It would seem that the old traditional way of getting married is becoming passé, what with the continued popularity of global travel and aeroplanes in production that can transport people across continents at record speeds. With flight times and destinations ever increasing, suddenly the idea of getting married in the local church, arriving by horse and cart and praying for good weather seems more than a little odd.
The focus of the modern wedding has turned to getting married abroad, and most noticeably to getting married on a beach. These beach ceremonies have become so popular that many travel companies once specializing in foreign luxury honeymoons have expanded to include the wedding ceremony itself.
The destinations of these foreign beach weddings is relatively interchangeable, though there are a few important factors. Good weather is an almost essential, as well as a comfortable climate and affordability for not just the bride and groom, but a number of guests also. It is therefore no surprise that one destination has, above all, risen to the top of the desired list of foreign weddings: the Dominican Republic.
Located on the eastern half of the small Caribbean island of Hispaniola, the Dominican Republic is a tropical island whose popularity has soared along with the trend for foreign beach weddings. One can almost guarantee that a wedding or honeymoon in the Dominican Republic will be a show stopping event, blessed with the almost year-round sunshine.
However, a wedding in the Dominican Republic need not become exceedingly expensive; the island is known for being a more affordable alternative to other popular destinations such as the Seychelles and Mauritius. This is purely due to location; unlike the aforementioned, which reside in the Indian Ocean, the Dominican Republic sits neatly in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. This means flight times of less than five hours from the continental USA, and less than seven for most of Europe – vastly preferable to the near days worth of traveling required to reach the Indian Ocean locations.
A wedding followed by honeymoon in the Dominican Republic can be a thrilling experience. If you are daunted by the concept of arranging a wedding in a different country, you need not be. In a traditional business sense of supply and demand, numerous companies specializing in organizing Dominican Republic weddings have now appeared. These companies are designed to remove all the hassle from organizing a Dominican Republic wedding, from co-ordinating flight itineraries to handling all relevant documents and paperwork.
If price is an issue, it may surprise you to learn that getting married in a tropical idyll such as the Dominican Republic can actually be cheaper than getting married at home. With the average domestic wedding costing in excess of L17,000 / $25,000 USD, flying a select group of family and friends can often be much more cost effective. What’s more, you will complete the nuptials with truly stunning memories of awe inspiring natural scenery, and a beach wedding in paradise that will be the envy of all your friends.