It’s no small feat to plan a Wedding – but sometimes heading out of town is the answer. One in four weddings is a considered a “destination” one, per GroupTravel data, and it’s becoming an attractive option for many couples. It’s no wonder why these wedding options are so attractive. A beautiful fiancé by your side you can get married in some of the most picturesque scenery on the planet.

Take a look at these benefits to heading somewhere else to exchange your vows:

You can keep it intimate.

It can be tough to keep your guest list numbers in check if you’re planning a local wedding. For those couples planning a Destination Wedding, a smaller wedding is expected. This is due to the cost and time it takes to travel to the destination that your wedding will take place. For example, you could be having your destination wedding in Hawaii when you’re entire family and friend list lives in Ohio.

The nature of the few-day-long destination wedding brings about a feeling of intimacy and guests can spend a lot of quality time together. It’s a really neat experience to be able to be surrounded by your loved ones for a long weekend, acting as a reunion of the people who mean the most to you.

You have fewer decisions to make.

Depending on where you celebrate, your options will likely be much less limited in every potential stressful decision, from cake vendors to flower options. This is due to the fact that a destination wedding will most likely happen at a resort where they have pre-selected vendors to work with. While some might feel this is a negative, it’s a freeing feeling for others. Fewer options mean fewer decisions to make, alleviating a lot of wedding stress. Most popular destination sites have wedding planners available, too, to make it even easier to tie the knot.

You can get amazing photographs.

The photo album will look like it’s straight out of a magazine – imagine rolling mountains, white sands or gorgeous ocean waters as your backdrop. Traditional photographs are special, but there’s nothing quite like photographs taken of you and your significant other in a tropical or exotic location.

Before choosing a wedding photographer for your destination wedding make sure to meet with them to review their previous work. Every photographer has a different style to their pictures and poses they put their subjects in. This is incredibly important to ensure your wedding pictures turn out the way you want.

You can save money.

Destination weddings are often quite cost-effective. A shrinking guest lists means shrinking costs too, plus you can save a lot of money when you don’t have to buy as many extras that come along with having a traditional wedding. This may seem counter intuitive but while travel and lodging costs may go up the lack of a guest list means you have to buy less food, alcahol and decoration for the reception, which is where most of the cost comes into play in a local wedding. This savings means you can either put that money aside, or use it towards a party when you return to your hometown.

You can have a memorable wedding experience.

A destination wedding allows the bride and groom to use their creativity, selecting a location that reflects the style, taste and preference of you and your significant other. You can have a brief ceremony on a beach or a religious ceremony in the mountains. Take your time to find the perfect wedding destination — wherever you choose, you can make it completely your own, unlike any other wedding. If you can’t head out of the country, Las Vegas is a great choice. It’s symbolic too; just like Keno is a game of luck and patience, finding the right partner and staying together takes both traits.

A destination wedding is an alternative that’s gained popularity in recent years. It allows a couple to combine a ceremony with an adventurous honeymoon at a location of their choice, often saving cash in the process. Whether you choose to elope or still have a full blowout affair as a local far from home, the benefits of a destination wedding are plentiful.

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