Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Well-Being Travel
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Anne Marie Moebes
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle

Interest in European Destination Weddings is Growing

by Richard D’Ambrosio / September 26, 2019
Interest in European Destination Weddings is Growing

Italy is the No. 1 European wedding destination, Strauss-Goldman said. Photo: Shutterstock


Like so many other categories of the leisure travel industry, destination weddings are feeling the pressure of overtourism. Instagram newsfeeds are filled with photos of barefoot couples, standing under beachside arbors, with rows of adoring friends and family looking out over the blue ocean.

For many couples, especially those who seek to be different from their peers and do something everyone else will be talking about, this means turning towards destinations like Europe.

“So many of my clients have attended several weddings in the Caribbean and Mexico, some of the couples are asking for something different,” said Lisa Sheldon, CTC, CTIE, and president of the Destination Wedding and Honeymoon Specialists Association.

Pamela Strauss-Goldman, co-founder and COO, of Wedaways, Inc., a Virtuoso affiliate based in Beverly Hills, California, said she has seen a 33% increase in clients choosing Europe for their weddings, with more clients moving “beyond the main cities we all think of when we imagine Europe.”

Italy is the No. 1 destination, Strauss-Goldman said. “The magic exists for people that are dreaming of it and have never been, to those that have visited and revisited again and again. After all, two thirds of the world's art and treasure are in Italy, and everyone loves Italian food,” Strauss-Goldman said.

Business has been so good lately that tour company See Italy is launching a turnkey destination wedding program for travel advisors. Under the program, an agent can contact See Italy directly to execute everything from sourcing a location, planning all of the details (e.g. photography, permits, etc.) to on-site assistance. Agent commissions are 12%. If an agent wants to be more hands off, they can still receive an 8% referral fee.

“We always did a few weddings as part of our regular travel planning, but more and more American couples are looking to Italy now,” said Laura Massoni, See Italy founder. “Agents and destination wedding specialists have their contacts in the Caribbean and Mexico, and they are totally comfortable taking care of couples there. But they’re terrified about doing the same thing in Italy.”

The why and how of Europe
“Europe has everything: cities, countryside, beaches, cuisine, language, art, culture, infrastructure, accessible airports, ATMs, really everything,” said Strauss-Goldman, who added that France, Greece, Portugal, and Ireland are also very popular.

While Strauss-Goldman advises couples to secure their venue at least a year in advance, “you won't start the planning process until six months out. That's just the way Europeans work,” she said.

Sheldon has had three destination wedding requests so far this year, for Italy (Tuscany), Scotland (a castle in the highlands), and Greece (Santorini).

But, despite all of the beauty and history that might attract a couple to book a European destination wedding, choosing Europe does come with its challenges. “Distance, language barriers, and cost are the three big obstacles that couples must understand,” Sheldon said. “The couple must also anticipate that because of the distance, and most often price, some of their invited guests will not attend.

“The couple needs to understand that, first and foremost, it’s their wedding. It’s not their mom’s, not their grandmother’s. If having a wedding in a castle in Scotland is their dream, that’s what they need to do.

“Conversely, if having certain family and friends alongside them on their big day is imperative, and for example, your clients’ grandparents can’t travel, then I would suggest having a traditional wedding at home and possibly a small, symbolic wedding in their dream destination and combining it with their honeymoon.”

Wedaways’ website and planning platform features more than 175 international hotels in more than 80 destinations in 24 countries. On the website, advisors can plan everything, from room blocks, to transfers, to excursions, and properties often show whether or not they employ an on-site wedding planner.

Strauss-Goldman operates the company with her mother, Renée Strauss, who designed all the wedding wardrobe for the Disney film, “Father of the Bride”; and had a starring role in the TLC reality hit show, “Brides of Beverly Hills.”

‘Different’ comes at a price
But while Europe is growing increasingly popular, it comes with its challenges (not the least of which is cost), both for couples and for the travel advisors who work with them.

“The greatest challenge is that all the guests may not be able to afford the accommodations at the hosting property,” Strauss-Goldman said. “Transfers to and from the host hotel/venue can get a bit costly, too.”

Strauss-Goldman advises agents to not let cost deter them from researching and providing options for a client’s dream European vacation. “One can plan a super-expensive destination wedding in the Caribbean and a relatively reasonable wedding in Europe. It really depends on the taste, style, and budget the couple is working with,” she said. 

Guests have the option of staying off-site property if they are on a budget. And depending on the property hosting the group, a couple may be able to direct room block credits back into lowering their guests’ rate, Strauss-Goldman said.

Sheldon recommends her clients work with a tour operator or DMC when possible to arrange flights, ground transportation, and the accommodations. “For weddings with a few family and friends in attendance, I like to suggest a villa where they can all stay, and it often works to make the wedding more financially feasible,” she said.

“We also suggest weekday weddings and shoulder season weddings” to defray cost pressures, Strauss-Goldman said. “There is money to be saved, and the properties are very pleased to book this time for a wedding or celebration. Also, think of the natural views. A gorgeous vineyard ceremony and reception require very little additional décor and all of the expense that can come with that.”

