DESTINATION
WEDDINGS

A destination wedding is a ceremony or reception held somewhere the couple does not live, usually a place that requires guests to travel — think a villa in Italy, a beach in Fiji or a resort in Mexico rather than a venue in your home city.

The couple usually covers the wedding itself — the ceremony, the reception and any welcome events. Guests are generally expected to pay for their own flights and accommodation. Some couples help by arranging group rates or a block of rooms, but they are not obligated to cover guest travel.

For couples travelling from Australia, the best value is usually Bali, Thailand, Fiji and Vietnam. Further afield, Mexico and the Dominican Republic offer popular all-inclusive packages. Costs swing widely with guest numbers and season, so a smaller guest list in the off-season is the single biggest saving.

It depends on guest count, region and number of event days. Luxury destination weddings on Wedded Wonderland typically run from AUD $50,000 for an intimate 30–50-guest gathering to AUD $250,000+ for a multi-day celebration with 100+ guests, with many mid-tier weddings landing around AUD $80,000–$120,000. For couples planning from India, comparable luxury celebrations generally range from about ₹50 lakh to ₹2 crore+. Venue exclusivity, guest numbers and supplier travel are the main drivers — request a planner-led quote for an apples-to-apples comparison.

Not inherently — it is well above the Australian average (a local wedding typically runs AUD $30,000–$50,000) and firmly in luxury territory. Many destination weddings actually come in under $100,000 because guest lists are smaller; what matters is your cost-per-guest and which elements you choose to prioritise.

It can be, mostly because guest lists tend to be smaller. The wedding day itself is often less expensive, but travel and multi-day events for the couple can add up. As a rule of thumb, smaller and further usually means a lower total spend.

Most planners recommend booking your venue 12–18 months out, and sending save-the-dates earlier than a local wedding — around 9–12 months — so guests can arrange travel and time off. Marriage paperwork in some countries and peak European summer dates require the longest lead times.

We strongly recommend one. A local planner unlocks supplier relationships, navigates legal/cultural requirements (Italy's Nulla Osta, Bali's religious ceremony rules), manages logistics across time zones, and handles the day itself so you don't have to. Wedded Wonderland's curated planners specialise in destination weddings across our partner regions.

Italy, Greece, France, Spain, the UAE (with specific paperwork), Mexico, the United States, and several Caribbean nations all allow legal weddings for non-residents, with varying documentation and residency requirements. Others — including Bali for non-Hindu couples — require couples to register the legal marriage at home and hold the ceremony abroad as a celebration. Your destination planner will confirm the legal pathway for your region.