Picture the scene: a quiet, family-run Italian farmhouse, where a wedding party can gather in the sunshine the day before the ceremony for pizza, limoncello, ice cream and children’s entertainment, creating lasting memories together.
On the wedding day, the couple arrive in a classic Fiat 500 and the meal is a Mediterranean buffet feast. The next day, the couple and guests gather to chat over the wedding’s many highlights, and to refuel on carbs with a hands-on pasta-making class.
Weddings like these are becoming increasingly sought-after by couples, according to specialist operators. Couples are also seeking greater cultural immersion as part of their post-wedding celebrations, looking to explore the history, landscapes and traditions of their chosen honeymoon destination.
Here, we highlight some of the latest trends in immersive destination weddings and reveal what’s popular in the growing world of culture-led honeymoons.
Authentic experiences
With modern-day families and friends often scattered around the world, a destination wedding is an opportunity for loved ones to celebrate the couple while also spending some treasured time together.
Melissa Lowe, General Manager at Perfect Weddings Abroad, says couples are increasingly asking for pre- and post-wedding parties to tag onto their destination wedding, with celebrations in locations such as Greece, Cyprus and Italy often lasting three days so couples can spend more time with guests.
Private wedding venues, especially those that are secluded, intimate and authentic, are also popular in these destinations. “People like out-of-hotel venues, where there’s nobody else around and it’s theirs for the day, plus for the evening party – or on some occasions they’ll take it over for the three days,” says Lowe.
“People don’t want to be looking at a venue that’s on a conveyor belt of three weddings a day, where they see other brides. They want it to feel exclusive.”
In Italy, she gives the example of Terranova Agriturismo, a rustic farmhouse in Sorrento with beautiful sea views. Couples can hire the entire venue so guests can stay on site in one of 11 rooms, adding on quintessential Italian experiences like pasta-making classes and limoncello tastings before or after the wedding. “It’s a sustainable, eco-friendly approach offering interactive experiences. The venue is family-run, so you feel like you’re in someone’s home.”
In Italy, the operator can book pre or post-wedding pasta or pizza parties, boat trips or vineyard tours. “More couples are taking in the iconic elements of a place as part of the wedding,” explains Lowe.
In Greece and Cyprus, which make up around 60% of the operator’s bookings, clients are usually requesting traditional meze meals for the reception, rather than three-course, seated meals. Requests for cultural elements range from Greek dancers to plate smashing.
Also popular are excursions with guests, such as catamaran cruises. “We have one Santorini wedding at the moment where they want to have the reception lunch, then go off to do a watersports trip before their evening party. That’s a first, but it’s quite common for people to be looking at things to do with their guests.”
Rustic venues and longer trips
Olympic Holidays, which has a dedicated weddings department, has also seen a rise in demand for longer wedding trips with family and friends, and in bookings for authentic venues. The operator’s Wedding Specialist, Rachael Marron, says: “People are now much happier to go for a smaller venue rather than a big-chain hotel.”
Emilia Berni, Head of Marketing, notes that couples getting married in Greece are often combining their weddings and honeymoons into one trip. “They might have the wedding in Santorini and use that as a starting point for their honeymoon, then do two or three more islands.”
A real advantage of agents working with a specialist operator on weddings is the expertise and advice they’ll get, says Berni. “We can talk through the legal and official documents and send agents a step-by-step guide advising on how clients can complete the paperwork. We also do regular agent training sessions,” she explains.
“We’ve all either been brides or known brides; it’s the most important day and you can get quite carried away, so having that trust element is really important.”
Planet Weddings is another operator seeing longer nuptials trips and more demand for the wedding party to do something special together. Requests in Italy include everything from pizza ovens for the pre-wedding party, to vineyard trips for wine tastings. In Croatia, boat trips with guests are popular, while taverna dinners or hiring a yacht for a private party are regular requests for Cyprus weddings.
Culture-seeking honeymoons
For the honeymoon market, couples are often seeking meaningful and varied trips that allow them to explore as much of a destination as possible. Planet Weddings’ Managing Director, Mathilde Robert, says: “After the wedding, [couples are] no longer staying put in one hotel for seven to 14 nights. They want to explore different regions in a destination.”
Travel agent Bethany Hall, Director of Travel by Bethany, says her honeymoon clients want “authentic adventures”, with requests for Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam being popular. “People want to get away from that Instagrammable feel; they want something unique,” she explains, adding that clients generally opt for boutique-style properties with B&B rates rather than all-inclusive resorts, so they can explore more of the destination and try local food.
Foodie excursions are trending, with Hall recently booking some honeymooners on to a cooking class with a local family in Chiang Mai. Wellness is another area seeing high demand, with requests for spa days, retreats and yoga experiences.
Audley Travel’s top three destinations for honeymoons this year are South Africa, Tanzania and Thailand, while twin-centre honeymoons, or “hybrid trips” combining adventure plus relaxation are proving especially popular. Options include pairing a Kenyan safari with downtime on tranquil beaches in the Seychelles, or searching for wildlife on a hike through Madagascar’s rainforest, followed by the beaches of Île Sainte-Marie.
For clients looking for a culturally-enriching honeymoon, Alex Bentley, Audley’s Head of Product, recommends Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan – new destinations for the operator this year. “In Uzbekistan, a highlight is Samarkand – one of the cities on the old Silk Road and a wonderful place to appreciate its 2,500-year history, beautiful buildings and monuments.”
In more rural Kyrgyzstan, Bentley suggests a yurt stay on the shore of Lake Song-Kul, a peaceful, tucked-away spot surrounded by mountains.
It’s clear that as destination weddings and honeymoons evolve into longer, more complex and immersive trips, they present agents with strong opportunities to add value and create the meaningful, authentic celebrations that clients are coming to expect.
Top product
Perfect Weddings Abroad offers weddings at Terranova Agriturismo, a rustic, family-owned farmhouse in Sorrento. The operator can add on experiences such as pasta-making.
Golden Rock Resort in St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean, hosts ceremonies everywhere from its pool deck to a lagoon, plus symbolic celebrations in locations around the island.
Five-star boutique hotel Raya Heritage in Chiang Mai, sold by If Only, provides artisan craft experiences such as traditional weaving and pottery, as well as city excursions.
Book it
Olympic Holidays’ standard wedding package in Rhodes for St Paul’s Chapel in Lindos in 2027 start from £3,300. olympicholidays.com
Abra Dunsby
Abra Dunsby has over a decade of experience writing for travel trade and consumer press. She’s happiest eating gelato on an Italian beach.
