Wedding Destinations for Dreamy Photo Ops
*Today I'd like to welcome Sarah Caulfield from Nixplay for a guest post on gorgeous settings for beautiful weddings. Getting married is a big deal – something to remember for a lifetime. Naturally, you’ll want the occasion of your wedding to be memorable, not just so it sticks in your mind, but so you can bring back fantastic photos to share with people who weren’t able to be there, or to keep so everyone can see how beautiful the occasion was in every way. You can display your memorable pictures in a beautiful photo album, or if you’re more on the tech-savvy side, a digital picture frame. Regardless, these pictures are some of the most precious mementos you’ll have. And some places are just better than thers when it comes to picturesque wedding venues.Of course, there are the standard places to go, like Hawaii, or the still-risque and almost shockingly vibrant Las Vegas, but there are many, many other places you can get married where the photos taken can inspire deep feelings for years to come. Some of them are hidden treasures you may not have ever considered otherwise.
Sea Island, Georgia, USA
Imagine the clear blue waters of the Caribbean, expansive private beaches, beautiful resorts with golf, horseback riding, boating, spas, and so much more – without ever going to the Caribbean. This is Sea Island, in the state of Georgia. If you head to the Caribbean, you’ll have to deal with tourists. Here, you can have a perfect beach wedding, without a tourist in sight, since the only people on the island are visitors to the two resorts placed there.
Park City, Utah, USA
What about an Alpine winter wedding, no travel to the Alps required? Ski season in Park City, Utah provides a beautiful snowy landscape not only great for a picturesque wedding, but for skiing. Once a mining town, it’s now the site of a number of glamourous resorts, easily the equal of what you’d find if you went to Europe. If skiing isn’t your thing, summer is a wonderful time to come, with plenty of outdoor activities to occupy you and your guests both before and after the nuptials.
Florida Keys, USA
If hot environs don’t bother you and your wedding party, a Florida Keys summer wedding can a great venue. With more than 100 miles of islands from which to choose, it’s almost impossible to not find one to your liking. These islands are an absolute paradise when it comes to wildlife and natural surroundings, which can provide you with many amazing photographic opportunities. If you really want to go for the unusual and exotic, look into an underwater ceremony in Key Largo – just remember to invest in underwater cameras!
Mackinac Island, Michigan
Spectacular fall foliage is not just found in New England. Get married on Mackinac Island in Michigan for a unique experience. A National Historical Landmark, Mackinac Island has a distinctly 19th century vibe. In fact, you’ll have to travel on the island by horse and buggy, or bike, because there isn’t a car to be found on the entire island. With venues ranging from the Victorian era to colonial forts, you can have a wedding transported backward in time to an earlier era. The northern locale can make weather tricky, so it’s best to plan your trip in October to catch the changing colors of autumn.
Amalfi Coast, Italy
Leaving the U.S. behind, there are few countries as full of great wedding venues as Italy. While places like Rome or the Tuscan region will always have its share of visitors, there are some (slightly) less traveled places, like the Amalfi Coast that will give you the Italian wedding experience with somewhat less of the bustle. Being located in Italy, you can be sure you’ll have superb catering at your wedding. As for photo opportunities, the cliff-side vistas of the Mediterranean are truly spectacular.
Loire Valley, France
While Paris is lovely, it’s not the only place in France to get married. One place you might put into your list of considerations is the Loire Valley, about two hours from the City of Lights. Though popular in mid to late summer, visitors to the region outside that time frame can enjoy a memorable wedding experience without contending with large crowds. Centuries-old castles and villages are just a few of the places and memories you can capture if you choose the Loire Valley to celebrate your union.
Costa Rica
If you’re looking to have your wedding in late winter or early spring, Costa Rica may be the perfect place for you. It offers two coasts – the Caribbean and the Pacific, either one of them the perfect balance of tropical wildness and modern amenities. Naturally, it’s perfect for beach weddings, on one of the pristine stretches of white sand, but if you venture into the nation’s interior, there are mountaintops, lush rain forest reserves, and other places of natural beauty for those who want to get married close to nature in its purest form.
Australia
This is, of course, more than a place for venues. It’s a whole continent, which means you have almost unlimited options to explore for the picture perfect wedding. For those who like to stay close to city comforts, Australia offers spectacular skyscapes and architecture in many of its cities around its coasts. Those looking for more natural settings can turn to the starkly beautiful Outback, or to the teeming colors and wildlife of the Great Barrier Reef. Australia’s truly unique ecology can offer some truly unique photo opportunities for your wedding.For information on ways to take memorable wedding photographs to fill your photo album and digital picture frame check out this blog post from Nixplay.com.**Laura O’Donnell writes smart content on behalf of the digital picture frame experts at Nixplay. As an avid writer and learner, she loves to use her skills for engaging others in important topics in creative and effective ways. When she is not working, she loves meeting new people, traveling, and bringing her Pinterest dreams to life. Find her on LinkedIn.