Wedding Locations In Europe
Which Country To Choose?
Destination weddings are more popular than ever before, not only because you get to say your vows in a beautiful and perhaps exotic setting, but you also get to travel, have an intimate wedding with just you and your closest friends and family, start your honeymoon the moment the wedding ends, and return home to beautiful wedding photography you’ll be able to frame and put on the wall forever.
There are so many romantic locations in Europe that it can be overwhelming to research and choose. When you first start your research, cast your net wide, look at plenty of pictures, and then start to narrow down your criteria. Do you want sun and sea? A wedding in the city? In a place rich with history? Somewhere remote where you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into the pages of a romance novel? These are the kinds of questions you should ask yourself to make your shortlist. To help you narrow down your list, here are my top ten wedding destination countries (in no particular order):
Destination Weddings Europe Top 10
France
Ah, France – from the beautiful Champagne region to romantic Paris, and down to the French Rivera, you are spoilt for choice in this country alone. France is a sophisticated country steeped with a history of luxury. You’ll experience the famous French cuisine, refined wine, and genuine champagne. If you want to get married in affluence with glorious weather, the south of France is the destination for you, but if you’re looking for that classic French romance, you won’t go wrong in Paris. France is covered in breathtaking Chateaux’s all over and each and every one of them has so much character and individuality its hard to choose between them.
Italy
Italy is another country with a huge level of versatility. If you love history and want to be a part of it, Rome is a great city destination, but if you want to go somewhere a little more remote, Sicily offers a culture all its own. Of course, I couldn’t mention Italian wedding destinations without mentioning Venice. Venice is a truly unique destination, world-renowned for its romance. In Venice, you’ll have a wedding far different from anyone else you know with incredibly wedding photos to display in your home forever. If you’re looking for somewhere with green mountains, look at Lake Como, during my time as a Lake Como Wedding Photographer I absolutely loved it. I think my personal favourite location in Italy though is Tuscany. It has so much to offer in terms of its natural beauty, its ease of access and the light here is just incredible. Most of my experience as a Destination Wedding Photographer is here in Italy.
Greece
If you want to go somewhere guaranteed to be hot, with great food and history at every turn, Greece may be your perfect wedding destination. While mainland Greece goes about life amongst the ruins of one of the most advanced ancient civilizations in history, the islands will offer you a more private feel with azure blue waters and pristine white beaches. Wherever you choose for your ceremony, be sure to stay for your honeymoon to fully appreciate all the history and culture Greece has to offer. So many beautiful Greek Islands to choose from too.
Iceland
If sweating in your wedding dress isn’t something you’re interested in doing, Iceland may be the breath-taking destination for you. If you and your partner are well known for your love of adventure or a love of all things fantasy, you won’t find a more diverse and surreal backdrop for your wedding in Europe. If you aren’t just interested in a wedding but in starting married life with an adventure, you’ll find plenty of activities for you and your partner and your wedding party to do before or after the wedding, such as hiking, whale-watching, and white-water rafting.
UK
Okay, so I’m cheating a little here, but if you aren’t in the UK (or even if you are) you need to consider Wales, Scotland, Northern Island, and of course, England. For such a small island, we have incredibly diverse landscapes and layers upon layers of history. If you’re interested in a city wedding, check out Belfast, Edinburgh, and London, but if you are more interested in getting married at one of our incredible historical manors, you’ll find plenty of inspiration on my blog.
Ireland
The Republic of Ireland is steeped in history and folklore and is abundant with tales of fairies and beautiful remote ruins of old homes and castles. If you’ve ever dreamed of getting married somewhere wild, inland Ireland is for you, but Dublin is a great city for those looking for a mix of city life, canals, and the breath-taking scenery of mainland Ireland. A great place for really dramatically atmospheric wedding photographs.
Spain
While Madrid certainly offers a huge amount of culture and history on the mainland, the Spanish islands are wedding destinations worth your attention. Mallorca offers turquoise waters, white villas and sandy beaches dreams are made of. Choose to get married in the popular resort towns or go inland to the farmlands for a quieter affair. Ibiza, known worldwide for its nightlife, has much more to offer than just clubbing – though if you are a couple that is interested in spending your nights listening to some of the best DJs in the world, Ibiza is for you. If you are looking for something a little more urban though, Barcelona offers so much vibrancy and character.
Croatia
Croatia’s Dalmatian coast is one of Europe’s hidden gem wedding destinations, and it perfectly combines everything you could want in a wedding destination; white beaches, seaside towns, mountains, and deep forests all under a clear blue sky. Enjoy the medieval city of Dubrovnik and travel along the coast to enjoy the beaches.
Germany
Germany may not have been a country you would traditionally think of for a destination wedding, but their incredible castles mean it has earned a place on this list. Look into Schloss Benrath in Dusseldorf, Schloss Eckberg in Dresden, and Schlosshotel Hohenstein in Ahorn to start your search.
Cyprus
I lived in Cyprus for 4 years and Its a place close to my heart. So being a Cyprus Wedding Photographer really means a lot to me. Weddings here are great all year round. From the small beautiful towns of Lefkara to the resorts of Paphos and Protaras, this island offers something really special for a wedding day.