The 8 best places for a destination wedding in 2025

Who hasn’t dreamed of saying “I do” in a far-flung locale?

Hosting your wedding abroad lets you create a totally immersive experience for you and your guests, combining the romance of travel with the joy of celebrating your true love in front of your loved ones.

Whether or not you’ve attended a destination wedding yourself or just seen dreamy photos on social media, several destinations – from Jamaica to Croatia – remain perennial favorites. Yet a number of spots are emerging as particularly noteworthy for the coming year, due to glitzy new openings, improved travel links or exposure from high-profile cultural events. 

Since legal requirements for marriage can be complex in different countries, many choose to tie the knot in their home countries, then throw the big party overseas afterward. However you choose to do it, consider this list of eight of the best places for a destination wedding in 2025.

1. Ko Samui, Thailand

HBO’s anthology TV series The White Lotus has been a boon for tourism from its previous seasons, set in Hawaii and Sicily. Similarly, its upcoming season, filmed at the Four Seasons resort in Ko Samui and slated for release in February 2025, is expected to drive a similar surge in demand for the Thai island, with its tropical sunsets, fresh seafood and pristine beaches fringed with palm trees. 

“Ko Samui is the perfect destination for couples who are looking for a more secluded, quiet location while still having the opportunity to celebrate with beachfront weddings or ocean views,” says Wannida Kasiwong, founder of Wonders & Weddings. “The weather here is different from the rest of the country – the weather is still nice during the middle of the year, while it is monsoon season in Phuket and Krabi.”

Planning tip: “Nearby are the famous Ko Pha-Ngan, known for wellness and relaxation, and Ko Tao, one of the best places in Thailand to dive,” Kasiwong explains, noting that day trips to these islands can be easily arranged. Alternatively, there’s plenty to explore within the bounds of Ko Samui: she recommends visiting one of the beautiful temples such as Big Buddha, taking a waterfall tour or going to the Elephant Sanctuary.

2. Marseille, France

Marseille had a starring role in the Olympic Games as the host of the sailing competitions, for which the city received significant investment. And in 2025, visitors can enjoy the Provençal capital without the crowds.

No longer in Paris’ shadow, France’s second city has attracted a stylish set thanks to its growing prominence in the fashion world, as the hometown of Instagram’s favorite designer Simon Porte Jacquemus and the site of Chanel’s cruise 2025 show last May. The port city also has a proud multicultural heritage, composed of immigrant communities from Algeria, Italy, Morocco and beyond.

“This is a melting pot of culture and has a strong identity that reflects in architecture, music and cuisine,” says Mélodie Jay, wedding planner at Julie & Romeo Wedding France.

Planning tip: “Don’t underestimate the heat during summer – it can easily reach 95°F [35°C] – and plan your ceremony later in the day. Provide shade, fans and drinks, too,” Jay advises. For venues, she notes that couples can choose between traditional mas (farmhouses), châteaux and grand hotels, many within an hour of the airport – but warns that some venues aren’t available for private rental during July and August.

3. Marrakesh, Morocco

Tourists continue to return to the Red City as southern Morocco continues from 2023’s devastating earthquake in the Atlas Mountains. This year, Marrakesh will continue its upward momentum with new luxury-hotel developments and flight routes. 

“Couples who want to get married in Marrakesh are seeking adventure, to discover new culture, to see something different, and also to bring their families all together,” says Siham Rchidi, founder of La Perle Bespoke Events. She adds that Marrakesh offers couples a diverse range of scenery, from the verdant Atlas Mountains to the bustling lanes of the medina to the rolling dunes of the Agafay Desert.

“In one hour, you can be in a different landscape and discover beautiful views,” Rchidi explains, noting that this ensures a variety of options for rehearsal dinners, brunches, activities or the ceremony itself.

Planning tip: The best times for weddings are April, May and June, or September, October and November, according to Rchidi. “We don’t recommend July and August, because the temperature is very high, and then in December, in the evenings, it’s very chilly,” she says.

4. Portuguese Riviera

The sparkling stretch of coast just west of Lisbon is lined with pretty resort towns, from the old-world charm of Sintra’s cobblestone streets to the sandy beaches of Cascais. 

“For UK and American couples, Portugal has become so popular, and not just the Algarve. It’s becoming far more popular to look around Lisbon, so you get the benefit of being close to the city,” says Chenai Bukutu, owner of ByChenai Events.

“There is a really thriving wedding economy there now with a lot of excellent English-speaking suppliers and artisans,” she adds, mentioning the country’s famous textiles and ceramics industries as another big draw for couples. “They produce gorgeous textiles and plateware – all of the stuff that’s really popular for tablescape trends – so you can source really great things in Portugal.”