Airfare can also be a problem, especially depending on the time of year. Sheldon always suggests to her clients that they book early to lock in better rates and flight availability – even more critical when you consider the lower frequency of flights for some European destinations.

“One of the advantages of working with a travel advisor to book a European destination wedding is our access to air consolidators and tour company flights to get lower fares,” Sheldon said.

Choosing a European destination wedding also means transatlantic flights that are a minimum of six hours, and cross over many time zones. Still, travel time seems to be less and less of a deterrent for Wedaways clients, Strauss-Goldman said.

“It's all about the experience and the vision of the couple,” she said. “We find our couples and their guests have a great sense of adventure. We always tell our couples, invite whom you really want to attend, because more often than not, whoever you invite, will come.”

“If the bride is dreaming of a wedding in a field of sunflowers in Tuscany, I want to help her and her fiancé have that dream,” Sheldon said. “Educating the couple about traveling to Europe, the time difference, how flights operate, and traveling around in the destination, for example by rail, flying, or driving, is important so they understand the logistics of it all.”

  1
  0
Related Articles
Croatia Makes the Switch from the Kuna to Euro Official
Still Struggling, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport Will Limit Capacity Into 2023
British Airways Cuts Another 10,000 Heathrow Flights
British Airways Is Suspending Sales of Short Haul Flights from Heathrow for One Week
Lufthansa Cancels More than 1,000 Flights Ahead of Wednesday’s Ground Worker Strike
German Union Calls for Lufthansa Ground Staff to Strike on Wednesday
What the U.S. Dollar and Euro Parity Means, and Doesn’t Mean, For Travel
Extreme Heat in U.K. Causes Runway at One of London’s Airports to ‘Lift’
Scandinavian Carrier SAS and Pilots Union Reach Deal, Ending Strike
London’s Heathrow Airport Will Cap Daily Departing Passengers at 100,000

MOST VIEWED

  1. All U.S. Flights Grounded Due to FAA Computer Outage
  2. Delta Air Lines Will Offer Free Wi-Fi Starting on Feb. 1
  3. Norwegian Cruise Line Brings Back COVID-19 Requirements
  4. Forbes Says ‘You Need a Travel Advisor in 2023’
  5. Here Are the Best Airlines for Flight Delays in North America in 2022
  6. Cruise Ducks: A Cruising Tradition Travel Advisors Should Know About

MOST EMAILED

  1. Forbes Says ‘You Need a Travel Advisor in 2023’
  2. Here Are the Automatic & Suggested Gratuity Policies for Each Major Cruise Line
  3. All U.S. Flights Grounded Due to FAA Computer Outage
  4. Delta Air Lines Will Offer Free Wi-Fi Starting on Feb. 1
  5. Tour Operators & Advisors Forced to Cancel Trips as Peru Shuts Down Machu Picchu
  6. Americans Can Still Renew Their Passport Online in 2023
TMR THIS WEEK
Sponsored by Explora Journeys
//services.travelsavers.com/AMGService.svc/REST/GetImage?ImageID=790a5703-649e-ed11-9b4d-005056a855ed&Width=350&Height&250

Selling Savory Cruise Experiences to Foodie Clients

With the boundaries of food and beverage programs being pushed across nearly every sector of cruising, the interest of clients in culinary experiences is also piquing.

Read More...
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
VisitBritain Appoints New Executive Vice President for Americas
VisitBritain Appoints New Executive Vice President for Americas

VisitBritain made two major appointments this week. 

Read...
U.S. Embassy Issues Security Alert for Mexico After Cancun Taxi Protests
U.S. Embassy Issues Security Alert for Mexico After Cancun Taxi Protests

The warning comes “in the wake of recent incidents involving taxi and Uber drivers in Quintana Roo.”

Read...
United Airlines Adds Flights for Fans Traveling to NFL’s AFC Championship Game
United Airlines Adds Flights for Fans Traveling to NFL’s AFC Championship Game

Fans can otherwise make the 9-hour drive from Cincinnati to Kansas City. 

Read...
Tour Operators & Advisors Forced to Cancel Trips as Peru Shuts Down Machu Picchu
Tour Operators & Advisors Forced to Cancel Trips as Peru Shuts Down Machu Picchu

As unrest grows in Peru, tours to the ancient city of Machu Picchu are off the table. 

Read...
Next Caribbean Marketplace to be Held in Barbados This May
Next Caribbean Marketplace to be Held in Barbados This May

Barbados will host the 41st edition of the CHTA Caribbean Travel Marketplace this spring. 

Read...
What's New In Aruba for 2023
What's New In Aruba for 2023

Aruba is heading into 2023 with robust tourism plans including new hotel openings and renovations. 

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
river cruise 2022
group outlook 2022
lux cruise outlook
CP White Paper
Multi-Gen Outlook
River Cruise Outlook 2019
View All
Advertiser's Voice
Celebrate National Don’t Plan for Vacation Day with Delta Vacations
About Travel Market Report Mission Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News |Tours & Packages |Cruise |Hotels & Resorts |Destinations |Retail Strategies |Niche & Luxury |Well-Being Travel |Training & Events |Who We Are
© 2005 - 2023 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy