Things have changed a lot since your parents got hitched! Check out the new and improved ways modern couples are creating unique, thoroughly personal events.
By: Kristen Finello
Rule #6 Take your show on the road.
The old way: Believing the bride's hometown is the "only" place to tie the knot.
The new way: Having a destination wedding in an exotic location.
A hometown wedding can be beautiful and have a lot of sentimental appeal. But with girl-marrying-boy-next-door and high-school-sweetheart romances growing less common in this "global" society, more and more couples are choosing to wed away from home. "Less than half of my clients were born and raised in Annapolis," notes the Maryland-based Shutt.
So what entices couples to a particular destination? "Brides and grooms are picking places that have personal significance to them," she says. It might be the spot where they met or got engaged, or a place they've always dreamed of visiting together (Aspen! or Venice!). Other couples dream of exchanging "I dos" barefoot in the sand—on a Hawaiian or Caribbean island, for example. Whatever destination you choose, think about what the locale has to offer your guests: Are there gorgeous beaches, lots of sightseeing options or plenty of nightspots to keep them entertained? Be sure to factor in how easy it will be for the majority of your guests to travel there, whether by car or airplane.
