Destination weddings: Not everyone’s excited

Americans think destination weddings are expensive, to the
point where many would choose to skip the event altogether, according to a 1,500-person
survey from Allianz Global Assistance.

Allianz conducted an online survey on the topic last month,
revealing that 37.2% say hosts are “selfish” to expect invitees to
spend their time and money on a destination wedding or bachelor/bachelorette
party.”

Others had a rosier view of destination weddings, with 27.5%
saying the events cost more than they prefer but they understand, with another
35.3% saying they offer a way to take a vacation and see new places.

The majority of those surveyed define a destination wedding as
taking place a plane ride away from a couple’s home. The majority, 73.2%, have
never attended a destination wedding.

Cost is the top reason survey takers wouldn’t attend a
destination wedding (53.6% identified it as the main reason). Outside of cost,
they said not knowing the couple enough to justify the cost (17.8%) or the time
off required (11.8%) were the top reasons for not attending, followed by not
being able to take time off work (9.7%) or not being interested enough in the
destination (7.1%).

Nearly 20% said cost doesn’t affect their decision to attend
a destination wedding, and 28.7% said it would affect their decision, but they
would be willing to shell out for family or friends. Some, 9.4%, said cost does
affect their decision but they would limit their spending on the trip, while 42.4%
said cost does affect their decision and they might choose not to attend.

Fifty-one percent said they aren’t interesting in having a
destination wedding themselves. The remaining identified a number of reasons why
they might be interested in having a destination wedding: to honeymoon in the
same place (14.1%), to check a destination off their bucket list (10.7%), to
limit the number of attendees (8.4%), to cut costs (6.6%), the weather (4.9%)
or their heritage or family roots (4.1%).

The survey also asked how many have attended a destination
bachelor or bachelorette party. Similar to destination weddings, most — 76% in
this case — have not.

“Weddings can be expensive occasions, for both the
guests and the couple,” said Daniel Durazo, director of communications at
Allianz Global Assistance USA. “Our survey indicates that Americans are
hesitant about attending these destinations affairs, though willing to spend
more to celebrate their close friends and family.”