Wedding travel trends and honeymoon ideas 2026

Wedding travel trends and honeymoon ideas 2026

Weddings used to be all about The Big Day. But a major shift is underway.

Instead of focusing on a single event and all its accompanying details, weddings have become a full-blown era that includes destination proposals, multi-day nuptials, and honeymoons that span multiple stops.

Travel is increasingly central to how couples plan and experience this chapter of their lives. Rather than sticking to traditional rules and formats, they’re crafting immersive celebrations defined by intention, personalization, and place.

For its first Wedding and Honeymoon Trend Report, Fora Travel gathered advisor insights and booking data to get a clearer sense of what these shifts mean in practical terms. Read on for an on-the-ground look at where couples are going, what they’re doing when they get there, and what these trends mean for you as a traveler.

The biggest destination wedding trends right now

Once a niche choice, destination weddings have become common for engaged couples of all ages, though each generation is taking a slightly different approach. Gen Z couples are more budget-conscious but still expect elevated experiences, often favoring micro-weddings, all-inclusives, and shorter planning timelines. Millennials remain the most experience-driven, prioritizing cultural immersion, multi-stop itineraries, and once-in-a-lifetime honeymoons planned well in advance. Meanwhile, Gen X couples (including those planning second marriages) are decisive and luxury-focused, gravitating toward bucket-list destinations and high-touch travel experiences over trend-driven moments.

Across generations, travel advisors can play a pivotal role in bringing these experiences to life.

1. Demand for destination weddings is still climbing

More than half (54%) of Fora Advisors have seen an increase in destination wedding inquiries. Domestic celebrations are gaining particular momentum, with 53% of advisors reporting a rise in U.S.-based destination weddings specifically. One likely reason? Keeping celebrations stateside can still feel like a genuine travel experience while providing a level of logistical and financial accessibility that makes it easier for guests to show up.

2. U.S. destination weddings are having a moment

When it comes to where couples are heading domestically, the range is striking. Over the past year, Western and desert destinations have seen significant growth, but New England is having a major moment, too. In the South, the Carolinas are the hands-down favorites. The appeal is practical as much as it is scenic, as couples seek cost-conscious, logistically simple celebrations that still feel transportive and personal.

Western and desert destinations

These dramatic settings draw those who want wide-open scenery and immersive experiences.

Five states saw the biggest increase in bookings:

• Las Vegas: 145% increase
• Montana: 143% increase
• Utah: 113% increase
• Sedona: 88% increase
• Wyoming: 89% increase

New England

The Northeast region nails timeless coastal charm and easy guest access.

Six areas showed the most growth:

• Martha’s Vineyard: 278% increase
• Rhode Island: 136% increase
• Maine: 130% increase
• Connecticut: 120% increase
• Cape Cod: 89% increase
• Vermont: 86% increase

The Carolinas

Charming architecture, Blue Ridge Mountain backdrops, and convenient travel infrastructure have made these 2026 Hot List picks a popular choice.

Here’s how the growth shakes out in terms of Fora bookings:

• South Carolina: 157% increase
• North Carolina: 141% increase

3. Wellness is woven in

Wellness is being threaded through the entire wedding journey. Fora Advisors have seen bachelor and bachelorette celebrations evolve beyond all-out party weekends into holistic gatherings at hotels and destination spas, with yoga, Pilates, sound baths, sauna, and cold plunges becoming common inclusions.

That ethos carries through into the wedding weekend itself. Couples are prioritizing hotels with strong spa and well-being offerings, and advisors are building itineraries around yoga and mindfulness classes, health-forward catering, and even full spa buyouts.

Two notable examples among Fora bookings:

• Miraval Austin Resort & Spa: 73% increase year over year
• Wildflower Farms, Auberge Collection: 71% increase year over year

Also growing in popularity are post-wedding brunches that serve as a finale, with recovery-focused touches like spa treatments and IV bars so couples and their guests can depart feeling refreshed.

4. Weddings are going offshore

Couples are embracing cruise ships as the new all-inclusive venue—complete with onboard wedding planners and, in some cases, a captain to officiate. Fora Advisors say the appeal lies in seamless logistics and multi-destination experiences, whether a couple chooses a Mediterranean sailing with cultural excursions, an intimate Croatian yacht ceremony, or throws a Charleston bash followed by an Alaskan cruise.

