Photo: Bella Bridesmaids Los Angeles | Miranda Florer

Destination weddings in the U.S. are more popular than ever before. From the sunny shores of California to the bright lights of big East Coast towns, there are endless venues to choose from where you can say “I do.”  

Whether you’re getting married on a beach, in the woods, or in the city, here are 11 destination wedding locations that might be perfect for you!

1. Miami, Florida

Photo: Bella Bridesmaids Miami | Macy Ryan

Miami is an exciting and glamorous city full of life, vibrant energy, and diverse cultures. 

The options are endless in this southern Florida hotspot. You can host your wedding in a luxury hotel, on a sunny beach, in a botanical garden, or on a yacht with stunning city and sea views.

Miami has a great food culture, especially if you love Caribbean, South American, and Latin American cuisine. It also has a thriving arts scene, with plenty of museum and gallery venues.

Miami summers can be extremely hot and humid, and it rains almost every day, if only for a few minutes. Keep that in mind if you’re planning an outdoor ceremony in the afternoon.

Some of our favorite Miami venues are:

2. Los Angeles, California

Photo: Bella Bridesmaids Los Angeles | Patrick Moyer

The City of Angels is a fabulous U.S. wedding destination with near-perfect weather year-round! Historic or modern, indoor or outdoor, rustic, traditional, or unconventional, every type of wedding venue exists in La La Land.

You can have a luxe, elegant affair in Beverly Hills. Or, you can throw a chic beachfront wedding in Santa Monica. You can even say your vows high on a cliff overlooking the ocean in Malibu. 

LA is also home to great chefs and some of the best entertainers in the world. So, no matter what type of wedding you want, you can pull it off with some Hollywood magic.

Some of the best destination wedding venues in LA are:

Destination weddings require some unique planning. Read How to Plan Your Destination Wedding Itinerary to learn more!

3. San Francisco, California

Photo: Bella Bridesmaids San Francisco | onelove photography

San Francisco is rich in history and culture and has an incredible food scene. Its dozens of parks and winding streets also make great wedding photo backdrops!

You can have any type of wedding you want in San Fran. The city is perfect for a boho, artsy wedding or a glam celebration in a chic hotel. Nearby Napa Valley is ideal if you’re a wine lover or want a vineyard wedding vibe. 

The seaside mountain coastline of nearby Big Sur boasts incredible overlooks of the Pacific Ocean. If you dream of a fairytale wedding in the woods, just head to nearby Berkeley and say your vows amongst the redwood trees.

These San Fran venues might be perfect for you:

4. Washington D.C.

 

Photo: Bella Bridesmaids Washington D.C. | Angelika Johns

Washington D.C. is a perfect wedding destination for history buffs! 

Easy to get to from various states on the East Coast, D.C. boasts incredible historic locations. Each one makes for amazing wedding photos and an awesome wedding weekend.

In the metro area, you can find any venue you like, including luxurious, glamorous hotels and historically significant locations. Whether you want to celebrate in an elegant ballroom with chandeliers or steps away from some of the country’s most historical documents, D.C. has it all!

One unique thing about getting married in D.C. is that you don’t even need to hire an officiant. In the District of Columbia, you can self-officiate and have any friend or family member lead your wedding ceremony.

Some of the top D.C. wedding venues are:

5. New Orleans, Louisiana

Photo: Bella Bridesmaids New Orleans | Josh Williams

If you love jazz music and southern cuisine, NOLA is a top choice! 

New Orleans is known for being a party town. It’s also rich with history, has many noteworthy landmarks, and is THE most haunted city in the U.S.

New Orleans has an air of mysticism, so it’s a perfect destination if you’re into the supernatural. During your wedding weekend, schedule a ghost tour or a cemetery tour and treat your guests and loved ones to an experience they’ll never forget. 

After your wedding, party it up in the French Quarter until the wee hours of the morning! 

These New Orleans venues might be perfect for you:

6. New York, New York

Photo: Bella Bridesmaids New York City | Krystal Balzer

If you love the big city, there’s no greater place than NYC! 

With endless grand hotels, boutique hotels, and award-winning event spaces, it’s easy to find an exciting, luxurious wedding venue in NYC. It offers the most incredible food and entertainment options. 

It’s also perfect if you’re throwing a weekend-long destination wedding. From kids to seniors, there are endless activities for every guest and member of your wedding party to enjoy.

