Destination Weddings Are More Popular Than Ever

Luckily, Abramson, a schoolteacher from Morris Township, N.J., and her husband, Keith, were pretty laid-back about it all. They thought the minister was so funny they considered putting the wedding video on YouTube. And besides, she says, the whole wedding group had a blast, enjoying perfect weather and diversions like rock climbing, Jet Skiing, even zipping through the treetops on canopy tours. Still, when it came to the wedding details, "they really nickel-and-dime you," she says.

Once upon a time couples who wanted to tie the knot without pomp, circumstance and crippling credit card debt had an easy out: the destination wedding. Just a step or two removed from eloping, the event was usually a last-minute affair, with bride and groom exchanging vows in a casual beachside ceremony, then living happily ever after. These days the fairy tale reads a little differently. Routine married-in-Margaritaville trips are only the beginning, as more couples are now eyeing quaint Irish castles and Tahitian resorts as backdrops for their I do's. Indeed, the "away wedding" has become the hottest part of the booming $86 billion wedding industry. In 2006, 16 percent of couples had a destination wedding, up fourfold in a decade, according to the American Wedding Study.

Not surprisingly, resorts, event planners and local tourism boards are hungry for a slice of the wedding cake. Fashion designers tout special destination-wedding dresses that they claim won't wrinkle or stretch in the heat, while tourism boards support Web sites like MarryCaribbean.com. The "Destination Professionals" section of the Association for Wedding Professionals International's Web site contains 144 listings, covering everywhere from Ireland to Hong Kong. At Sandals Resorts, one of the first to see the potential of the nuptial market, couples have a choice of six "WeddingMoon" packages, including a $5,000 rose, orchid and shell-themed decor designed by celebrity-wedding stylist Preston Bailey. Brides can even buy a gown from the Sandals online store. "Now everybody's in on the game," says Rebecca Grinnals, president of wedding-industry consulting company Engaging Concepts.