One of the first weddings I ever attended was my dad and step-mom’s when I was 9. Their wedding took place in Mexico and came complete with a traditional Catholic mass and a horse and carriage ride to the reception. Since then, I have been fascinated with destination weddings, and so I thought I’d share with you some of my ideas.

• Beach weddings are overwhelmingly what we most associate with a destination wedding, but who can resist the sense of escape that the ocean provides and the warm feel of the sand between your toes. Mexico, Hawaii, and the Bahamas are popular locations, and it’s easy to incorporate local traditions by hairing a mariachi band, hula dancers, or using local crafts to decorate.

• Castle in Scotland—In Made of Honor, Michelle Monaghan was marrying a Scot and holding the reception at his family’s castle. The lush green landscape, some scattered rose petals, and medieval castles will make you feel just like a princess about to marry her prince charming. Top that, Disney!

• Vineyard in Tuscany, the Loire Valley, or California—A wine themed reception would certainly come to life in one of these places. The excellent wine and the rows and rows of grapes will make you feel as if you’re taking a walk in the clouds.

• Villa in Andalusia—The passionate flamenco dancers, lively guitarists, and mouth-watering food make Spain a perfect location to get married. A wedding in Spain would be truly memorable, especially if you give your female guests some hand fans as wedding favors, and encourage them to try their hand on the dancefloor.

• Chateau in Swiss Alps or Aspen—To keep your guests warm serve them some hot chocolate and challenge everyone to a race down the slopes. If you can stand the cold, pull a Phoebe and Mike (from Friends) and get married in the middle of the snow.

If you liked these ideas, check out the longer Destination Wedding Venues article. So what are you waiting for, visit the place of your dreams and even if a destination wedding is out of the question, take some inspiration from your favorite place and incorporate it into your wedding. Happy planning!

Picture Credits:

• http://www.beachweddings.com/images/mainnew.jpg
• http://www.luxuriouswedding.com/scotland/scotland.jpg
• http://www.happynovisad.co.yu/film/made_of_honor/made_of_honor3.jpg
• http://www.castellobanfi.com/images/VineyardEstates.jpg
• http://www.duende-flamenco.com/images/Thumb_DuendeFlamenco.jpg
• http://www.cadizcasa.com/fotos/sevilla3.jpg
• http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r52/cchelms/caren%20crane%20blog%20pics/switzerland_the_alps.jpg
• http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_images/tv2/programmes/friends/New%20Folder/phoebe_wedding_pgb.jpg