When you think of a destination wedding, do you immediately picture a barefoot bride and groom exchanging vows on a tropical beach? While that’s certainly one way to do it, more and more couples are looking for affordable destination weddings close to home. Here are four US destination hot spots for your wedding day.
Disney World -- Orlando, Florida
Okay, you may have outgrown Cinderella, but you can still let your fairy-tale wedding dreams come to life at Walt Disney World. Couples can select from one of four Disney Wedding packages, like an evening ceremony beneath the stars at Epcot Center or an afternoon affair in front of Cinderella Castle, which can include themed decor and professional actors or first-class entertainers for the reception. Planning something a little more intimate? The Escape Wedding package offers a memorable ceremony for up to 18 guests, while the Cruise Collection Wedding package provides couples with a romantic wedding voyage aboard a luxury cruise liner.
http://www.disneyweddings.go.com/site/gate/index.jsp
Space Needle -- Seattle, Washington
Turn a visit to Seattle’s famous Space Needle into a romantic fete hundreds of feet above the ground! Book your ceremony and reception at The SkyLine Level, where the staff promises to accommodate whatever your party needs may be. The space holds groups of up to 360 people, while local cuisine is prepared by the catering team (one of the best on the Pacific Northwest coast). As an added bonus, your guests can wander up to the 520-foot-high observation deck throughout the event. The Space Needle’s O Deck will hold a larger event -- up to 500 guests -- and features the best view of Seattle, hands down. You and your guests can stay at a hotel in downtown Seattle and hop a ride on the Seattle Center monorail; the trip to the Space Needle takes just 90 seconds. Valet, adjacent lots, and motor coach drop-offs are also an option for transporting guest to and from.
http://www.spaceneedle.com/events/
Grand Canyon -- Arizona
If you wed at the Grand Canyon, Mother Nature provides a powerful and inspiring landscape as your backdrop. Shoshone Point, located five miles from the South Rim, can be reserved for weddings and holds up to 85 guests. (Plus, hikers aren’t likely to interrupt your ceremony here.) Another option is Grandeur Point, considered one of the Grand Canyon’s best-kept secrets and is located half a mile west of Yavapai Point along the Rim Trail. This site can comfortably accommodate up to 50 guests. Helicopter rides and a limousine service can be arranged to transport you and your guests to the ceremony location of your choice, so don’t worry about dirtying your dress or shoes. If you’re going to the Grand Canyon by way of Las Vegas, consider the Grand Canyon Dreams helicopter wedding package, which includes a helicopter ride to the landmark with a flight path that will take you over Lake Las Vegas, Lake Mead, and the Hoover Dam, then down into the canyon to land on a picturesque bluff just above the Colorado River.
http://www.sedonaluxuryweddings.com/
http://www.weddingslasvegas.com/
Martha’s Vineyard -- Massachusetts
Planning to wed in the summer or fall? Travel to New England for ideal natural backdrops and quaint locales. Get married beachside, at a lighthouse, at sea, or while hiking at Martha’s Vineyard -- a charming and beautiful resort island located just seven miles off the Massachusetts coastline near Cape Cod. Martha’s Vineyard can only be accessed by boat or plane and has over 127 miles of shoreline, many of which are private beaches that can be reserved for your ceremony. Brides can also pick one of the five lighthouses on the island (all on the north side) to host their ceremony, or search MVY.com for boat rentals (options include a sailing schooner and a private yacht). Hikers will love the chance to host a ceremony in one of the island’s many nature preserves.
http://www.mvy.com/weddings/
-- Charli Penn
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