Research: Destination Wedding Outlook Market (2023-2033)

Future Market Insights (FMI), a leading market research organisation, reveals that the global destination wedding market is likely to propel at 13.1% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) over the forecast period 2023 to 2033.

The market value is poised to skyrocket from US$ 30,259.5 million in 2023 to US$ 103,497.1 million by 2033. The destination wedding industry was valued at US$ 26,754.73 million in 2022.

The market is poised to soar rapidly during the forecast period due to a range of factors that include the increasing interconnectedness, as well as, surging demand for destination wedding. Couples are increasingly using social media platforms to share their wedding planning process and experiences.

Several trends have influenced the market, including the integration of technology, as with today’s digital age, brides and grooms find it easier than ever to make plans remotely. This includes planning events through online invitation creation and RSVP tracking to real-time updates via email or text message. Technology plays a vital role in keeping everyone informed and engaged.

Incorporating cutting-edge tech features such as photo booths, drone footage capturing panoramas of the event has become increasingly common. Virtual wedding planners open new doors for creativity that help in the growth of destination weddings.

Couples often choose destination weddings to create unique and unforgettable experiences for themselves and their guests. Exotic locations, picturesque landscapes, and culturally rich destinations offer a sense of adventure and create lasting memories. See our Destination Wedding Locations section.

Destination weddings can sometimes be more cost-effective than traditional weddings, especially in expensive regions or cities. Couples might opt for destinations with favorable exchange rates, low venue costs, and package deals offered by resorts or wedding planners.

Couples prefer small, more intimate gatherings rather than large, traditional weddings. Destination weddings provide an opportunity to have a more exclusive guest list, leading to a more personal and connected experience.

Partnerships and collaboration in destination weddings have driven the demand for destination weddings. Collaborations of hotels and resorts with wedding planners, teaming up with renowned wedding service providers. Partnerships and collaborations help to expand the reach of wedding services and provide users with a wide range of options and expertise. These factors are driving the growth of the global destination wedding industry. 

Key Drivers Driving Demand in the Destination Wedding Market Growth:

• Destination wedding venues and planners offer customizable packages, allowing couples to tailor their wedding to their preferences and style.
• Resorts and hotels offer wedding planning services or work with professional wedding planners to make plans viable for businesses and the consumers alike.
• As the world becomes more interconnected, international and cross-cultural marriages are becoming more common, increasing the need for convenient and easy access locations for the involved families to gather together.
• Social media platforms, particularly Instagram and Pinterest, have influenced wedding trends significantly.

The US Market

As per Group Travel Organization report on the US market, a destination wedding accounts for one out of every 4 weddings. By far, a host of the expensive destination weddings are in New York City. With hotel prices ranging from US$ 300 to US$ 400, it’s no surprise that the typical wedding costs more than US$ 70,000. Florida, California, and Nevada are the other highly popular spots for destination weddings in the United States.

Listed below are some destination wedding statistics that are both interesting and informative for couples who are thinking about having one.

• 1 out of every 4 weddings in the US is a destination wedding.
• New York City weddings are the most expensive destination weddings by far. With hotel rates in the $300-$400 range, it is not surprising that the average wedding costs over $70,000.
• The top locations for destination weddings in the USA are Florida, California and Nevada.
• The top 3 locations for destination weddings outside the continental US are Caribbean, Mexico and Hawaii.
• 350,000 destination weddings take place annually. Las Vegas is the category leader for weddings with over 100,000 per year.
• Seven out of 10 destination weddings take place in the continental USA. Most of the rest of the destination weddings occur in Mexico, Hawaii or the Caribbean with a small majority elsewhere.
• Half of all destination weddings are planned with the help of a wedding planner.
• The average cost of a destination wedding in the continental US is $225 per person.
• The average cost of a destination wedding outside the continental US is $404 per person.
• Destination weddings are big business for hotels. All guests will need accommodations so getting group rates is a necessity. The average group discount for a 3 star hotel is 22% which is much higher better than what your guests will get if they book on their own. If you need to block hotel rooms online without making a phone call, then the group hotel rates request form. Within minutes, hotels in your desired city and budget will email you their group rates.
• The average number of guests at a destination wedding is 86. The average number of guests at a traditional wedding is 141.
• Jamaica continues to be the heavy leader in all Caribbean destination weddings. In fact, the study showed that more than one in three Caribbean destination weddings take place in Jamaica, which netted a whopping 34 percent of the votes.
• Weather is the number one reason for choosing a destination. 9 out of 10 couples say that the climate at the destination wedding location was a critical factor. While most brides want the fun in the sun (Other than Las Vegas, most destination weddings occur in sunny tropical locations), there is a growing number of people looking for adventure weddings, ski resort weddings and vineyard weddings.
• Planning a destination wedding is a part time job. In the last three months before the wedding, the average bride spends about 11 hours per week planning the wedding. That is huge commitment and one that needs to be planned for. If you can’t make the time for it, then consider getting friends and family to help take some of the burden off your shoulders. You’ll be surprised with how eager many people are to help you plan a destination wedding.
• The reception makes up over 35% of the total cost of a traditional wedding and is even higher at a destination wedding. This makes a wedding reception the prime target if you are looking at cutting costs. Holding off on expensive centerpieces, selecting local flowers, and cutting back a 7 course meal to 5 will help scale back the Hollywood scale production back to something more manageable.
• Expect to stay about a week at the destination wedding location. The average destination wedding couple ends up arriving a little less than a week out to make sure everything is in order for the wedding. Finalizing details with all the vendors and getting some down time before wedding guests arrive are two reasons why you should expect to arrive earlier than your guests (they stay an average of 3 nights).
• Guests spend three or more days at the destination wedding location, on average.
• The average spent on a destination wedding is $20,000. If you include the honeymoon, and the travel expenses, you can expect to add an additional $5-10,000 to that number. 
• 40% of the couples getting married pay for a portion of travel expenses for some of their guests. It is customary to pay for your parents, and immediate family members. In many cases, the couple also pays for the bridal party’s travel expenses.
• 30% of all couples that have a destination wedding will have a party back home after the wedding.
• Destination weddings are a very popular option for second marriages. A third of all destination weddings are second marriages. There are many reasons why a destination wedding is popular for second marriages. One of them being choice, children, intimacy, want to something different, already done the traditional wedding thing etc.
• 60% of destination wedding couples pay for the wedding themselves. It is a trend that the wedding is paid for by the bride/groom rather than the parents.