You’re engaged (yay!) and now the planning begins. The big question is: do you get married somewhere local or a destination? I have photographed many weddings around the world and love to travel. With the help of my past brides who have chosen destination weddings, I wanted to share with you what they had to say to help you better plan your wedding, and possibly destination wedding.

Consider the cost.

Depending on where you go, getting married outside of your state or country, can be more affordable. Many locations have wedding services that come in a bundle so you don’t have to do much research. A wedding in Iceland on top of a glacier came with an officiant, planner, travel to the glacier and one other location, and florals. Easy right? All they had to do was find a place to stay and find a photographer and wedding attire. I would say that’s a win all around. This bride flew me out because she had worked with me and trusted me to take great photos for them. In the end, their wedding was way cheaper than if they had planned a 150+ person wedding locally.

Who all is coming?

One bride of mine wanted a small wedding but was getting asked all the time about when they will get their invite (when she wasn’t planning on inviting more than some of the family). She decided to get married in Hawaii where she knew only her family would make it. When travel is required for a wedding, many people can’t go, so a lot of couples decide to eliminate some of who would be coming by getting married at a far away destination. Another thing to think about is, do you want your family and friends there? If you would prefer to have a private ceremony just between you and your fiancé, then maybe a destination wedding would be the best idea for you. The next question is: where to get married?

What location is best?

If you are like me, there are so many locations that you absolutely love. Paris is always dreamy and so romantic, but Scotland is pretty gorgeous as well. Think about a few things. The weather is one thing to think about for your wedding date. Will it be super hot, super cold, or is it during a hurricane season? Will you be okay with the weather the way it is? These are all great questions to think about. Is there a special location that has meaning to you? If you haven’t been to too many places, you can always check out Pinterest for wedding destination locations.

Whether you decide on flying somewhere far away or staying local, remember that at the end of the day you will be married to your best friend.