Explore Honeymoon Statistics, Destination Wedding Trends & Everything in Between!
Destination weddings have been growing in popularity over the years. Couples often choose to have their weddings in scenic locations or popular tourist destinations, combining their wedding celebrations with a vacation for themselves and their guests.
The pandemic had a huge impact on the industry with it suffering a loss of $150 billion globally, however, it's recovering to pre-pandemic levels, growing from $21.31 billion in 2022 to $28.31 billion in 2023.
Couples are making the most of being able to reschedule their weddings to include all their loved ones, with guest numbers to destination weddings reaching an all-time high. Discover more on how destination weddings have changed post-pandemic.
TOP DESTINATION WEDDING AND HONEYMOON STATISTICS:
In 2020 in the US, two-thirds of weddings did not take place and as much as three-quarters in Germany and the United Kingdom.
The peak months of April and September 2020 were particularly hard hit with 80% of weddings postponed.
The global wedding industry lost over $150 billion, with a $46 billion loss in the US, €10.36 billion in Germany, and $9.6 billion in UK.
As many as 2.5 million weddings took place in 2022, up from 2.2 million in 2019, prior to the pandemic.
In 2023 the average price is anywhere between $1,800 to $2,500.
The average budget in 2023 for a destination wedding is around $35,000 up from $28,000 in 2019.
The destination wedding market is expected to grow to $78.89 billion in 2027 at a CAGR of 29.2%.
There are 350,000 destination weddings performed every year, this accounts for 25% of all weddings in the US.
8 days is the average length of a honeymoon.
Riviera Maya and Akumal/Tulum are 2 of the top destinations in Mexico popular for weddings in 2022.
25% of couples in the UK choose to get married overseas.
In 2020 in the US, two-thirds of weddings did not take place and as much as three-quarters in Germany and the United Kingdom.
The peak months of April and September 2020 were particularly hard hit with 80% of weddings postponed.
The global wedding industry lost over $150 billion, with a $46 billion loss in the US, €10.36 billion in Germany, and $9.6 billion in UK.
The pre-pandemic wedding market generated £14.7 billion annually in the UK alone and some 400,000 jobs.
Nearly 20% of weddings in 2021 were destination weddings (up 10% from 2020).
About 50% of those destination weddings were hosted in international locations.
This is almost up to pre-pandemic numbers for destination weddings (21% in 2019).
The most popular destination weddings in the USA take place in Nevada, Florida, and California.
Destination weddings are big business, summing up around $16 billion in annual spending.
As many as 2.5 million weddings took place in 2022, up from 2.2 million in 2019, prior to the pandemic.
The average price paid for a wedding dress in 2020 was $1,631.
In 2023 the average price is anywhere between $1,800 to $2,500.
The average budget in 2023 for a destination wedding is around $35,000 up from $20,300 in 2020.
The global destination wedding market grew from $21.31 billion in 2022 to $28.31 billion in 2023 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 32.8%.
The destination wedding market is expected to grow to $78.89 billion in 2027 at a CAGR of 29.2%.
In 2022, the average number of guests increased to a 5-year high.
The average number of wedding guests attending a destination wedding was 50.
Destination wedding packages range between $1,000 to $20,000.
When comparing it to $30,000, which is the average cost of a wedding in the U.S.
Guests spend, on average, $1,400 on accommodation at a destination wedding.
The most popular month for 2022 was May.
The wedding industry was hit hard during the pandemic suffering a loss of over $150 billion, however, it is almost back to pre-pandemic levels. Couples have been waiting to either book or reschedule cancelled weddings, however the industry has struggled to catch up. Wedding vendors have been inundated with new enquiries for spring and summer and vendors are trying to rebook weddings cancelled over the past 2 years.
The post-pandemic demand has collided with supply chain backlogs, labour shortages and inflation, resulting in higher prices for brides and grooms across the country. The average budget in 2023 for a destination wedding is around $35,000 up from $20,300 in 2020.
Even though there have been increases, couples and guests don’t want to miss out with wedding groups getting larger with a 8% increase in 2021, and 12% increase in 2022.
For 2022 see a move away from beach weddings in favour of Sky Terraces and gazebos!
Top 5 Destinations for 2022 were:
- Riviera Maya
- Akumal / Tulum
- Dominican Republic
- Jamaica
- Cabo
Sources: Value Penguin, Paradise Weddings, Yahoo Finance, Budget Savvy Bride, Forbes
On average 2.4 million weddings are performed in the US each year.
With 44,230 weddings being held each weekend.
Weddings are a $50 billion industry annually.
A traditional American wedding costs on average $35,329, the cost per-guest is $268
$72 billion is spent on weddings in the US each year.
