15 North America Wedding Destinations

For couples flying from Australia, a marriage that is legal where it takes place, and would also be valid here, is generally recognised at home, as Smartraveller explains. The paperwork to get there varies a lot from place to place. Wedded Concierge can plan the venue, travel and vendors for any of them.

1. Hawaii, USA

Best for: beach ceremonies and island resorts

Best months: April to October

Good to know: the Hawaii State Department of Health licence costs US$65, and you can marry the day you collect it, with no residency requirement.

Each island has its own character, from O'ahu's resort convenience to Kaua'i's gardens and Maui's sunsets. A ceremony on a state beach also needs a right-of-entry permit, which our Hawaii destination wedding guide covers step by step.

Photo: Daniel Torobekov

2. Napa Valley, California, USA

Best for: vineyard weddings and long dinners among the vines

Best months: late spring and the autumn harvest, roughly May to October

Good to know: a public marriage licence from Napa County costs US$96, is valid for 90 days and is issued by appointment.

Napa is built for couples who care most about the dinner. Winery venues pair a ceremony among the vines with a barrel room or cellar if the weather turns.

Photo: Gabriel Tovar

3. Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Best for: quick, fun weddings with a big night after

Best months: March to May and October to November

Good to know: Clark County charges US$102 for a licence, and you can use it straight away, with no blood test.

Vegas covers everything from a quick chapel ceremony to a full resort wedding. Our guide to getting married in Vegas walks through the steps.

Photo: Luis Erives

4. New York City, New York, USA

Best for: city glamour, rooftops and park ceremonies

Best months: May to June and September to October

Good to know: the NYC City Clerk licence costs US$35, and the ceremony can't happen until a full day after it is issued.

Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge and rooftop terraces are all within a short ride of each other. Book the licence appointment for your first days in the city so the wait never touches the date.

Photo: Daniela Sánchez

5. Aspen, Colorado, USA

Best for: mountain views, in summer meadows or winter snow

Best months: June to September for wildflowers, December to March for snow

Good to know: Colorado lets couples marry themselves without an officiant, and Pitkin County issues the licence for US$30.

That makes an elopement for two legally simple here. You can apply up to 30 days ahead, and Colorado doesn't require witnesses.

Photo: adriana ramos

6. Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Best for: historic houses, oak avenues and Southern hospitality

Best months: March to May and October to November

Good to know: the Charleston County Probate Court releases a licence one day after you apply, and there's no residency requirement.

Charleston has historic homes, plantation gardens and waterfront venues within reach of a strong food scene. Oak avenues hung with Spanish moss are the classic backdrop.

Photo: Tolga Ahmetler

7. New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Best for: music, colour and a second line parade

Best months: October to April

Good to know: Louisiana makes you wait a day after the licence is issued, but a registered Orleans Parish officiant can waive that for non-residents (Louisiana Department of Health).

New Orleans is for couples who want the party to spill into the streets. French Quarter courtyards hold an intimate dinner, while the grand ballrooms take a crowd.

Photo: Chad Populis

8. Florida Keys, Florida, USA

Best for: barefoot beach weddings and sunset sails

Best months: December to May

Good to know: couples who both live outside Florida can marry as soon as the Monroe County Clerk issues the licence.

The Keys run from Key Largo to Key West, linked by a single highway over the water. Sunset ceremonies on a beach or a boat are the local favourite.

Photo: Vincent Gerbouin

9. Banff, Alberta, Canada

Best for: lakes, peaks and small ceremonies in the national park

Best months: June to September

Good to know: Parks Canada limits ceremonies in Banff National Park to 20 participants and asks you to register in advance.

Banff rewards couples who keep it small. The park rules allow a small arch, a table and a chair, but no amplified sound or confetti, so larger celebrations move to a lodge or hotel.

Photo: apertur 2.8

10. Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

Best for: alpine resorts and mountain-top views

Best months: June to September for summer, December to March for snow

Good to know: a British Columbia marriage licence costs C$100, and you buy it within the three months before your wedding date.

Whistler combines easily with a few days in Vancouver. Venues reached by gondola put the ceremony above the treeline.

Photo: Ali Kazal

11. Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

Best for: European charm without crossing the Atlantic

Best months: June to September, or December for a winter wedding

Good to know: the Directeur de l'état civil must publish a notice of your marriage for 20 days before the ceremony.

Old Québec's stone streets and the Château Frontenac feel closer to France than to the rest of North America. Build the notice into your timeline early, since a dispensation is only granted for serious reasons.

Photo: Clément Proust

12. Riviera Maya, Mexico

Best for: all-inclusive beach resorts and cenote ceremonies

Best months: December to April

Good to know: the Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November (National Hurricane Center), so check your resort's weather policy if you book inside it.

Tulum and Playa del Carmen anchor this stretch of Mexico's Caribbean coast. Many resorts sell wedding packages with an on-site coordinator, which helps when you are planning from Australia.

Photo: Matteo Milan

13. Los Cabos, Mexico

Best for: dramatic desert and ocean views

Best months: December to April

Good to know: the Pacific side has its own hurricane season, from 15 May to 30 November, a little longer than the Atlantic's.

At the tip of Baja California the desert runs straight into the sea, and clifftop sunset ceremonies are the draw. Luxury resorts line the corridor between Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo.

Photo: Julio Hernandez

14. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Best for: a relaxed beach town with jungle hills behind it

Best months: November to April

Good to know: the Puerto Vallarta civil registry asks foreigners for an apostilled birth certificate translated into Spanish, plus a medical certificate and blood tests dated within 15 days of the wedding.

One way around the paperwork is to marry legally at home and hold a symbolic ceremony in Mexico. Puerto Vallarta's old town and Banderas Bay give you both a beach and a cobbled-street setting.

Photo: Soly Moses

15. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Best for: colonial streets, churches and garden courtyards

Best months: October to April, in the dry season

Good to know: the town and the nearby Sanctuary of Atotonilco have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2008.

San Miguel sits high in central Mexico, away from the coast and its hurricane season. A wedding here can finish with a callejoneada, a street procession with music through the old town.

Photo: Luis Pardo

Plan Your North America Wedding From Australia

Fifteen destinations means fifteen sets of licence, timing and permit rules, and a planner who knows them saves you the research. Wedded Concierge handles that side for you. Browse the North America destinations for ideas, and the North America honeymoon guide for the trip that follows.

Cover photo: Julio Hernandez