Destination Wedding Index
Getting married is the biggest day of many people’s lives. Some like to make it even more special by getting married abroad.
From secluded botanical gardens to dreamy beach locations, choosing your wedding venue can be a big decision. Whether you prefer traditional romantic cities like Paris and Venice, or you want to throw a big party in places like Marbella or Ibiza, there are countless options available.
But which wedding locations should you consider for your dream destination wedding?
The travel experts at Bounce have delved into social media and search popularity, as well as average flight and hotel costs, to determine the best destinations for a wedding abroad.
The best locations for a destination wedding
1. Tuscany, Italy - 8.25/10 wedding score
The best destination for a wedding abroad is Tuscany, Italy, with a wedding score of 8.25/10. The region is well-known for its beautiful landscape, filled with mountains, beaches, and vineyards, meaning there are plenty of choices for wedding venues. Some of the most popular cities in Tuscany include Siena and its capital, Florence.
There are almost 306,700 posts on Instagram and over 3,200 posts on TikTok using the hashtag #tuscanywedding. Over the last 12 months, there were also 93,300 searches on Google for the phrase “Tuscany wedding”. The cheapest month to fly to Tuscany is January, when return flights average $184 / £146 / €171. Hotels in the region are also at their cheapest in January, averaging at $121 / £96 / €112 per night.
2. Bali, Indonesia - 8.19/10 wedding score
Following closely behind is Bali, Indonesia, with a wedding score of 8.19/10. The province has been named TripAdvisor’s top Traveller’s Choice destination twice, once in March 2017 and again in January 2021, showing its continuing popularity. The lush forests, rice fields, and mountains make the perfect view for wedding venues. Plenty of cultural locations exist, such as royal palaces and holy temples. Some of the most popular cities in Bali include Denpasar and Ubud.
The cheapest month to fly to Bali is January, when return flights average at $1,009 / £800 / €935. Hotels in the province are at their cheapest in March, averaging at $68 / £54 / €63 per night. There are over 1.3 million posts on Instagram and 13,600 posts on TikTok using the hashtag #baliwedding. Throughout the past year, there were also 96,000 searches on Google for the phrase “Bali wedding”.
3. Lake Como, Italy - 8.06/10 wedding score
In third place with a wedding score of 8.06/10 is Lake Como, Italy. The resort is set against the Alps' foothills, contributing to its dramatic and stunning scenery. It has previously been described by The Huffington Post as the most beautiful lake in the world. Many villas and palaces can also be found in the resort, making them ideal wedding venues. Its most popular city, Como, is located at the lake's southern tip.
There are almost 136,800 posts on Instagram and over 6,000 posts on TikTok using the hashtag #lakecomowedding. Over the last 12 months, there were also 212,500 searches on Google for the phrase “Lake Como wedding”. The cheapest month to fly to Lake Como is October, when return flights average at $146 / £116 / €136. Hotels in the resort are at their cheapest in December, averaging at $169 / £134 / €157 per night.
The most popular wedding destination on social media
Bali, Indonesia - 1,370,247 social media posts
The most popular wedding destination on social media by far is Bali. There are over 1.3 million posts under the hashtag #baliwedding. This includes 1,356,647 posts on Instagram and 13,600 posts on TikTok.
On Instagram, there are many photos of couples outside traditional holy temples in Bali, wearing extravagant outfits and headdresses for their special day. On TikTok, most videos showcase the stunning beaches and mountainous views that couples have chosen for their wedding venue.
The most searched-for wedding destination on Google
Lake Como, Italy - 212,500 Google searches
The most searched-for wedding destination on Google by far is Lake Como. Over the last 12 months, there were 212,500 searches on Google for the phrase “Lake Como wedding”. Search results include lists of popular wedding venues, such as Villa Balbiano, Hotel Villa D’Este, and Il Sereno. There are plenty of options available depending on the desired venue size, if on-site accommodation is required, and any extras, such as swimming pools and boat access.
The wedding destination with the cheapest return flights
Lake Como, Italy - $146 / £116 / €136 average return flight price
Lake Como is also the wedding destination with the cheapest return flights. Those wanting to be wed in Lake Como will need to fly into Milan, with the most popular option being the Malpensa airport. The cheapest month to fly is October, with return flights from London costing around $146 / £116 / €136 on average. It then takes approximately an hour and a half to reach the city of Como.
The wedding destination with the cheapest hotel prices
Bali, Indonesia - $68 / £54 / €63 average hotel price per night
The wedding destination with the cheapest hotel prices is Bali. The cheapest month for hotel stays in the province is March, with prices averaging at $68 / £54 / €63 per night. Some of the most popular hotels for those on a budget include Prama Sanur Beach, Hilton Garden Inn, and Royal Tulip Springhill Resort.
The country with the most affordable wedding packages
Greece
- Starting costs - £484 to £128,468 ($611 to $162,193 / €565 to €150,000)
- Price per person - £1 to £857 ($1 to $1,081 / €1 to €1,000)
The country with the most affordable wedding packages is Greece. Some of the most popular cities for wedding ceremonies in Greece are Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, and Corfu. Pyrgos Restaurant, which is found in Santorini, offers the most affordable wedding package. Prices start at $865 / £685 / €800, which is equal to just over $1 / £1 / €1 per person.
The venue holds up to 600 people and is located on the highest point of the village of Pyrgos, offering breathtaking views of the island and the Aegean Sea. There are multiple layout options available for your wedding, depending on your preferred style. This includes a church, a terrace, and a reception room.
Methodology:
We began by creating a seed list of popular wedding destinations by using listicles on websites such as Hitched and Harpers Bazaar.
Next, we used Instagram and TikTok to find the number of posts for the corresponding hashtag for each destination e.g. #tuscanywedding. All data is correct as of 20 February 2024.
We then used Google Keyword Planner to gather the number of searches between February 2023 and January 2024 for each destination followed by “wedding” e.g. “tuscany wedding”.
Next, we used Kayak to find the cheapest month to fly to each destination before taking an average price across the month. All prices were for return flights from London. We also used Kayak to find the cheapest month for a hotel stay in each destination, taking the average price listed for this month. All currencies are rounded to the nearest $, £ or €. All currency conversions were calculated on 21 February 2024.
Finally, we gave each destination a normalized score out of ten for each factor and then took an average across all factors to form our wedding score.
As an additional section, we used Wedinspire to gather the capacity and starting prices for wedding packages at venues in each country that is featured on the site. We then calculated the price per person. Our ranking is based on the cheapest price per person.