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Why you should opt for a destination wedding

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The exchange rate, scenery and large amount of quality local suppliers have led to a growth in destination weddings over the last two years, with guests usually staying in the area for 2-3 days.

I don’t know about you, but I find the idea of a destination wedding incredibly romantic. It’s not just a bridal affair, but it feels like a honeymoon before the honeymoon (although it could be just that if you are actually planning to honeymoon at your wedding venue).

For many venues, this has resulted in an opportune income stream that not only profits the venue itself, but also a network of external suppliers and service providers. Personally, I also find that it benefits many couples who would prefer have to their vendors streamlined in a way that gives them access to the suppliers when they’re based at one location. 

 Here are some of the growing trends in the destination wedding business:

Local versus international

Locally, Gauteng is the biggest destination wedding market. Couples from Johannesburg or Pretoria often combine their wedding with a long weekend getaway in another province.

It comes as no surprise that many of the destination bookings are currently from South African expatriates who wish to enjoy a destination wedding surrounded by family and friends, while simultaneously making a holiday of it.

Image: supplied

Location

Bona Dea Private Estate is based in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, in Hermanus near Cape Town which has a plethora of outdoor activities and spectacular natural beauty.

Other venues in the Western Cape also pinpoint natural beauty as an asset, as well as top quality cuisine and fine wines. It’s clear that scenic views are a must, so think of places like the wine farm route or the Company Gardens.

Some more gorgeous wedding venues below:

Zonnevanger

Stellenrust Wine Estate

#elegantecatering #wedding #capetown #southafrica #vineyard #stellenrust

A post shared by La Elegante Catering (@elegantecatering) on

Oakfield farm

#wedding #oakfieldfarm #joburg #chandeliers #gigging

A post shared by Silver Morgan (@silverthesinger) on

Glenburn Lodge & Spar

Time of year

South Africa’s peak wedding season is from November to April due to the spectacular weather during these months. However, Europe’s holiday season is in August, so there needs to be some sort of compromise made.

Couples can opt to have an indoor wedding to ensure that possible rain cannot dampen their big day, or they can make a special effort to take leave to be in South Africa during the wedding season.

Because of this, there’s often an opportunity for wedding businesses to collaborate and offer honeymoon packages for game lodges and resorts in places like Mauritius, Maldives, Kenya, Namibia or Tanzania.

#honeymoon #destination #maldiveswedding

A post shared by @sanaz.ban00 on

Full service

Many expatriates want an “African” element included in their wedding plans. This is usually through African children’s choirs, African drums or dancers and often a couple of African songs are included in the proceedings.

South African cuisine such as kudu and gemsbok, which is unknown in Europe, are firm favourites for most expatriates and their international guests.

Having biltong stations with canapés is a popular trend, or late night snacks of biltong, cheese, biscuits and local jams are served to ensure that guests get the full ‘South African experience’.

In general, South Africa offers international bridal couples a world-class wedding destination that is filled with many exciting options from bush, sea, country and mountain escapes.

Have you ever had a destination wedding? Tell us about your experience and we'll feature your story in a future article.

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