Destination weddings are on the rise at Signia by Hilton, La Cantera Resort & Spa, San Antonio
Are destination weddings the way to go in 2027? Definitely.
Micro weddings grew 23% year-over-year heading into 2026, and Pinterest search is up 33%. According to The Knot, those choosing destination weddings are up 32%, with Gen Z driving the numbers. They favored international destinations with the industry growing upwards to $35 billion by the 2030s. Yes, billion. The Caribbean/Mexico destinations rank highest while European destinations are growing. But for sure, smaller and more traditional weddings are on the rise.
Did you know that destination weddings can be 50% less expensive that traditional, down the road, at the barn weddings? According to Destify, the average destination wedding cost for a couple is $15,000 all inclusive. Once considered a luxury option, now, it’s what makes the most sense, economically and personally.
This isn't a niche preference anymore, it's a real shift. After scanning the weddings of the last decade that I have been honored to photograph, it makes sense. Not in a one-and-done, all-inclusive type of affair, but a smartly curated day that speaks to the personalities of the bride and groom.
I’ve worked with clients as a wedding vendor (photographer) for over 15 years, and admittedly, I fought the idea of destination weddings, that is until I saw one in action. If you have a huge budget or pocketbook, bring the clan; if not, bring those that are closest to your heart. It’s your choice as to the number, but make it more than a drop-in and leave event. It simply makes more sense, and I believe destination weddings accentuate what weddings should be - an intimate gathering to celebrate love. Not an attention-grabbing, bigger is better day.
Here’s some reasons why you should make your wedding a destination wedding:
1. The money goes toward experience not space. Couples are inviting 20 to 40 of their closest people instead of 150 (or more), and putting that same budget toward a genuinely elevated experience — premium bars, better venues, curated details — instead of stretching thin to feed and seat a guest list padded with obligation invites. And most of the people in attendance on your wedding day, you’ll never speak with or possibly see.
2. It buys back time. Couples are increasingly booking multi-day "wed-cations" over single rushed days. It's about multiple days together with friends and family instead of one hurried event. That speaks to the heart of why you’re actually having a wedding. There's room for a welcome dinner, a beautiful breakfast brunch, a lazy beach morning or hike, a spa day, a real conversation.
3. Personalization actually becomes possible. With fewer guests to host, couples gain real flexibility in how they spend — shifting budget toward experience-driven, intentional design rather than logistics, which is exactly the gap you're seeing in overpriced barn weddings: big spend, zero personality. Do not execute someone else’s vision for your day.
4. Less stress, more presence — for everyone. Fewer guests means fewer headaches and fewer people to please, which lets couples actually be present at their own wedding. No one competes for attention.
5. It's simply where the culture is heading. There will always be barn weddings and those who go big or go home. But for now (hopefully), couples are trading traditional venues for places that feel personal — private homes, gardens, mountain lodges, meaningful family destinations — prioritizing connection over spectacle and treating the wedding event as a real shift toward intention and personalization.
The fastest-growing, most enthusiastic segment right now is intentional, intimate, and destination-driven. You do you, as I always tell my clients. This is your day, not your planners, your venues or your parents.
Consider a Signia by Hilton La Cantera Resort & Spa destination wedding in San Antonio, Texas
Rise with the sun (and your girlfriends) and enjoy the Floating Sound Bath.
1. The money goes toward experience. Spend the morning or the entire day at Loma de Vida Spa located on the grounds of La Cantera Resort. It is secluded and private, an easy golf cart ride from your room or villa. Gather the girls together early for a Floating Sound Bath Experience (pictured above). Feel the stress melt away as the breeze and the birds create the soundtrack for a beautiful hour. Next, a massage or facial; there’s also nail and hair services, if not now, for the wedding. Its quiet escape prepares you and your guests for this special occasion.
2. It buys back time.
No rush, just enjoyment.
Rather than stressing over timelines and floral arrangements or buffet choices or cocktail hour drinks, and squeezing it all into the span of eight hours, make it a weekend. During my years of curating timelines, never, ever has a bride squeezed in everything she wants within the time frame of her day.
Gather everyone on one property, have breakfasts and dinners, poolside martinis and a quiet intimate ceremony. Spend time together rather than a quick hello or goodbye. Relax and reconnect.
Book The Villas; each has a kitchen, living room, bedroom (king or two queens), two porches, large bathroom with shower and tub. Each connects to the adjoining villa. Outdoor spaces offer evening gathering spots; the pool and bar never gets old (try the Tex-Mex-tini and ask for Issac). Rev up the golf cart (complimentary at The Villas) and head to the main hotel property at the top of the hill; dine at La Sierra Restaurant, SweetFire Kitchen, Vista Grill or grab and go at Henrietta’s Market.
3. Personalization actually becomes possible. Rather than paying for a DJ that you’ve never heard ‘perform,’ consider a mariachi band or a 60s cover band. Love Abba? By all means book the band that looks and sounds like the dream band. Rather than hiring a venue coordinator to fold napkins or stand around doing nothing (and yes, I’ve watched their endless nothingness on the wedding day), hire one to facilitate your dreams and actually offer options rather than ‘house’ approved or suggested vendors. Love to dance and party? What about acrobats that will keep the party going.? Just think, entertainment. Culture. Design that is actually personal with everything built around you. Release butterflies. Chase the sunset.
4. Less stress, more presence — for everyone.
Signature Restaurant is listed in the Michelin Guide Texas Recommended 2024.
After a day of activities and planning, gather everyone together and wind down at Signature Restaurant, a Michelin recommended restaurant right on property. A mini drive from The Villas in your golf cart - and it’s so much fun and when you leave for home, the sunset will be spectacular.
The Texas Hill Country is in the spotlight at Signature Restaurant. “The menu is straightforward . . . , featuring contemporary interpretations of classic dishes — . . . versions of traditional cuisine with unconventional Texas spirit. Gulf seafood, house aged sirloin, lamb and venison.”
A San Antonio local, Chef John Carpenter uses fresh local ingredients to build his French-inspired dishes with that Texas twist. With large portions, entrees are shareable allowing everyone a taste of perfection. (top to bottom, left to right; Signature is located adjacent to Calera, one of the options for a wedding celebration; gnocchi with honeynut squash; herbs and citrus to customize your water; bread and onion infused butter; buttermilk fried Texas quail on a bed of Southern cornbread; snap bean salad; open kitchen; Chef Carpenter)
5. It's simply where the culture is heading. Turn that one-day celebration into a multi-day event. Save money while creating an experience that will never fade. Permit the guest experience to be elevated and personal. The Knot states that 83% of destination wedding last, on average, four to five days. Now, that’s a party, and it doesn’t seem to be changing. No hotel conference room required.
