While they might not all be as extravagant as the recent months-long, celeb-heavy nuptials of billionaire heir Anant Ambani, destination weddings continue to trend among those who seek an inspirational overseas location. And some surprising cities feature in a ‘best-of’ destination wedding list for strategic reasons.
Destination wedding cities are all about location, location, location.
Couples want those quintessential elements for a beautiful ceremony that’s memorable for all – a stunning backdrop with a consistently sunny climate and plentiful attractions and accommodation options (some Instagram fame doesn’t hurt either).
Compare the Market created an index of desirable destination wedding cities, based on six key factors: total cost, climate, online interest, marriage equality status and available options for accommodation and attractions.
However, are couples more likely to lead with their heart than their bank account when it comes to destination wedding locations?
Where to say “I do”
Dubai was determined the best location for a destination wedding, thanks to an average of just eight rainy days per year, its Instagram popularity and a high number of accommodation and attraction options.
However, Dubai is a pricey option with a total wedding cost of more than $38,000 and does not recognise marriage equality, making it suitable for only select couples.
Likewise, Istanbul at number two on the list was favoured for its high quantity of places to stay and things to do, however the Türkiye city lacks marriage equality status and online and social media search volume.
Berlin is another surprise city contender to tie the knot with a comparable total wedding cost to Istanbul at around $18,000. The German capital gains points for marriage equality and massive online and Instagram popularity, despite its high precipitation.
Europe and the UK dominate the remainder of the top five best destination wedding cities with Rome and London, both central locations with romantic backdrops and many attractions and accommodation options.
Rounding out the top 10 list are Jaipur, India (6), Las Vegas (7), Barcelona (8), Santorini (9) and New York City (10).
A recent survey showed 74 per cent of Aussies would travel for a destination wedding in 2024.
Most and least expensive places to tie the knot
Unsurprisingly, Paris was the most expensive city for a destination wedding, coming in at an eye-watering cost of almost $47,000.
Other pricey cities included New York City and Venice at just over $45,000 and London and Los Angeles at around $41,000.
If you’re after a destination wedding minus the massive overdraft, Compare the Market suggests San Miguel de Allende, Mexico ($11,000) and Cartagena, Colombia ($16,000).
Two in three Aussies indicated they would prefer to spend more on the honeymoon than the big day, while a new global trend points to couples double-dipping with pre- and post-honeymoons.
How did Australia compare?
While Compare the Market primarily focused on international locations, it did include two Australian cities in the analysis.
Sydney came in 16th position overall, scoring the third highest in terms of Instagram interest, logging 680,000 hashtags for #sydneywedding. Perhaps the effect of last year’s Anyone But You movie that featured a destination wedding in Sydney?
The city also offers cheaper than average weddings and a moderate 89 days of rain in a year. Unfortunately, for the remainder of the metrics, Sydney scores below average, leading to its 16th place in the index.
Meanwhile, Gold Coast came in 24th place overall. It was the fourth best for wedding affordability with an average cost of around $19,600 and was also above average for Instagram interest.
But it didn’t perform as well in all other areas. Even the famously sunny Gold Coast had an average of 98 rainy days per year.
Check out the full list here.
