m having trouble coming up with adequate adjectives to describe it. Stunning, picturesque, vibrant…all of those work and more. One of my favorite things about Canada in the summer is that it doesn’t get dark until about 10pm so you can have a summer evening wedding and watch the sunset at your outdoor reception. Your guests will never be bored or stop saying WOW if you commit to this nature lover’s dream destination!

📍Los Cabos, Mexico

People LOVE Cabo, and I am people. The cuisine is divine, the beaches are beautiful, and while I’d say it’s predictable because you know what you’re going to get… a bride does enjoy a guarantee 🙂 No surprises, lots of sunshine, tequila in abundance, and a two-hour flight from LA. What’s not to love?! We visited Cabo in 2019 as a couple and will be retuning this year for a friend’s wedding – CAN.NOT.WAIT.

A romantic must-do: dine with Esperanza Resort perched atop cliffs overlooking two private beaches as waves crash below. I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten a meal in a more beautiful/romantic setting.

📍Florence, Italy

Is it any surprise that Florence remains one of the most requested wedding locations for anyone wanting to get married in Italy? Short answer: no. We’re talking Renaissance castles, dreamy villas, Tuscan cuisine and don’t even get me started on the treasure of Tuscany! It goes without saying…to anyone tying the knot here: we support you.

📍Paris, France

Of all the destinations in the world, Paris radiates elegance like no other. Effortlessly, too. The beauty of getting married in a city means you’re surrounded by an abundance of top-notch everything – florists, food options, hotels, romantic photo-spots (hello Eiffel Tower), and of course, venues. The options truly are limitles!

If you want to go big and be blown away by every detail, I know the Four Seasons George V would be a dream come true.

📍Franschoek, South Africa

Ahh South Africa’s lavish wine valley nestled in between the mountains. The quaint Franschoek downtown is exactly what you’d wish for and arriving feels like an exhale. *sips wine surrounded by mountains and beauty* There are so many places to choose from for sipping and hosting including hundred-year-old family wineries and a personal fav: Sir Richard Branson’s Mont Rochelle‘s 26-bedroom Hotel and Vineyard.

Over to you! If you had a destination wedding, where in the world did you tie the knot?!