19% of couples’ parent’s pay for the wedding. Nearly a third pay for it themselves and 15% share the cost with both sets of parents.
The average age of brides is 29 years and for grooms 31 years.
September and October are the most popular months for weddings in the US.
The average number of guests attending is 136.
There are around 23 million bridesmaids and groomsmen a year.
Each guest spends on average $703 to attend a wedding.
Each guest to a bachelor party spends on average $738 & a bachelorette party spends $472.
$19 billion is spent on wedding gifts.
$70-$100 is the average spent on a gift per person.
88% of American’s marry at least once, and one-third of those getting married have had previous marriages.
43% of weddings are officiated by a friend or family member.
Only 33% of weddings took place in a religious institution last year.
Brides spend on average $1,564 on a wedding dress.
Couples spend on average $1575 on a wedding band.
48% launch a wedding website.
The most popular international honeymoon destinations overseas are: Mexico (15%), Hawaii (12%), Jamaica (7%), The Bahamas (5%), Italy (5%), St. Lucia (5%), France (3%) and the Virgin Islands (3%).
The most popular continental honeymoon destinations within the U.S. are: Florida (8%), California (5%) and Nevada (3%).
15% of the honeymoon market is from luxury honeymooners and are willing to spend over $7000.
The most popular places for luxury honeymooners are: Europe (28%), Caribbean (21%), Hawaii (18%) and the South Pacific (11%).
There has been an 80% increase in LGBT+ honeymoons booked through tourism companies. With the most popular places being New York, Las Vegas and Portugal.
10% of honeymooners choose to go on a cruise.
47% of partners said that climate was vital when planning their honeymoon.
The average length of a honeymoon is 8 days.
What do people look for in a honeymoon location? Couples are often looking for romance, tranquility, beauty and luxury when exploring honeymoon destinations.
The places to visit chosen by honeymooners are typically exotic and romantic, locations such as The Maldives. 12% of couples had their honeymoon in the Maldives making it the top place to visit for honeymooners in 2020. Italy, Greece and Spain were the top locations for European minimoons, and within the UK, the South West and Scotland came out on top. Did you know that you can travel to Jersey and even get married at Durrell Wildlife Park.
Sources: LuxuryTravelAdvisor, Independent , Ampersand , BrideMagazine , StevieRayEntertainment , HoneymoonDreams , Hitched
Brides and grooms that have destination weddings spend $8,200 on average on their honeymoon. 33% higher than conventional wedding couples.
$4,466 is the average cost of a honeymoon.
U.S. couples spend 3 times as much on their honeymoon than what they would typically spend on a regular holiday.
12 billion dollars a year is spent on the honeymoon industry.
62% of couples pay for their own honeymoon.
14% of the wedding budget goes on the honeymoon.
Honeymoons are a $12 billion-dollar industry and on average honeymoon couples spend $8,200 on their honeymoon as it is seen as a once-in-a-lifetime trip for loved ones to enjoy.
Honeymoons are commonly identified as a holiday to splurge and indulge because it is the first holiday together as newlyweds. Research shows that honeymooners are willing to spend 3 times as much on a honeymoon than a normal holiday they would take as a couple.
Leading Destination Weddings
Las Vegas
Hawaii
U.S. Virgin Islands
Jamaica
Bahamas
Number of Weddings Performed Annually
80,000
20,000
5,100
5,000
4,000
New York is the most expensive wedding location. The average wedding costs $70,000.
Florida, California and Nevada are the top wedding destinations in the USA.
40% of destination weddings in the USA take place in international locations.
Mexico, Hawaii and the Caribbean are the top three wedding locations outside continental U.S.
90% of couples say that climate was the number one reason for choosing a destination.
35.5% of Americans see destination weddings as a chance to take a holiday.
70% of weddings take place in continental U.S.
Where is the best place to have a destination wedding? Las Vegas comes out on top as the most popular location in the world for couples to have their wedding reception. It is also recognised as The Marriage Capital of the World, it is very easy to acquire a marriage license in Las Vegas and it is also very inexpensive.
According to Kuoni, the top destination wedding locations are: the Maldives, Seychelles, Italy, Antigua, Las Vegas, Mexico, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, New York, Barbados and St Lucia.
These destination wedding statistics demonstrate that destination weddings are becoming increasingly popular and it is claimed that 25% of couples marry abroad. Weddings abroad are often an intimate and exciting alternative to a traditional wedding, with 40% of destination weddings in the U.S. taking place abroad.
Sources: TripSavvy, BusinessWire, GroupTravel, Ampersand, Wikipedia, Kuoni
$27,227 is the average spend on a destination wedding in the U.S.
£7,500 is the average spend on a destination wedding in the U.K. Whereas, the average spend on a traditional wedding is £27,161.