Manhattan can get quite hot in the summertime, but it’s amazing in the spring and fall seasons. It’s also rather magical in winter, especially around the holidays when twinkling lights are everywhere!

NYC has hundreds of amazing venues to choose from, but some of the best are:

7. Charleston, South Carolina

Photo: Bella Bridesmaids Charleston | Kylie Anne Hoppe

Charleston is an old southern city with a ton of charm — the epitome of southern hospitality!

In Charleston, you can have a downtown wedding, a beach wedding, or a wedding on a river in the low country. You can also exchange vows at centuries-old plantations or grand, historic homes. 

The options are endless!

If you love The Notebook, Charleston might be your ideal wedding destination. Rent a boat at the Cypress Gardens swamp, and you can recreate that incredible scene where Noah and Allie row amongst the geese. We can’t think of a more iconic way to kick off or conclude a wedding weekend!

Some of the top venues in Charleston are:

Set on a beach wedding, but not decided on the location? Check out our post 11 Best Beach Wedding Venues for ideas!

8. Nashville, Tennessee

Photo: Bella Bridesmaids Nashville | Morgan Taylor

The Music City is a perfect choice for country music-loving spouses to be!

In Nashville, you can choose a casual, laid-back setting or a historic downtown venue. Or you can venture just outside the city to wed in a romantic forest, country estate, or barn. 

Nashville has a vibrant, thriving culture with great food, amazing music venues, and a fun dance scene. No matter what type of wedding you want to throw, you’ll find plenty of vendors to accommodate your needs.

Nashville has become one of the top destination sites in the U.S. in recent years. Be sure to book your big day well in advance, and expect crowds wherever you go within the downtown district.

Some of Nashville’s top venues include:

9. Boston, Massachusetts

Easy to reach from all parts of New England and the mid-Atlantic region, Boston is an East Coast gem! 

Rich with history and culture, Boston offers something for every type of couple, from lavish and luxe venues to coastal spots on the water. Travel a few miles outside downtown Boston, and you can get married on a sunny beach or in a rustic barn. 

If you invite guests to celebrate for an entire weekend, there’s much to do and see in Boston. Your wedding party and invited guests will find plenty of fun and unique ways to enjoy their time before and after the wedding day.

Top Boston venues include:

10. Las Vegas, Nevada

Photo: Bella Bridesmaids Las Vegas | Lianna Marie

Vegas is the original destination wedding spot in the U.S.! 

Thousands of couples have eloped in the little white chapels just off the strip. But there are also many incredible venues to book far in advance to throw the wedding of your dreams.

Vegas is the ultimate weekend getaway destination, with the best entertainment and food. If you want a one-of-a-kind Vegas wedding experience, tie the knot at the Little White Wedding Chapel or the Neon Museum. Or, throw a glitzy, glamorous, romantic wedding on the strip or travel a few minutes out of town and get married in the desert.

Is it your dream to marry in Italy, but you can’t travel that far? 

Then, you might want to say “I do” at an Italian-inspired hotel on the strip, like the Bellagio, the Venetian, or Caesar’s Palace.

Summers in Vegas are HOT (it averages 107° F in July), so if you want an outdoor wedding, it’s best to avoid the summer months. 

These Vegas venues might be perfect for you:

11. Scottsdale, Arizona

Photo: Bella Bridesmaids Scottsdale | Rachel Solomon

Scottsdale is beloved for its beautiful sunsets, year-round warm weather, and natural beauty. If you desire a rustic desert setting, it’s the perfect spot!

This southwest city is home to luxury resorts, lush settings offering more greenery than desert venues, and many incredible golf course venues. Scottsdale also has a great food scene. 

Before and after your wedding, you can also hike, take art gallery tours, and visit spas and wellness retreats.

Some of Scottsdale’s top venues are:

Try On Bridesmaid Dresses in Your City, Pick Them Up at Your Destination!

Whether you have a wedding planner or intend to do all the wedding planning yourself, there are extra logistics to consider when throwing a destination wedding, including packing bridesmaid dresses. 

Bella Bridesmaids has more than 45 locations nationwide, including Bella Bridesmaids Indianapolis, making it easy to try on dresses in one city and pick them up in another!

Find the closest Bella Bridesmaids location with our store locator!

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With so many incredible venues from coast to coast, it’s easy to have the destination wedding of your dreams right here in the U.S.A. From big cities to beautiful beaches to desert towns, your ideal wedding destination may be just a few states away.