5. Sydney, Australia

The hit rom-com of 2024, Anyone but You put Sydney in the spotlight as the swoon-worthy site of a destination wedding attended by stars Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell. Many of the beach scenes were shot around Palm Beach, a suburb in the Northern Beaches that Jane Riddell, a wedding planner at Planned for Perfection, notes has emerged as a top location for couples seeking to delve deeper for “undiscovered” venues. 

“They’re looking outside the box for somewhere that is really unique, that maybe not everybody has found yet,” she explains. “While the Opera House and Harbour Bridge remain iconic backdrops, many couples now schedule their photo shoots there the day before or after the wedding, which allows them to celebrate their special day in a one-of-a-kind setting.”

Planning tip: “The food scene is huge, and the variety of food options is out of this world,” says Riddell. “Couples planning their weddings can curate menus that feature everything from modern Australian dishes with native ingredients to Mediterranean feasts, Asian fusion creations or Middle Eastern–inspired spreads.”

6. Riviera Maya, Mexico

This picturesque stretch of Caribbean coastline in Mexico served as the setting for one of the year’s most buzzed about celebrity weddings, between Call Her Daddy podcast host Alex Cooper and producer Matt Kaplan. The pair tied the knot in an intimate beach ceremony at luxury resort Maroma – and the photos are destined to fill bridal mood boards for years to come.

Anastasia Savos of Mango Weddings and Events notes that part of the Riviera Maya’s appeal is its convenient travel links. “It’s easy to get to – lots of direct flights from major US cities, Latin American countries and Europe,” she explains.

It doesn’t have to be a toes-in-the-sand beach ceremony, either. “There are many different ways to do a wedding here, from the convenient all-inclusive resorts and their economical wedding packages to magical private venues deep in the jungle of Tulum, to high-end resorts with breathtaking venues surrounded by lush jungle and lagoon. Imagine the bride arriving at the venue on a boat!”

Planning tip: Savos highlights the diversity of vendors in the area and their ability to cater to many kinds of clients. “I think that’s what makes Riviera Maya stand out,” she says. “We have done all sorts of weddings, from Indian weddings with full-blown baraat on a horse to Orthodox kosher weddings with a mashgiach supervising the meal prep to meet the highest of kosher standards to Chinese tea ceremonies to Persian sofreh aghd.”

7. Athens Riviera, Greece

Just 30 minutes from Athens airport, this sun-drenched stretch of coast is undergoing major reinvention in 2025, thanks to The Ellinikon, the US$8 billion urban-redevelopment project that will transform the site of the former international airport into a new green oasis. It will launch in phases from next year; airlines are already anticipating a boost in tourism, with the introduction of new flight connections between Athens and Shanghai, Brest, Naples, Sharjah and Boston, among others. 

Glamorous resort One&Only Aesthesis opened its doors in July, joining ritzy hotels including the Four Seasons, the Grand Resort Lagonissi and Island Art & Taste, which Xenia Hajipetrou, owner of Riviera Blu Events, names as the top choices for wedding venues year-round.

“We have around 300 sunny days a year, and the weather is fantastic even in summer, because there’s always a lovely breeze,” she says.

Planning tip: Island-hopping is a must-do, whether you take the ferry or rent a speedboat or yacht. “There’s quite a few options, which are about half an hour or an hour away,” Hajipetrou notes. “The two most popular are Hydra and Spetses, or you can go to other close-by islands like Aegina, Tzia, Agistri and Poros.”

8. Bay of Kotor, Montenegro

This Balkan country has experienced a boost in tourism in recent years, with additional airline routes across Europe making the Bay of Kotor more accessible than ever.

“It’s new-ish on the radar – we’ve done a couple of weddings there already, and it’s sort of like 20 years behind Italy, as in, it’s quite unspoiled still. It’s absolutely beautiful,” explains Matthew Oliver, director of Matthew Oliver Weddings. “For a wedding, it’s perfect, with loads of different palaces and castles, and it’s very affordable, very reasonable.”

The coastline is brimming with spectacular locations for weddings, from the ancient Kotor Fortress to the romantic overwater Hotel Forza Mare in Boka Bay to 18th-century baroque-style mansions like Perast’s Hotel Admiral.

Planning tip: “Our Lady of the Rocks is this little church on an island, and you can have a boat trip around it or you can even get married there. You’re surrounded by the ocean and all the orange roofs of Montenegro. It’s really pretty,” says Oliver.