$28,000 is the average budget for a destination wedding.
$673 is the average amount guests spend to attend a destination wedding.
$16 billion in annual spending is on the destination wedding market.
How much does the average destination wedding cost? The average cost of a destination wedding is $27,227 in the U.S. Whereas, the average cost of a domestic wedding is $28,372. This is because the average guest size for a domestic wedding is typically larger and destination weddings are more intimate. A common misconception is that destination weddings are more expensive however, usually they are cheaper, depending on the size of the guest list.
The cost per person is a lot more for a destination wedding because the pair getting married needs to consider aspects such as airfare, accommodation, meals, transportation, and guest activities.
Sources: GroupTravel, TripSavvy, TheKnot, GroupTravel
33% of all destination weddings are second marriages.
33 is the average age of a bride choosing a destination wedding.
70% of those who have a destination wedding graduated from University and have an average household income of $110,000.
Destination weddings are very popular amongst those who have already been married as 33% of all destination weddings are second marriages. The brides and grooms who are getting married for a second time tend to be older and in better financial shape. The average household income for those who have destination weddings is $110,000.
Intimacy is common for destination weddings as the number of guests is lower. Those who have been married before will want a more private and intimate experience the second time round which is why a destination wedding is ideal.
Sources: TripSavvy, GroupTravel, Ampersand
86 is the average number of guests at a destination wedding. Whereas, the average number of guests at a traditional wedding is 141.
3-4 days is the average length a guest will stay at a destination wedding.
88% of destination weddings include children in the guest count.
17.8% of guests do not attend destination weddings because they do not know the couple well enough to justify the cost.
11.8% do not attend destination weddings because they cannot justify taking the time off work.
9.7% of guests are not able to get the time off work.
7.1% are not interested in the destination.
40% of couples who have a destination wedding pay a portion of travel expenses for their guests. It is normal for the couple to pay for their family and immediate family members.
We have already established that fewer guests attend destination weddings because the cost per person is a lot higher and the expenses involved are more significant. The average number of guests at a destination wedding is 86 whereas a conventional wedding has an average guest list of 141.
Research shows that 50% of guests attend a destination wedding that they are invited to whereas 75-85% of guests attend a traditional wedding that they are invited to. The most common reason why guests may not attend a destination wedding is that guests feel as though they do not know the couple well enough to justify the cost of the travel and accommodation of a destination wedding.
Sources: GroupTravel, TravelAgentCentral, TheKnot, TotallyPromotional
90% of couples say that climate was the number one reason for choosing a destination.
14.1% said they chose a destination wedding, so they could honeymoon in the same place.
10.7% of those who chose a destination wedding wanted to check the location off their bucket list.
8.4% wanted to limit the number of attendees.
6.6% wanted to cut costs.
4.1% chose a destination wedding as a nod to their heritage.
Why do so many people travel for their wedding? A lot of couples often have a special connection to a specific location and therefore choose it as the perfect destination for their wedding. It is a great opportunity and excuse to travel, specifically for travel loving couples. It is also a fantastic way for their guests to experience something new and exciting as the guests can have a good time whilst celebrating in a beautiful location.
Data shows that climate is the top reason a couple would choose to have a destination wedding as 90% of couples pick their destination based on the weather. It is a great way to escape the bad weather and get married in a hot location.
Sources: GroupTravel, TravelAgentCentral, MangoMuseEvents
There has been a 219% increase in safari honeymoon ideas on Pinterest in 2018.
Surfing honeymoons were also popular on Pinterest in 2018.
According to Pinterest, Switzerland was a popular choice for honeymooners who want to go skiing.
80% of couples used social media to choose their honeymoon destination over the last five years.
Las Vegas has the most honeymoon 'check-ins' on Facebook.
Social media platforms are leading the way for destination weddings as research shows that 80% of couples used it to choose their honeymoon destination. According to the Brides 2018 American Wedding Study, social media plays a role in practically every aspect of a couple's wedding, from the proposal news to honeymoon travel inspiration.
Wedding planning in the digital age can be intimidating especially because of the unrealistic expectations that these platforms display, 42% of couples felt under pressure to have a social-media ready wedding. However, these platforms can be ideal for gathering inspiration and research for possible travel destinations. Pinterest has been found to be very popular amongst brides as they are able to create multiple Pinterest boards with their perfect wedding ideas. Instagram is the ideal platform to find unique and interesting alternatives as the discover page allows couples to explore honeymoon and wedding destinations.
INFORMATION
MORE
CONDOR BREAKS
- Condor Ferries
- New Jetty
- White Rock
- St. Peter Port
- Guernsey
- GY1 2LL
- +443456091024
FOLLOW US