Luxury and lifestyle cruise lines are particularly well-suited to couples who want upfront pricing, built-in adventure, and a celebration that doesn’t feel like it ends at the reception.

The four cruise lines seeing the largest year-over-year growth in Fora bookings:

• The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: 261% increase
• Princess Cruises: 218% increase
• Norwegian Cruise Line: 198% increase
• Virgin Voyages: 101% increase

The biggest honeymoon trends right now

Honeymoons remain one of the most meaningful travel investments couples will ever make. Nine in ten Fora Advisors say couples are willing to stretch their budgets for this once-in-a-lifetime trip, with 64% of clients spending $10,000 or more and 15% spending $20,000 or more.

Still, maximizing value is important to travelers—likely a reason 64% of Fora Advisors have clients choosing off-season or shoulder-season travel.

Below, a closer look at the three biggest shifts in honeymoon travel.

1. Couples are breaking the traditional honeymoon format

Mini-moons, pre-moons, and “elope-moons” are gaining momentum as more couples choose to take their honeymoon in phases, rather than all at once. Many are opting for shorter, immediate getaways after the wedding while postponing a larger, bucket-list trip for later, and a growing number are even traveling before the big day.

At the same time, more couples are combining their elopement and honeymoon into one seamless experience, selecting a standout destination and hotel that can serve as both a ceremony backdrop and a romantic escape.

What that looks like in numbers:

• 59% of couples are opting for mini-moon trips and delaying their main honeymoon
• 1 in 10 advisors say they’ve seen an increase in couples doing a pre-moon

2. Safari honeymoons are booming—and more global than ever

Demand for safari honeymoons is surging across the board, both in the destinations you’d expect and some you might not. South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania lead the way among the classics, with Fora Advisors pairing time in the wild with beach escapes in places like the Seychelles, Mozambique, or Zanzibar. Two of the most popular options: Kenya with the Seychelles and Tanzania with Zanzibar.

Asia is also gaining real traction. Sri Lanka stands out for leopard safaris in Yala National Park, as well as a broad slate of nature-forward experiences that feel genuinely off the beaten path.

The safari destinations seeing the most growth in Fora bookings:

• Kenya: 295% increase
• Tanzania: 287% increase
• Seychelles: 150% increase
• South Africa: 112% increase
• Sri Lanka: 170% increase

3. Off-peak travel is the new honeymoon hack

More couples are timing their honeymoons for the off-peak and shoulder seasons. The move comes with two big benefits: fewer crowds and better value.

Europe’s perennial favorites are leading the way when it comes to off-season demand. In Italy, the Dolomites and Ischia are booming in spring and early summer, signaling a shift away from peak August travel, with April emerging as a standout month nationwide. In Greece, Paros, Antiparos, and Naxos are seeing especially strong shoulder-season demand.

Elsewhere, Japan is defying cherry blossom expectations with fall (October–December) emerging as a honeymoon high season. Even long-haul destinations like New Zealand are gaining momentum in March and April, highlighting couples’ growing appetite for off-peak escapes.

Here’s what those shifts look like by the booking numbers:

Dolomites

• 173% increase
• May: 800% increase YoY

Ischia

• 94% increase
• June: 212% increase
• September: 118% increase increase YoY

Paros and Antiparos

• 244% increase
• October: 400% increase YoY

Naxos

• 450% increase
• October: 400% increase increase YoY

Japan

• 178% increase
• October: highest travel volume, followed by November, then December

New Zealand

• 62% increase
• April: 570% increase
• March: 332% increase

The new era of wedding travel is here

Taken together, these trends tell a consistent story: Couples are investing more in the travel around their wedding, not just the wedding itself. The celebrations are getting longer, the destinations more considered, and the experiences more personal for couples and their guests alike.

What that means in practice is a lot of moving parts—destination research, vendor negotiations, room blocks, honeymoon itineraries, and everything in between.

Methodology

This report examined Fora booking data comparing March 2025 vs. February 2026, as well as results from a survey of Fora Advisors conducted in February 2026.

This story was produced by Fora Travel and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.