Couples opting to celebrate their nuptials away from home are choosing places like wineries and Hawaii

By Debra Cano Ramos, Special Advertising Sections Writer

Imagine being surrounded by the picturesque vineyards of Sonoma County oldest wineries and saying “I do.”

Dan and Lisa Nguyen of Playa del Rey not only dreamed of marrying away from home in the wine country, the did tie the knot on Aug. 9, 2003 at a Sonoma winery steeped in tradition and romance.

Wine country charm
They pledged their love for each other during a ceremony at the Buena Vista Winery, which was founded in 1857.

The Nguyens exchanged vows in the winery’s fountain courtyard, next to the Haraszthy Champagne Cellars, astone building built more than 140 years ago.

A couple gets married in Northern California’s wine country, one of the most popular sites for destination weddings. Photo courtesy of Caswell & Askew Studios, Sonoma

Following the ceremony, guests meandered into the rustic two-story Press House tasting room, a European-style stone building erected in 1862, for wine and appetizers, while a violinist and cellist played classical music. Red roses and burning candles set the mood for the romantic evening.

The reception was held in the secluded courtyard, surrounded by towering oaks and a flowing fountain decorated with ivy and floating gardenias. It was an idyllic setting for the dinner and night of dancing, the couple recollected.

The Nguyens decided to marry out of town and give not only themselves, but also their guests, a celebration to reminisce about for years to come.

“When we picked out the location, not only did we want to have a special place that we’d remember the rest of our lives, but also that family and friends would enjoy as well,” said Dan Nguyen, chief financial officer of an investment company in Century City.

Lisa Nguyen, an occupational therapist who grew up in the Northern California city of Woodside, said she has always had an affection for the wine country.

“It was not just a wedding event, but it was a weekend full of adventure in the wine country for our families and guests,” said Dan Nguyen, adding that the intimate affair gave them the opportunity to visit with their 90 guests.

“We had a blast from the day we arrived until the day we jetted away to our honeymoon,” he said.

“The idea of destination weddings, with the bride and groom inviting guests to exotic vistas to witness the wedding and enjoy a vacation, has been gaining momentum for several decades,” said Joyce Scardina Becker, president of Events of Distinction, a San Francisco-based wedding design company.

“In some cases, they combine it with their honeymoon and have a ‘weddingmoon.’ Some couples see a destination wedding as the solution to their wedding woes: budgetary concerns and family issues,” said Jean Picard, a Ventura-based bridal consultant and California state coordinator for the Assn. of Bridal Consultants.

The Conde Nast Bridal Group reports destination weddings now account for 10% of the total number of weddings (2.3 million) annually in the United States.

WeddingChannel.com’s editor Rosanna McCollough reported in a recent online survey of brides, 15% said they are having a destination wedding.

Such weddings are one of the hottest trends because “no one wants a cookie-cutter wedding,” McCollough said. “Everyone is looking to create a wedding that is unique and personal, and reflects their lifestyle and interests.”

The Northern California wine country — Sonoma and Napa counties — has always been a favorite pick for romantics and honeymooners, wedding planners noted.

But nowadays, wineries across the state are luring bridal couples and marketing their beautiful properties to the soon-to-be wed, said Beverly Clark, author of “Planning A Wedding To Remember.” Her book offers couples ideas for choosing a wedding location away from home.

“California wine country has become a popular destination since the wineries and resorts in the area began catering to larger groups of people,” Clark said. “With the natural beauty of the area, and the fabulous California weather, it continues to be a favorite.”

Other popular wine country destinations include the Santa Barbara County-Santa Ynez Valley and the Temecula area, Clark said.

Popular sites
Besides the wine country, other favored destinations for nuptials include the Hawaiian Islands and the Caribbean, Jamaica and Puerto Rico, Clark said.

But the options are limitless: from dude ranches to cruise ships, mountain resorts, castles in Scotland or the French Alps. Las Vegas also continues to attract engaged couples, and not just as a place to elope. The luxury Vegas resorts go above and beyond to cater to the wedding couple, McCollough said.

Of the couples surveyed for WeddingChannel.com, McCollough said 65% reported they chose to remain in the United States for their destination wedding.

“We have so many wonderful venues, and it can be less expensive,” she said, since staying closer to home makes it easier and more affordable for guests to attend, than, say, a trip to Europe.

Oftentimes, a second wedding is a destination wedding. Second weddings make up about one-third of all weddings each year, Clark noted.

Because of their previous marriages, busy work schedules and another family wedding planned in early May, getting married away from home and by themselves was the ideal solution for Millie Szerman and Jim Glazier of Redondo Beach.

Szerman, 58, who owns a public relations agency, and Glazier, 52, a neuro-trauma intensive-care nurse, married April 15 at sunset on Kauai’s Shipwreck Beach. It was her third marriage, and his second.

“We combined our wedding with a wonderfully romantic honeymoon,” Szerman said. “Going away allowed us to not disappoint any family members. By not telling anyone about our nuptials, no one was hurt or upset that they wouldn’t be able to be there. Besides, it was really fun holding on to such glorious news and then making the announcement.”

A destination wedding can be large or small, casual or elaborate.

Smaller affair
“People sometimes want a more intimate experience, and that’s why they are picking a destination wedding,” said Clark, also creator of WeddingLocation.com, a free online service that offers information about wedding destinations throughout the country and abroad.

“Spending more time — a weekend or a few days — with family and friends, rather than simply an evening, make a destination wedding more appealing, as well,” she said.

A perk of holding a wedding at a special location, is that often, guests and family members can enjoy a “mini-vacation.”

“If everyone is going to have to fly in for the wedding anyway, it may as well be to a great place,” Picard said.

The downside is that some family members or friends may be disappointed if they are unable to attend.

But, that means that the cost could be less than a traditional wedding because fewer guests can attend and also because the couple may combine their wedding and honeymoon at one location, Clark said.

Along with saving on expenses, getting away to an exotic locale can relieve some of the planning pressures.

Since weddings are big business, popular places and resorts are offering planning packages that include just about everything, such as on-site wedding coordinators, vendors and other services.

Using the Internet for research, including reputable online free services, asking a lot of questions and visiting the site in person, can also help to alleviate the difficulties of planning a faraway wedding, Clark suggested.

Hiring a wedding consultant in the area where the event will take place also can be a wise move, Picard said.

“Working with a professional who really knows the area, the venue and the vendors, makes all the difference,” she said.

Check marriage laws
Couples should be aware of the legalities of marrying in other states and countries before they travel there, wedding experts cautioned.

“Investigate and make sure you’re prepared,” McCollough said, adding that to avoid legal complications, some couples traveling abroad may decide to have a quiet private civil ceremony locally — either beforehand or when they return home.

The Nguyens, who planned their own wedding seven months in advance, advise couples to spend the time researching the location, and if they can, visit the site themselves.

“It takes a fair amount of logistics. Dan and I made a couple trips up to Sonoma just to work out the details,“ said Lisa Nguyen, adding that it gave her peace of mind.

She said that her mother also helped coordinate services with vendors, and it was helpful that the winery offered wedding packages to fit different budgets.

“Some people may think it’s extravagant and will cost a lot of money, but it’s not as overwhelming as people think,” Dan Nguyen said.

The Nguyens have no regrets about marrying away from home, only wonderful memories.

“It was a great place to have the ceremony and reception all in one place,” Lisa Nguyen said. “The timing of the whole event went really well, and it provided the guests with a chance to mingle and spend quality time together without feeling rushed to make it to the reception after the ceremony.”

Debra Cano Ramos is a freelance writer based in Orange.

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